2022

Award Ceremony for Student Video Contest and International Student SDGs Forum held

As part of Osaka University SDGs Virtual Student Exchange 2022, the Award Ceremony for the Student Video Contest and International Student SDGs Forum was held online on December 16, 2022 under the sponsorship of the Center for Global Initiatives.

This 2nd Student Video Contest entitled “3 Minutes of Inspiration for Sustainable Development” accepted entries of 3-minute-long videos on the theme of “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” from OU students and students from overseas universities with which OU has agreements. There were entries of 92 videos from 36 universities from 15 countries, including Indonesia, Ukraine, The Netherlands, Spain, China, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Brazil, Brunei, The Philippines, Mongolia, and Russia. The numbers of entries and participating countries exceeded those of the previous year, showing that the awareness of the contest increased. These videos showed students’ keen interest in SDGs from a variety of perspectives, such as society, economics, and the environment. In particular, these videos showed a high level of students’ interest in SDGs 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, 3: Good Health and Well Being, and 13: Climate Action.

Prior to the award ceremony, Executive Vice President KAWAHARA Genta greeted attendees, speaking about SDG activity at OU towards EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Following his talk, Professor Andrej Zwitter (Dean, Campus Fryslân and Professor of Governance & Innovation, University of Groningen, The Netherlands) delivered a keynote speech entitled “FUTURE of SDGs-2030 ONWARDS!”

At the award ceremony, after Professor ISHIKAWA Mayumi of the Center for Global Initiatives commented on the contest, 14 prize-winning works were announced by the following presenters.

• Video Production Award - TAKAHASHI Miwako (Advisor for Promotion of Collaboration, Kansai NGO Council)
• SDGs Idea Award - SHOJI Yuriko (Former Deputy Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN)
• Grand Prize/ President’s Encouragement Prize - KAWAHARA Genta (Executive Vice President, Osaka University)
• Honorable Mentions -- SAKUMA Hiroshi (Director of the Virtual Osaka Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan)

In the second half of the ceremony, presentations were made by last year’s award recipients, and then, facilitated by a pair of OU students, a panel discussion by the award-winning students was held.
Finally, President Nishio congratulated the award winners and thanked attendees, ending the event on a positive note.

The International Student SDGs Forum drew 131 participants from both inside and outside of Japan, providing a valuable opportunity for students around the world to think together about SDGs through online dialogues.

Major Prizewinners

• Grand Prize - And the Eternity Goes On (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine)
• SDGs Idea Award - Why Not Give It a Try (Southeast University, China)
• Video Production Award - Silent Peace (National University of Mongolia, Mongolia)
• President's Award - Mental Health Issue Is Real (Brawijaya University, Indonesia)

All of the prizewinning videos can be viewed at the official YouTube channel for the Student Video Contest.

Executive Vice President of Global Engagement Attends THE Campus Live Japan as a Panelist

THE Campus Live Japan, a symposium organized by Times Higher Education, was held at Keio University’s Mita Campus on 13 and 14 December 2022. Under the theme, “Reimagining the Future of Japanese Universities in the Post-Pandemic World,” attendees discussed the challenges and prospects for higher education. Professor Genta KAWAHARA, Executive Vice President of Global Engagement, was selected as a panelist alongside other notable speakers for the “University Leaders Panel: University’s Roles and Resilience in Times of International Crisis and Security Risks.”

Professor KAWAHARA participated in the Panel with Professor Peter Mathieson (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh), Professor Caroline Benton (Vice President and Executive Director of Global Affairs, University of Tsukuba), and Professor Motohiro TSUCHIYA (Vice President of Global Engagement and Information Technology, Keio University). The discussion was moderated by The Right Hon. the Lord Johnson of Marylebone, former UK Minister of State for Universities and Science, who now holds senior positions at King’s College London and Harvard University.

Professor KAWAHARA spoke about the need for international collaborations between institutions to face global issues in contemporary society. He also talked about the Japan-UK Research and Education Network for Knowledge Economy Initiative (RENKEI), a consortium between twelve universities in Japan and the UK, as an example of a collaborative network of universities addressing societal issues. As a group, the panel reaffirmed the role and value of universities in the current geopolitical landscape.

In addition to the Panel was a UK Government Address in which Madame Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan, and Mr. George Freeman, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, gave special lectures. Under the theme, “Supercharging Scientific Collaboration for a Changing World,” they discussed the reinforcement of global scientific collaboration. Lord Johnson of Marylebone also delivered a keynote address on his co-authored publication, “Stumbling Bear, Soaring Dragon,” in which he discussed the challenges of handling the geopolitics of global science.

Discussions during the symposium centered on the question, “What is a university?” and involved various perspectives on the role universities play in a society where significant global change has taken place since the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day of the symposium on 14 December also included lectures and discussions on various topics.

“SDGs Virtual Student Exchange-2022” held

The Center for Global Initiatives at Osaka University held the summer intensive course and symposium online in August 2022 as part of Osaka University SDGs Virtual Student Exchange-2022.

“SDGs Virtual Student Exchange-2022” consists of four main events (intensive online course, symposium, video contest, and international student forum) and patcicipants can learn about local and global challenges from other participants, experts, alumni, and guest speakers.

The intensive course and symposium were successfully completed with highly satisfied attendees.

1) International Exchange Subject: “Learning SDGs Globally & Locally” Intensive Online Course (August 22~29, 2022)

This course aimed to deepen participant’s understanding of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by sharing experiences and views of researchers and lecturers engaged in local and global sustainability issues.

136 individuals from OU, its partner universities, as well as APRU and AERU member universities (19 universities in 16 countries and regions in total) participated in the course.

Through lectures and discussion sessions, the participants gained a comprehensive understanding of the framework for SDGs, its global and local implications, as well as the need for action.

Class in session

2) “Let’s Take Action!” Osaka University SDGs Symposium (August 29, 2022)

305 individuals from 16 different countries and regions, primarily OU community members and its partner universities, as well as those from corporations and research facilities, participated in the symposium.

At the symposium started with an opening greeting from Executive Vice President KAWAHARA Genta, Director NEMOTO Kaoru (United Nations Information Centre, Tokyo) delivered a keynote speech entitled “Recommitting to SDGs: What Can We Do it to Rescue SDGs?”

Later, OU alumni delivered lectures:

• Latest information on automobiles and SDGs by TOYOSHIMA Koji (Deputy General Manager, Advanced Technology Division, Hino Motors, Ltd.)
• Issues regarding Japan’s single-surname law by AONO Yoshihisa (President, Cybozu, Inc.)
• Creating mobile businesses to solve poverty issues by FUKADA Yosuke (CEO, YOYO Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Running a social business in Rwanda by YAMADA Mio (CEO, KISEKI Co. Ltd./Chairperson, Cog-Way Association)

This was a valuable opportunity for attendees to learn about and discuss SDGs through lectures on concrete examples and experiences in achieving the SDGs.

Executive Vice President Kwahara

Director Nemoto

Debriefing Session and Closing Ceremony for the Osaka University International Certificate Program (OUICP) held

The Debriefing Session and Closing Ceremony for the 2021-22 OUICP was held on Friday, August 5, 2022. Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 40 international students who came to Japan for training in the OUICP, one Japanese student in the OUICP, and dozens of faculty and staff members participated in this event. The international students shared their feelings about the program, performing traditional songs and dances from their home regions.

OUICP, a two-way international certificate program started in the 2020-21 academic year, is intended for students of OU’s ASEAN Campus counterparts and individuals living in the countries where these campuses are located.

During this 9-month long program, students from ASEAN countries take courses in their country (either in-person or online) and receive hands-on practice in Japan for two months or more.

Although overseas students couldn’t come to Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, participants in this second-year program were able to come to Japan.

The students showed their pleasure at reaching the debriefing session by overcoming hardships, and even after the session, they shared their joy with other students and instructors, while taking photos.

U7+ Presidential Summit 2022

On Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9, 2022, the 4th U7+ Presidential Summit was held both online and in-person in Cannes and Nice, France under the auspices of Côte d'Azur University.

This was the first Summit to hold an in-person meeting since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. From OU, President NISHIO Shojiro participated online, while Executive Vice President KAWAHARA Genta joined in person.

The U7+ Alliance Summit, established in 2019 in Paris under the patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron, is an opportunity for university leaders from all over the world to discuss, share information, and present their proposals on global challenges to be addressed at the G7 Summit.

On day one of the Summit, Jeanick Brisswalter (President of Côte d'Azur University) and Mathias Vicherat (President of Sciences Po, U7+ Alliance Executive Committee Chair) made welcome speeches.

Then, the participating university presidents discussed the role of universities in securing peaceful and sustainable democracies.

On day two of the Summit, presided over by Keio University President ITOH Kohei, participants exchanged opinions regarding proposals to be submitted to the G7 Summit. Possible dates for the next year’s U7+ Presidential Summit to be hosted by Keio University were also discussed.

Following this, chaired by Prof. Annelise Riles of Northwestern University, working groups, including U7＋Student and Alumni Network, reported their activities.

In the second half of the meeting, OU Executive Vice President Kawahara referred to EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, mentioning the possibility that it would provide an opportunity for universities to collaborate.