The 13th China-Japan University Presidents Forum was held in Hiroshima on November 29. Prof. Yasuyuki Kono (vice-president for international strategy) attended on behalf of Kyoto University.
The China-Japan University Presidents Forum was first held in Tokyo in October 2000 as a platform for the exchange of opinions among presidents of major universities in Japan and China, and to promote the revitalization of inter-university exchange between the two countries.
This year’s forum was held in an “in person” format for the first time in four years, having previously been held on-line due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of the forum was “Diversity and Fusion: Human Resources and Higher Education in the Coming Era.” Approximately 160 participants from 37 Japanese and Chinese universities attended the forum, in addition to delegates from six institutions, including the Chinese Embassy and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
The forum began with opening remarks by President Mitsuo Ochi of Hiroshima University, followed by remarks by H.E. Mr. Wu Jianghao, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan, and Mr. Masaaki Saijo, deputy director-general for Higher Education and Science and Technology Policy Coordination of MEXT.
Following the forum’s keynote speeches, two sessions were held in which delegates from Japanese and Chinese universities delivered presentations on their initiatives. The sessions were titled “New University Education and ICT Applications in the Post-COVID Era” and “Climate Change and Global Challenges.” Thes sessions were followed by a lively exchange of opinions.
During the two days of the forum, Prof. Kono attended individual meetings with the presidents and vice-presidents of seven universities, including Zhejiang University and Xi’an Jiaotong University.
During the plenary meeting, South China University of Technology was approved as a participating institution. The next China-Japan University Presidents Forum will be held in 2025, and will be hosted by Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.
