The 1st University Administrators Workshop

“The University Administrators Workshop: Enhancing the Quality of International Activities of Asian Universities” was held by Kyoto University, March 16-17, 2006, at the New Miyako Hotel. The international exchange/study abroad personnel of 12 Asian universities and 3 universities in Kyoto participated: Fudan University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Kasetsart University, Nanjing University, National University of Singapore, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Taiwan University, Tsinghua University(Beijing), Tsing Hua University(Hsinchu), University of Science and Technology of China, Doshisha University, Ritsumeikan University, and the Kyoto Institute of Technology. After listening to opening remarks from OPIR Director Toshio Yokoyama, they exchanged opinions on the current state of international exchange and its future issues.

At each session, there were lively discussions on various topics such as promoting academic collaboration through memoranda for exchanges; provision of a desirable study/research environment for foreign students/researchers and risk assessment; university-level policymaking on international affairs and the role of the international affairs office; and the training of international affairs administrative personnel. The event was sponsored by Kyoto University to enable the exchange of opinions among those directly involved in the administration of international exchange activities and thereby raise the quality of the international activities of participating universities, as well as to improve relations between universities in Kyoto and leading universities in Asia.