German Rector’s Conference(June 28-29) and JANET-FORUM 2016(June 30-July 1).

The German Rector’s Conference was held in Japanese-German Center Berlin on June 28th to 29th,, 2016. Prof. Masao Kitano, Executive-vice president of Education, Prof. Yukari Mitsuhashi, vice director of international strategy office, Mr. Tamaki Suzuki and Ms. Chiaki Nakamura, deputy directors of Kyoto University Heidelberg office, participated in the conference.
The 4th conference was titled as “Education, Research and Innovation – The Universities’ Mission between Academic Core Values and Societal Expectations”. Over 90 institutions and 150 participants; mostly presidents (directors), vice-presidents (vice directors) or staff of international affairs, inaugurated in this conference.
The participants took opportunities to share their ideas, to recognize common objectives between Japan and Germany, and to discuss for the future university management on the following topics; how the university respond to the needs of society, what the university’s contribution to society is, whether the university itself needs to take action for creating innovation on the research and education in order to develop students and foster the knowledge or not, and etc.

Following to the conference, JANET-FORUM 2016 was held at the Free University of Berlin on June 30th and July 1st 2016 and KU Heidelberg office staff participated in this event.
JANET（Japan Academic Northern Europe Network）was established in 2015 autumn by the initiative of JSPS Bonn Office, which aims to enhance network and collaboration of Japanese Universities’ overseas offices in Europe. Today 28 institutions, including Kyoto University register this network.
The first forum provided opportunity for the participants to know the recent activities of funding agencies in Germany such as DFG, DAAD and Humboldt foundation. 15 Japanese institutions gave presentations on the recent research collaboration between in Europe. Kyoto University European Center Heidelberg Office appealed the recent research and educational collaboration in Europe, especially highlighting the Japan-German 6 universities network “HeKKSaGOn”. KU staff also set an information booth and provide guidance for study in Kyoto in order to attract students from Germany.
KU European Center take its role on the gathering and disseminating information on the academic tendency in Europe, and develop networks with institutions in Europe.

▼Program of 4th German Rector’s Conference
(Japanese-German Center Berlin) http://www.jdzb.de/en/events/single-view/id/1487/

▼JANET and the program of 1st forum
JSPS Bonn Office : http://www.jsps-bonn.de/ja/janet/ (Japanese only)
（Facebook）https://www.facebook.com/JANET.Europe/