University of Zurich – Kyoto University Strategic Partnership Joint Symposium 2026

Date：February 4 to 6, 2026

Basic Info

Date

2026/2/4（Wed）～　2026/2/6（Fri）

Place

University of Zurich

Language

English

For more details about this symposium, please visit the University of Zurich website.

Program

Report

The University of Zurich-Kyoto University Strategic Partnership Joint Symposium 2026 (February 4–6, 2026, University of Zurich).

Kyoto University and the University of Zurich co-hosted the University of Zurich-Kyoto University Strategic Partnership Joint Symposium 2026 at the University of Zurich on February 4–6, 2026. The two universities have promoted active academic exchange and collaboration since concluding an inter-university academic exchange agreement in 2013 and an inter-university student exchange agreement in 2014. In 2020, the collaboration efforts were intensified through the conclusion of a strategic partnership agreement, which consolidates the partnership at the presidential level. As strategic partners, the two universities are collaborating to develop cross-disciplinary research, pioneer joint research in new academic fields, and promote mobility by early-career researchers.

Under the theme of “Improving Quality of Life—What We Can Learn From Each Other,” the symposium brought together researchers from both universities to participate in five breakout sessions on the themes of: (1) Building Trust in AI, (2) Cell Research, (3) Environmental Quality, (4) AI and Religion, and (5) Improving Human Collaboration with AI Moderation. Approximately 80 people participated in the symposium, including early-career researchers and students.

On the first day of the symposium, the participating researchers from Kyoto University met with counterparts from the University of Zurich to discuss research collaboration and visited research-related facilities. In the evening, a welcome reception was held, with welcome addresses delivered by President Michael Schaepman of the University of Zurich, President Nagahiro Minato, and H.E. Mr. Toshiro Iijima, Ambassador of Japan to Switzerland. The welcome addresses were followed by networking in a friendly atmosphere that provided an effective opportunity for researchers from both universities to deepen their connections.

The second day opened with remarks from President Schaepman and President Minato. Then, Prof. Mika Yokoyama, deputy executive vice-president for international affairs and director of the Kyoto University European Center, gave a presentation titled “UZH-KU Partnership Overview,” which detailed the progress and achievements of the partnership between the two universities. The subsequent Joint Showcase session featured outstanding examples of collaborative research across a wide range of fields, including cell research, environmental biology, AI and law, health and longevity, and blockchain technology, further demonstrating the breadth and societal impact of the institutions’ collaboration. In the afternoon, participants from both universities, including early-career researchers and students, presented their research outcomes in breakout sessions, leading to lively discussions between the participants.

During the morning of the third day, the participants of each breakout session followed up on their discussions of the previous day by exploring potential opportunities for future research collaboration. After the breakout sessions concluded, an early-career researcher pitch session was held, during which a total of 11 graduate students and early-career researchers from Kyoto University and the University of Zurich presented their latest research in fields such as AI, medicine, law, and botany. In the afternoon, each breakout session gave a summary report of the two days’ discussions, and shared concrete prospects for future collaborative research in their respective fields.

The symposium concluded with remarks by Prof. Tetsuo Sawaragi, executive vice-president for research ethics, integrity, code of conduct, and international affairs, who provided an overall assessment of the strategic partnership, confirming the partners’ mutual commitment to further strengthening their collaborative ties.

　　　
President Nagahiro Minato and President Michael Schaepman of the University of Zurich