Swiss-Kyoto symposium 2013
Date：
Program
Thursday, 21 November
| 8:30 | Coffee and Registration @Foyer HG F30 |
| 9:00–10:00 | Opening of the Symposium @ETH HG F30 Chair: Prof. Ralph Eichler, President, ETH Zurich Prof. Ralph Eichler, President, ETH Zurich Prof. Hiroshi Matsumoto, President, Kyoto University Prof. Michael Hengartner, President Elect, University of Zurich Prof. Karl Aberer, Vice-President, EPF Lausanne (EPFL) H.E. Ryuhei Maeda, Ambassador of Japan to SwitzerlandSigning Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding Chair: Dr. Yasmine Inauen, Head International Relations, UZH |
| 10:00–11:00 | Presentation of Research and International Cooperation @ETH HG F30 Chair: Dr. Yasmine Inauen, Head International Relations, UZH Prof. Roland Siegwart, Vice-President, ETH Zurich Prof. Kiyoshi Yoshikawa, Executive Vice-President, Kyoto University Prof. Daniel Wyler, Vice-President, University of Zurich Prof. Karl Aberer, Vice-President, EPFL |
| 11:00–11:15 | Coffee Break @ Foyer HG F30 |
| 11:15–12:15 | Keynote Lectures @ETH HG F30 Chair: Prof. Atsuko Sehara, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University “Cell Death and Clearance of Dead Cells” Prof. Shigekazu Nagata, Department of Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University “Translational Neuromodeling: A new Paradigm for Understanding and Diagnosing Brain Diseases” Prof. Klaas Enno Stephan, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Translational Neuromodelling nit, ETH and University of Zurich |
| 12:15–13:15 | Buffet Lunch @Foyer HG F30 |
| 13:10–13:30 | Bus Transfer to Hönggerberg and Irchel Campuses HG C-Floor |
| 13:30–17:00 | Parallel Sessions I various venues |
| 17:00–17:30 | Bus Transfer from Hönggerberg and Irchel to Dinner Location see maps |
| 17:30–18:10 | Funding Opportunities for Cooperation “Zur Saffran” Chair: Dr. Rahel Byland, Programme Manager, ETH Global Prof. Keiichi Kodaira, Director, Bonn Office, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Jean-Luc Barras, Head International Relations, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) |
Friday, 22 November
Report
The Swiss-Kyoto Symposium was held at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich on November 21–22, 2013. The event was held in cooperation between Kyoto University, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), the University of Zurich (UZH), and EPF Lausanne (EPFL) in advance of next year’s 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan.
The symposium represents part of Kyoto University’s efforts under its new international strategy, which was formulated in June 2013 to promote the further development of the university as a world-class institution of higher learning, and to consolidate its global position as a true leading university. Over 350 members from the participating institutions gathered over the two-day period of the symposium with the aim of raising the international presence of the institutions, widely communicating research achievements, and promoting international cooperative research.
The first day of the symposium opened with addresses by Professor Ralph Eichler, president of ETHZ; Dr. Hiroshi Matsumoto, president of Kyoto University; Professor Michael Hengartner, president-elect of UZH; and Professor Karl Aberer vice-president of EPFL. Those addresses were followed by a welcome speech by H.E. Mr. Ryuhei Maeda, ambassador of Japan to Switzerland. In his speech, President Matsumoto spoke of his anticipation for the deepening of ties between the four universities, and the research advancements that would surely come through the opportunities for networking between researchers.
After the opening addresses, a signing ceremony was held for the conclusion of a memorandum for academic cooperation and exchange between Kyoto University and UZH. The agreement was signed by President Matsumoto and Professor Daniel Wyler, vice-president of UZH. The signing ceremony was followed by presentations introducing the four universities involved in the symposium. The presentations were given by Professor Roland Siegwart, vice-president for research and corporate relations of ETHZ; Professor Kiyoshi Yoshikawa, executive vice-president for research of Kyoto University; Professor Daniel Wyler, vice-president of UZH; and Professor Karl Aberer, vice-president of EPFL. Those presentations were followed by keynote lectures by Professor Shigekazu Nagata of Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Medicine and Professor Klaas Enno Stephan of the Institute for Biomedical Engineering of ETH and UZH.
In afternoon of the first day, the participating scholars divided into sixteen groups for parallel academic sessions held at various locations on the campuses of the Swiss universities. The topics of the sessions included such diverse fields as tissue engineering, energy science, economics, and philosophy. In addition to researchers from the four universities, many delegates from various Swiss organizations and institutions also participated in the sessions, engaging in the enthusiastic discussions on future research collaboration.
In the evening, presentations on various forms of support programs for collaborative research were given by Dr. Keiichi Kodaira, director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Liaison Office in Bonn and Jean-Luc Barras, head of International Relations of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The presentations were followed by a dinner reception, which provided the assembled scholars with an opportunity to get to know one another in an informal setting.
The parallel academic sessions continued on the second day of the symposium, and the participants were given the chance to visit the Swiss institutions’ research laboratories. In the afternoon, a plenary wrap-up session was held in which representatives from each session reported the achievements of the two days’ discussions. The reports introduced cutting-edge research projects and discussed prospects for future education and research collaboration.
The symposium concluded with closing remarks by representatives from all four institutions, including Professor Michiaki Mishima, Kyoto University’s executive vice-president for international affairs and hospital administration. Plans are currently being made for a follow-up symposium to be held at Kyoto University, inviting members from the three Swiss institutions.
