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Grand Challenges Symposium 2015- Demographic Change and Longevity

Grand Challenges Symposium 2015- Demographic Change and Longevity

Date:

General Info

Objectives

UCL-Kyoto Grand Challenges Symposium, 7-9 December 2015

 Demographic Change and Longevity

Introduction and Purpose

Introduction

Meetings between the President of Kyoto University, Juichi Yamagiwa, and former UCL Vice-Provost (Heath), Sir John Tooke, in October 2014, and with UCL Provost, Michael Arthur in February 2015, resulted in an agreement  to facilitate collaboration between researchers at UCL and Kyoto University (also with Osaka and Tohoku Universities and the Tokyo Institute of Technology). On the basis of the agreement, Dame Nicola Brewer, UCL Vice-Provost (International) asked the UCL Grand Challenges programme to link up with Kyoto University, in order to plan and deliver a Grand Challenges Symposium focused on a specific Grand Challenges-appropriate research theme (rather than a series of bilateral collaborations), in line with UCL’s strategic objectives of creating a collaborative network across a number of Japanese universities, and for UCL to act as linchpin for wider UK engagement with Japanese university researchers.

Dr Ian Scott (Principal Facilitator, Grand Challenges) and Professor Nick Tyler (Chair of the steering committee for the Grand Challenge of Human Wellbeing, GCHW) subsequently proposed and agreed with staff of Kyoto University and collaborating institutions the development of a Grand Challenges Symposium (GCS) at Kyoto University on Demographic Change and Longevity, as a specific research-focused topic of significant relevance to society in Japan and the UK.

Purpose

The objective of the UCL-Kyoto University GCS is to identify novel research questions posed by the challenge of ageing societies. By combining the expertise of UCL and Japanese researchers from different scholarly fields the GCS presents a unique opportunity to discuss and agree priorities for joint research. Participating researchers have been invited in their interventions to propose possible topics for inclusion in a future research programme that bears upon major concerns relating to ageing and its impact on society. The main task for GCS participants will therefore be to define research questions for collaborative projects between UK and Japanese researchers which could be developed as funding proposals to agencies in the UK and Japan. The questions identified should hold strong potential to generate robust data and conclusions that will help policy makers reach well-informed decisions on the actions needed to sustain the health and wellbeing of people as they age, and to strengthen intergenerational equity.

The UCL-Kyoto University GCS is the first major Grand Challenges symposium to be held outside the UK. It is a distinct honour for UCL that it is taking place in Japan, jointly with the University of Kyoto. We hope that the outcome of the GCS will be of great value and merit to all concerned – to individual researchers, their universities, and to society in the UK and Japan and across the wider world.

Footnote

When UCL launched the Grand Challenges programme in 2008 it set down a marker for a new collegiate spirit within the university, emboldening scholars and researchers to raise their game in the face of major societal challenges. ‘Grand Challenges’ has become a programme recognised within and beyond UCL as a metaphor for a new academic freedom – positively encouraging experts in different fields to interact outside their domains of disciplinary excellence and peer-recognition, creating a new scholarly confidence and authority to find common cause through research, combined with the empowerment and language to engage productively with policy makers and politicians.

Ian Scott (Principal Facilitator, UCL Grand Challenges)

Nick Tyler CBE FREng (Chadwick Professor of Civil Engineering; Chair, GCHW Executive Group)

Program

Click here for the brochure.

December 8, Tuesday

15:35-15:45“Measuring affective well-being and life stressors using wearable devices for the ageing communities in Japan” Junichiro Ishio and Naoya Abe

8:30 Registration @ 5F, International Science Innovation Building
9:00 Plenary @ Symposium Hall
9:00-9:05 Opening Remarks
9:05-9:10 Welcome Speech

Prof Juichi Yamagiwa, President of Kyoto University

9:10-9:20 Purpose

Prof Nick Tyler, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, UCL

9:20-9:50 Keynote Lecture

“Social and economic risks of longevity, labor force participation, and lower fertility”

Prof Shuzo Nishimura, Director General of Institute for Health Economics and Policy

9:50-10:00 Photo
10:00 Coffee break @Foyer
10:10 SESSION 1 @ Meeting Room 5a/5b

“Employment and economy in ageing society: Older adults as a societal resource”

Chair: Prof Eric French

10:10-10:15 Opening remarks

Eric French

10:15-10:35 “Medical spending in Japan”

Eric French

“TBD”

Hidehiko Ichimura

10:35-10:45 “Japan’s fiscal policy and social security”

Daizo Kojima and Takefumi Yamazaki

10:45-10:55 “Visualization and social joint venture:

For quality, efficiency, and equity of health care systems in the super-aged/super-aging society”

Yuichi Imanaka

10:55-11:50 Discussion
11:50 Lunch @ Foyer
13:00 SESSION 2 @ Meeting Room 5a/5b

“Health & wellbeing of older adults”

Chair: Prof Eric Brunner

13:00-13:05 Opening remarks

Eric Brunner

13:05-13:15 “Trends of healthy life expectancy in Japan”

Ichiro Tsuji

13:15-13:35 “Health, health inequalities and ageing well: Evidence and gaps in the evidence”

Eric Brunner

“Impacts of leaving paid work on health, functions, and lifestyle behaviors in Japanese older people”

Hideki Hashimoto

13:35-13:45 “Understanding the cultural difference in health and well-being: A research example from Great Britain and Japan”

Noriko Cable

13:45-13:55 “Social capital and health in older Japanese”

Jun Aida

13:55-14:05 “Public Health for an ageing society: Experiences and epidemiological evidence in Japan”

Hiroyasu Iso

14:05-15:00 Discussion
15:00 Coffee Break @ Foyer
15:20 SESSION 3 @ Meeting Room 5a/5b

“Youth and intergenerational equity in ageing societies : Future for ageing society”   

Chair: Prof Nick Tyler

15:20-15:25 Opening remarks

Nick Tyler

15:25-15:35 “Use of monitoring devices to quantitatively assess behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia”

Kiyoko Makimoto

15:35-15:45 “Robots and the Future Society”

Toshiya Hoshino

15:45-15:55 “Measuring affective well-being and life stressors using wearable devices for the ageing communities in Japan”

Junichiro Ishio and Naoya Abe

15:55-16:05 “First step towards integrating translation studies into the ‘Tokyo Tech Happiness Co-Creation Society through intelligent communications project’”

Kayoko Nohara

16:05-16:15 Break
16:15-16:25 Demographic change, longevity and urban environment”

Nick Tyler

16:25-16:35 “Urban planning responses to the aged society: The Japanese challenge”

Norihiro Nakai

16:35-16:45 “Housing renovation and community management for the sustainable society : Action research experience from Kyoto”

Masahiro Maeda

16:45-16:55 “C0-creating health and well-being of older adults in Japan with professional care practitioners and engineers”

Tom Hope

16:55-17:05 “Introducing a ‘Community-based integrated care system’ and multi-factor approach in health-promotion activities”

Ken Osaka

17:05-17:15 “Health development in Japan: Towards a super-ageing society”

Hiroki Nakatani

17:15-18:10 Discussion
18:10 Conclusion of Day 1 @Meeting Room

December 9, Wednesday

8:45 Coffee  @ Foyer
9:15 Further discussion from the first day @ Meeting Room 5a/5b

Chair: Prof Nick Tyler

10:15 Discussing the sympoisum statement @  Meeting Room  5a/5b

Chair: Prof Nick Tyler.

12:00 Lunch @ Foyer
13:00 Finalisation of agreed symposium statement @  Meeting Room  5a/5b

Chair: Prof Ian Scott

14:30 Objectives and next steps @  Meeting Room  5a/5b

Prof Ian Scott, Principal Facilitator, UCL Grand Challenges

14:45 Concluding remarks @  Meeting Room  5a/5b

Prof Kayo Inaba, Executive Vice-President for Gender Equality, International Affairs, and Public Relations of Kyoto University

15:00 Transfer 

Report

The Grand Challenges Symposium 2015: Demographic Change and Longevity was held at Kyoto University on December 8–9, 2015. The symposium, which drew over eighty participants, was held in collaboration between Kyoto University, University College London (UCL), Osaka University, Tohoku University, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

The first day of the symposium opened with an address by Dr. Juichi Yamagiwa, president of Kyoto University, which was followed by an explanation of the symposium’s objectives by Prof. Nick Tyler, chair of the steering committee for UCL’s Grand Challenge initiative on the topic of “Human Wellbeing.” A keynote lecture titled “The Social and Economic Risks of Longevity, Labor Force Participation, and Lower Fertility” was delivered by Prof. Shuzo Nishimura, director general of the Institute for Health Economics and Policy and professor emeritus of Kyoto University. In his lecture, Prof. Nishimura described the complex challenges currently faced by Japan’s aging society.

After the keynote lecture, a series of plenary sessions were held under the three themes of “Employment and Economy in an Ageing Society: Older Adults as a Societal Resource,” “Health & Wellbeing of Older Adults,” and “Youth and Intergenerational Equity in Ageing Societies: The Future for Ageing Society.” The sessions featured research presentations by representatives from the participating universities followed by lively discussions.

The second day of the symposium included discussion sessions that built on the conclusions of the previous day to explore possibilities for international research collaboration among the five participating universities, and an agenda to establish a research network was developed. At the end of the sessions, Prof. Ian Scott, principal facilitator of the UCL Grand Challenges initiative, summarized the results of the two-day symposium, and plans were made to hold a follow-up meeting. The event was then brought to a close with an address by Prof. Kayo Inaba, Kyoto University’s executive vice-president for gender equality, international affairs, and public relations.

Group photo of presenters

Group photo of presenters

President Juichi Yamagiwa delivers his opening speech

President Juichi Yamagiwa delivers his opening speech

Prof. Nick Tyler of UCL

Prof. Nick Tyler of UCL

Prof. Shuzo Nishimura delvers his keynote lecture

Prof. Shuzo Nishimura delvers his keynote lecture

Plenary session

Plenary session

Prof. Ian Scott of UCL

Prof. Ian Scott of UCL

Prof. Kayo Inaba delivers the closing address

Prof. Kayo Inaba delivers the closing address