October 15 - 16, 2009
Hiroshi Matsumoto (President), with Shuzo Nishimura (Executive Director/Executive Vice-President), attended the 6th Japan-China University Presidents' Conference held at Nankai University, Tianjin, China. They were accompanied by Han Liyou (Program-Specific Assistant Professor of the International Center), Tomoka Satomi (Deputy Director of the Office of the President), and Masao Tsukamoto (Director of the International Affairs Department).
This Conference is held biennially with the involvement of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan and the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. Held at Nankai University by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, this year's Conference drew approximately 100 participants from the two countries, including 17 university presidents, a MEXT Deputy Minister, and senior level staff members of relevant organizations.
Co-chaired by the President of the University of Tokyo and the President of Peking University, the Conference comprised the following sessions: the 1st session (opening ceremony); the 2nd session (national creation planning and university development - with a focus on Program 211, Program 985, the 21st Century Centers of Excellence (COE) Program, and the Global COE Program); the 3rd session (idea and practice regarding the globalization of creative human resource development – the possibility of cooperation between Japan and China in creative human resource development); the 4th session (opinion exchange regarding the 3rd session theme); and the 5th session (discussion on the Conference administration). Active discussions were held on the countries' higher education plans and concrete, practical programs, as well as on roles and responsibilities to be undertaken by universities.
President Matsumoto co-chaired the 3rd session with Yang Yuliang, President of Fudan University. In the 4th session, President Matsumoto gave a presentation on Kyoto University's aims, and actively exchanged opinions regarding that theme.
At the final session, during which the Conference administration was discussed, it was proposed and agreed that the next Conference in two years' time would be held at Kyoto University and Ritsumeikan University. President Matsumoto accepted the proposal, stating that it would be significant to hold the Conference in Kyoto, a city deeply engaged in long-established relations between Japan and China in terms of history, culture and academia. Ritsumeikan University Chancellor Kiyofumi Kawaguchi also accepted the proposal, bringing the Conference to a successful end.
During the Conference, President Matsumoto and Executive Director/Executive Vice-President Nishimura actively discussed requests from many Chinese universities to promote and expand their interaction efforts with Kyoto University.
President Matsumoto co-chairing the session