The 18th Kyoto University International Symposium: Partnering Asian Academics toward Human Security Development (AUN-KU Symposium 2012) was held at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand on May 24 - 25, 2012. During the course of its two days, the symposium was attended by over ninety participants from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and India. Twenty-seven Kyoto University faculty and staff members were among the participants, including Mr. Noboru Nishisaka, executive vice-president for finance and facilities and Prof. Junichi Mori, vice-president for international relations.
The symposium was held in collaboration with the Asean University Network (AUN) and Chulalongkorn University. The AUN is a network of twenty-six leading universities from the ASEAN member countries, which was formed in 1995 after being proposed at the 4th ASEAN Summit in 1992. The AUN seeks to promote its members' academic exchange and research collaboration with universities around the world to advance human resources development in the ASEAN region.
In 2009, Kyoto University signed a general memorandum of academic cooperation and exchange with the AUN. Based on that agreement, the AUN-Kyoto University Workshop on Building Academic Partnership through Collaboration and Exchange was held at Chulalongkorn University on March 8 - 9, 2011. The 18th Kyoto University International Symposium represents a continuation of that collaborative effort to enhance academic cooperation and student exchange between Japan and the ASEAN countries.
The symposium opened with addresses by Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, deputy executive director of the AUN, Executive Vice-President Nishisaka of Kyoto University and President Pirom Kamolratanakul of Chulalongkorn University. Executive Vice-President Nishisaka introduced the theme and concept of the symposium, explaining that it sought to provide a platform for international education and research collaboration to address international issues, such as environmental and energy problems, natural disasters, food and water security, and tackling infectious diseases.
The symposium's two keynote speakers, Prof. Ramaswamy Sudarshan, policy advisor to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Prof. Yasuyuki Kono of Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) focused on various aspects of research and development for human security. In addition to the keynote speeches, four academic sessions were held, each focusing on a different topic relating to human security: infectious diseases, disaster prevention, food and water security, and energy and the environment. The sessions' presentations were followed by lively discussions which cut across national and academic boundaries.
The afternoon of the symposium's second day featured a discussion session based on the preceding academic sessions, and focusing the practical aspects of forming academic partnerships for human security development. The session was co-chaired by Dr. Caroline Hau of CSEAS and Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti of the AUN. Those discussions were followed by the final wrap-up session, during which Prof. Hideaki Ohgaki of Kyoto University's Institute of Advanced Energy summarized the achievements of the symposium, and proposed action plans to further promote education and research cooperation between the AUN and academic institutions throughout Southeast Asia. The proposals, which covered currently operating programs as well as future plans, received the positive approval of the symposium participants. Following the wrap-up session, the symposium was brought to a close by an address by Vice-President Junichi Mori of Kyoto University.
For further details of the symposium, please refer to the official Website:
http://www.opir.kyoto-u.ac.jp/kuis18/index.html
 From left, Mr. Noboru Nishisaka, executive vice-president for finance and facilities of Kyoto University, President Pirom Kamolratanakul of Chulalongkorn University. Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, deputy executive director of the AUN. | |
 Symposium participants |  Academic session |
 Dr. Caroline Hau of CSEAS (L) and Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti of the AUN (R) |  Prof. Kono of CSEAS conducts a discussion session |