On 7 October 2026, the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) held the Kyoto University International Symposium 2026, “Adapting Societies to a Changing Climate: Synergizing Strategies in ASEAN and Japan”, in a hybrid format with the main venue at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 225 participants -- researchers, students, and representatives from the private sector -- attended, representing 50 organizations across 25 countries, primarily in Asia.
The event opened with welcome remarks from HUST Vice President Huynh Dang Chinh, HUST School of Chemistry and Life Sciences (SCLS) Dean Chu Ky Son, GSGES Dean Chihiro Tanaka, and Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam (JFVN) Director Norihiko Yoshioka. These were followed by three special lectures related to the symposium's overarching theme, delivered from interdisciplinary and international perspectives by Ta Dinh Thi, vice chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment of the National Assembly of Vietnam; Shinya Echigo, professor at GSGES; and Hoang Thi Thu Huong, associate professor at HUST.
In a subsequent session, early-career researchers and students presented a total of 47 posters in three fields related to global environmental studies: Environmental Sciences and Ecosystems; Technologies and Innovations for Sustainability; and Socio-Economics, Policy, Education and Livelihoods. The session generated lively and fruitful discussions among the presenters and participants.
The afternoon program began with a panel discussion, which brought together leading researchers from the following institutions: Kyoto University, HUST, Mahidol University, Bandung Institute of Technology, IPB University, the Royal University of Agriculture (Cambodia), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The panelists introduced their respective institutions' initiatives to promote international collaboration in education and research.
The next session focused on the International Collaborative Research Projects, an initiative launched in the previous year. After an overview of the program, a total of 10 projects were introduced, including two newly launched this year.
Following this, a session highlighting an interactive collaboration map took place. The map, developed this year with AI assistance, is designed to visualize potential connections among researchers based on their research themes.
The final segment of the symposium featured a best poster award ceremony, after which KyotoU Professor Emeritus Shigeo Fujii and HUST Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet delivered closing remarks.
The symposium provided an important opportunity to strengthen interdisciplinary and international networks and to advance efforts to enhance educational curricula and promote international collaborative research. At the same time, it enabled early-career researchers to gain new perspectives through research presentations and exchanges with participants from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. These interactions are expected to help lay a stronger foundation for future collaboration toward a more sustainable future.
