Oct 11 2019

Representatives of Niigata University including President Takahashi attended several Japan-Russia events held at Lomonosov Moscow State University from Monday, September 23 to Friday, September 27.

On Monday, September 23, the Second General Assembly Meeting of the Association of Institutions of Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Japan (the Eighth Japan-Russia Forum of Rectors) was held, and attended by about 150 representatives including Presidents, researchers, and students from the Association member universities. The reports on three themes, "Personnel exchange", "Health and medicine", and "Regional development" were presented by several universities introducing their efforts. President Takahashi gave a presentation on our featured efforts about the collaboration in medicine between Japan and Russia over a quarter-century. At the end of the Meeting, the communique was adopted agreeing to continue to further promote student and young researcher exchanges, interdisciplinary collaborative research as well as the collaboration between industry, academia and government.

President Takahashi giving a presentation

General Assembly Meeting

Along with the Meeting, the Second Japan-Russia Student Forum was held from Monday, September 23 to Friday, September 27, and three students from Niigata University participated in the Forum: Mr. Daisuke Sugawara and Mr. Kazuma Kikuchi, both are 4^th year undergraduates in Faculty of Economics as well as Mr. Takumi Watanabe, 2^nd year undergraduate in Faculty of Agriculture.

The five-day Forum was attended by about 60 students from Japanese and Russian universities. During the Forum, the students took part in the Russian-Japanese Scientific Forum conducted by Japanese and Russian researchers, experienced Russian culture, and lively discussed some issues including management of the future Japan-Russia Student Union. The group discussions were held as to a variety of topics, such as sociology, law, and our three students participated in the discussion group of economics and ecology, and gave presentations in English.

Assoc. Prof. Mayu Michigami of the Faculty of Economics participated in the Forum to give a presentation about her research on the 24^th at the Scientific Forum as well as a lecture about development and issues relating to economic relations between Russia and Japan with supervising the participating students. Both of her presentation and lecture attracted attention from the audience.

Amicable relations between Japanese and Russian students were strengthened during the Forum and our participating students seemed to be quite stimulated through discussion in advance English.

These events including the Third General Assembly Meeting of Association of Institutions of Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Japan will be hosted by Niigata University in Niigata in the spring of 2021. Niigata University shall promote closer cooperation with Russia, playing a key role in our East Asian collaboration.

Prof. Takahashi, President (third from the left), Prof. Ushiki, Executive Vice President (second from the left), Assoc. Prof. Michigami (second from the right), students from Niigata University

Poster presentation in group work (Center: Mr. Watanabe)

Mr. Kikuchi (front right) asking questions about the presentation by Assoc. Prof. Michigami (left)

Mr. Sugawara giving a presentation with a Russian student