Tohoku University hosts President Ohno for Japan-India Universities Forum

On January 23, President Hideo Ohno attended the “Japan-India Universities Forum,” a gathering of top university presidents from Japan and India.

The forum was hosted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), with the aim of promoting exchanges between universities and research institutions in Japan and India to solve future problems. Top institutions from India (10 institutions) and Japan (22 institutions) participated in the event. Each university introduced their research and human resource development initiatives, which was followed by a discussion.

The forum consisted of two parts. The first session began with JST President Kazuhito Hashimoto and representatives from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Indian Embassy in Tokyo delivering opening remarks. Leaders from Japanese and Indian universities presented their respective activities and prospective exchanges.

President Ohno introduced how Tohoku University has driven innovation that benefits society. This has been orientated around the spirit of Research First, the philosophy of Open Doors and the policy of Practice Oriented Research and Education. He also showcased the university’s latest efforts in the fields of ICT, space engineering and robotics – fields expected to be future areas of collaboration with Indian universities.

In the second part of the forum, a roundtable discussion was conducted under the theme of “Cultivating Innovative Young Researchers with an International Outlook in Japan and India.” Vice presidents gave speeches and exchanged opinions, and a declaration was adopted to promote further cooperation between Japan and India.