On May 18, RENKEI (Japan-UK Research and Education Network for Knowledge Initiatives) held the ‘RENKEI Seminar: ISPF – Japan accelerating-UK scientific collaboration’. The seminar was held in parallel with the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting that took place in Sendai from May 12 to 14. Among the seminar’s speakers were Executive Vice Presidents Toshiya Ueki and Motoko Kotani.
The International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF) is a new research fund launched by the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. The participants met to learn about the fund and discuss the possibility of Japan-UK cooperation in science and technology and the development of talented individuals.
EVP Ueki, who serves as the co-chair for RENKEI’s Japanese members, opened the meeting by acknowledging the tenth anniversary of the consortium and explaining the significance of this seminar. He stated that the members will work together to promote activities that further develop it as a platform that stimulates science and technology cooperation and the development of talented individuals in Japan and the UK.
Following EVP Ueki’s remarks, a roundtable discussion was held between Tohoku University Executive Vice President Motoko Kotani, Keio University Vice President Motohiro Tsuchiya, Durham University’s Prof. Deborah Riby, and Newcastle University’s Prof. Patrick Degenaar.
EVP Kotani spoke about Resilient Planet, one of the four ISPF themes. She introduced the research being carried out at Tohoku University since the Great East Japan Earthquake that aims to help create a resilient society, as well as the Tohoku University Green Goals Initiative, which was established to contribute to the realization of a green future society.
The four participants discussed the possibilities that the ISPF offers, such as interdisciplinary research that goes beyond the boundaries of the sciences and humanities, the training of early-career researchers, and the implementing of research outcomes into society, and the seminar ended with a sense of optimism.
For more information on RENKEI, please see here.
For the archive recording of the seminar, please see here.
【EVP Kotani and EVP Ueki】
【Those in attendance were joined by a number of online participants】
Contact:
Global Engagement Division, Tohoku University
Email: kokusai-k@grp.tohoku.ac.jp