MIRAI 2.0 Research & Innovation Week 2023 was held from November 13 to 16, 2023 at Umeå University in Sweden. The MIRAI project began in 2017 with the aim of connecting Japanese and Swedish universities through research, education, innovation, and preparing the next generation of researchers. There are currently 20 Swedish and Japanese member universities.
This event was held as the culmination of the MIRAI 2.0 project’s second phase activities. The opening ceremony began with welcome remarks from Prof. Hans Adolfsson, the Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University, and Vice President Norimi Mizutani of Nagoya University, which is currently serving as a coordinating university for MIRAI 2.0. Next, the attendees enjoyed by video messages from Ebba Busch, Sweden’s Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister, and Mr. Takashi Kiyoura, Deputy Director-General of the Science and Technology Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Kristina Sundin Jonsson, the Head of Administration for the Municipality of Skellefteå, gave a keynote speech on Skellefteå’s efforts to create a resilient and sustainable society.
MIRAI 2.0’s themes include Ageing, AI, Materials Science, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and lectures, the presentations of research results, and workshops were held for each. Among the participants were eight researchers from Tohoku University, including four faculty members who are members of the thematic expert groups (Professor Masaki Takada of the International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart, Professor Itaru Honma of the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Professor Nobuhiro Takahashi of the Graduate School of Dentistry, and Associate Professor Emi Yuda of the Graduate School of Information Science).
Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki attended a general assembly meeting, which acts as MIRAI’s decision-making body. The attendees enjoyed a fruitful discussion about future directions for MIRAI’s activities in the next phase, which will begin in January 2024.
MIRAI Open Day, an event open to the public, was held in Stockholm on November 17. Speakers from not only universities but also industry were invited, and lectures and panel discussions were held on the theme of ‘Creating a Sustainable Tomorrow Together’. The event was followed by a reception for the representatives of the MIRAI member universities at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan to Sweden.
For more information on MIRAI 2.0, please see here.
The General Assembly Meeting
EVP Ueki acted as moderator for the closing ceremony
Contact:
Global Engagement Division, Tohoku University
Tel: 022-217-6182 / 5578
Email: kokusai-k@grp.tohoku.ac.jp