The Japan-UK Research and Education Network for Knowledge Economy Initiatives (RENKEI), a collaborative program for Japanese and British universities, has been holding a series of workshops for researchers on the themes of ‘Health’ and ‘Climate Change/Energy’. In December 2024, Keio University and Kyushu University each hosted a workshop. A total of three faculty members and six students from Tohoku University participated.
The workshop on ‘Health’ was held at Tsuruoka Town Campus of Keio between December 1 and 3, and three Tohoku University faculty members participated. Presentations and discussions were held on the subject of holistic well-being, under themes such as mental health, exercise, behavioural habits, and health technologies. Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki participated as the co-chair of RENKEI on the Japanese side and also acted as a session moderator. Assistant Professor Toshimi Ogawa of the Smart-Aging Research Center gave a presentation on ‘Healthy diets: eating for longevity’. Participants were also given an introduction to a venture company based at Keio University’s Institute for Advanced Biosciences, located in Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture, and there was great interest shown in its unique initiatives that involve a number of stakeholders.
The workshop on the theme of ‘Climate Change/Energy’ was held thereafter on Kyushu University’s Ito Campus from December 4 to 6. Six students from Tohoku University on three-year doctoral programs participated, enjoying a poster session, group work, and a pitch competition on efforts to achieve net zero by 2050. The participants remarked that exchanging ideas with researchers from various fields of expertise helped add depth to their own research and allowed them to step out of their comfort zones. The event provided a valuable opportunity for them to network with researchers from a wide range of backgrounds and to affirm for them the importance of approaching the global issue of carbon neutrality in an interdisciplinary manner.
Read more about RENKEI here.
The participants at the Health workshop (photograph courtesy of Keio University)
Assistant Professor Toshimi Ogawa gives a presentation at the Health workshop (photograph courtesy of Keio University)
The participants at the Climate Change workshop (photograph courtesy of Kyushu University)
Participants discuss matters at the Climate Change workshop (photograph courtesy of Kyushu University)
Contact:
Global Engagement Division, Tohoku University
Email: kokusai-k@grp.tohoku.ac.jp