Professor Bin Liu from the School of Medicine at Shanghai University and others visited Okayama University on April 17 and 18, where they paid a courtesy call to President NASU Yasutomo on April 18.

This courtesy call stemmed from the visit by President Nasu, then Executive Director for Research and Vice President, with Vice Executive Director/URA SATOH Norito to Shanghai University on November 26 to 28, 2019 at the university’s request with regard to international collaborative research, as well as the establishment and strengthening of medical-related fields. Although face-to-face interactions were suspended because the COVID-19 pandemic took place immediately after the visit to Shanghai University, online-based interactions have taken place. A wide range of activities have also been carried out including building projects to establish the School of Medicine (equivalent to a medical faculty in Japan), which was newly set up at Shanghai University, a university hospital, and a collaborative educational research project.

First, an exchange meeting between both universities was held on April 17. Since interactions have been limited to online-based ones amid the COVID-19 pandemic these past few years, the attendees were delighted to actually meet each other and have a lively exchange of opinions on their ambitions for the future, among other matters.

At the beginning of the courtesy visit on April 18, the next day, President Nasu delivered an address of welcome once again and extended his congratulations to Shanghai University on the establishment of its School of Medicine. Professor Liu expressed his congratulations to President Nasu on assuming the position of President, while looking back on past activities and showcasing further collaborations.

Vice Executive Director and Vice President Satoh, Assistant Professor HUANG PENG from the Neutron Therapy Research Center of Okayama University, members of the administrative department and others also took part in the meeting. A consensus was reached on advancing interactions on education and research, including the conclusion of an agreement between the universities and the fostering of human resources. It was decided that they would work out the specific details thereafter.

As one of activities for a “Research university with a regional core and distinctive characteristics: Okayama University,” Okayama University promotes the realization of a higher level of international development and the social implementation of research activities, while enhancing the medical-related fields in which it has advantages. This interaction with the School of Medicine at Shanghai University is one of our international research strategies, which includes an improvement in our ability to research and reinforce the creation of innovation. Going forward, we will properly coordinate security arrangements and concerns, and will move ahead on a project basis so that both universities can work harmoniously to improve the ability to research and strengthen innovations. Your continued support for Okayama University, a research university with a regional core and distinctive characteristics, will be greatly appreciated.

○Shanghai University
Shanghai University is a national university (jointly run by the Ministry of Education of the Chinese government and the Shanghai City government) located in Shanghai City, the People’s Republic of China, and is one of the Project 211 universities (National Key Universities). This university was established in 1922, and has undergone consolidations, school closing, etc. In 1994, the current Shanghai University was founded by integrating the Shanghai University of Technology and Shanghai Institute of Science & Technology, and others. The university has three large campuses in Shanghai City, as well as 30 schools including literature, philosophy, economics, law, physics and chemistry, engineering, and the arts with 86 majors. Currently, there are 20,500 undergraduates, 16,500 graduate students and 16,000 adult students, with approximately 3,100 faculty members/doctorate researchers. With regards to international students, approx. 15,000 students from 115 countries have completed a course so far, and approximately 3,000 international students are currently enrolled. Ranked number one in Mainland China in the World Young University Rankings of Quacquarelli Symonds, a world university ranking agency in the U.K., it is a university that has shown significant growth in educational research in recent years. Wei-zang Chien (1913 to 2010), a scientist who had a great impact on the fields of solid mechanics and rational mechanics and was called the “father of mechanics in China”, served as the first president.