On May 29, Okayama University concluded a cooperation agreement for an international exchange with Shanghai University (our department in charge is the Innovation Management Core).

This agreement stems from the visit by President NASU Yasutomo, then Executive Director for Research and Vice President, and Vice Executive Director /URA SATOH Norito to Shanghai University from November 26 to 28, 2019, following a request from Okayama University through the late Professor Emeritus YAMAMOTO Shinichi, Okayama University’s former Executive Director for Research and Vice President, for cooperation in the newly establishing the School of Medicine (equivalent to a medical faculty in Japan) of Shanghai University. Although face-to-face interactions were suspended when the COVID-19 pandemic took place immediately after the visit to Shanghai University, online-based interactions have proceeded.

From April 17 to 18, Professor Bin Liu and other guests from the newly established School of Medicine at Shanghai University visited Okayama University and paid a courtesy call to President Nasu. A research exchange meeting was implemented at the Neutron Therapy Research Center, in accordance with the research integrity including security considerations, leading to the conclusion of this agreement.

For the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement, Mr. CHENG Danhong, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Professor Liu came to Okayama University, while the Vice President for International Affairs and Alumni Reunion SUZUKI Takayoshi and others from Okayama University also attended the event. After the Vice Executive Director for Research/Industry-University Co-creation and Vice President for Educational Affairs Satoh explained the process of the interactions to date at the beginning of the event, the ceremony proceeded with Research Associate Professor HUANG PENG from the Neutron Therapy Research Center as the Master of Ceremony.

In the greeting from President Nasu, he welcomed the visit by Mr. Cheng, saying now that 50 years have passed since the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations, he expected that both universities would advance their contribution not only to Japan and China, but to the world through further co-creation efforts. After introducing the history and vision of Shanghai University, Mr. Cheng expressed his hope that they would move forward one step at a time, by starting with what they can do now and building something new together. The agreement was then signed.

In the exchange of opinions that took place after the signing, the activities of the newly established School of Medicine, research fields in which Shanghai University has an advantage, and other matters were introduced. Regarding the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations referred to in the earlier greeting of President Nasu, the participants from Okayama University mentioned that Mr. KONAGA Keiichi (then Vice Minister of International Trade and Industry (the Ministry was later reorganized into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)) who was Secretary to then Prime Minister TANAKA Kakuei, was a graduate of Okayama University. There have also been many talented people who come from China to study at the university, including Research Associate Professor HUANG, the Master of Ceremony. Views were exchanged on future constructive co-creation activities, including the existing Japan-China relationships.

This conclusion of the agreement was implemented by ensuring the research integrity, including soundness and fairness, associated with internationalization and opening-up in the current academic world, including the security perspective. Because the universities are co-creating partners, it is important to build a relationship based on research integrity; for example, by explicitly stating clear refusals and working positively together. In addition, the individual specific projects associated with the conclusion of this agreement will be implemented by entering into contracts in light of the laws and regulations of both countries.

As one of the activities for a “research university with a regional core and distinctive characteristics: Okayama University,” the university will properly coordinate security arrangements and concerns, and will then strive to promote the well-being of the planet with diverse stakeholders around the world, while executing international strategies such as an improvement of the ability to conduct research and strengthening of the creation of innovations. Your continued support of Okayama University, a research university with a regional core and distinctive characteristics, is greatly appreciated.

○Shanghai University
Shanghai University is a national university (jointly run by the Ministry of Education of the Chinese government and Shanghai City) is located in Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China, and is one of the Project 211 universities (National Key Universities). This university was established in 1922, before undergoing consolidations, school closures, etc. In 1994, the current Shanghai University was founded by integrating the Shanghai University of Technology and Shanghai Institute of Science & Technology with other institutions. The university has three large campuses in Shanghai City, as well as 30 schools that include 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 at the university, with approximately 3,100 faculty members/doctorate degree researchers. With regard to international students, approximately15,000 students from 115 countries have completed a course, and around 3,000 international students are now 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 field of solid mechanics and rational mechanics, called the “father of mechanics in China,” served as the first president.