On November 6, President Hirofumi Makino and 3 others visited theUniversity of Strasbourg . Discussions on how to further strengthen cooperation were held with university personnel.

The group spoke with the university’s President Michel Deneken. In regards to developing research exchange, President Deneken shared what his hopes for his university—a university that has research capabilities equivalent to the University of Paris system—are, for instance areas he has expectations for through cooperation with Japan and Okayama. He also shared his desire for developing further exchange of students and researchers so that in the future, personnel exchange for graduate students working on their doctorate degree and post-doctorate researchers can be implemented. President Makino introduced how Okayama University has integrated at its core, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) philosophy and is in the process of university reform which is aligned with global standards for education research. He stated, “Okayama University would also like to speed up exchange with the University of Strasbourg.”

Visits were also made to the University of Strasbourg Faculty of Medicine and the internationally renowned training center for cancer treatment, IRCAD.

The University of Strasbourg is one of the best research universities in France where four Nobel Prize researchers are affiliated with. Okayama University has a University-Level International Exchange Agreement with the university, in addition to a Faculty-Level Exchange Agreement and also holds close communication for research exchange. In October 2016, an International Academic Capital Symposium was held, where President Deneken and former mayor of Strasbourg, Catharine Trautmann, were invited to Okayama University.