A signing ceremony for the agreement of academic cooperation between Okayama University and the Yangon University of Economics (Myanmar) was held on June 27 on the Tsushima Campus.

The event was attended by the following members:, from the Yangon University of Economics (YUE), Rector Tin Win, Pro-Rector Nilar Myint Htoo, and Prof. Dr. Tha Pye Nyo Director of International Affairs; and from Okayama University, President MAKINO Hirofumi, Vice President KIMURA Kunio for International Affairs, Dean TSURI Masao of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dean ZHANG Xingyuan of the Faculty of Economics. After signing the Agreement, Rector Tin Win and President Makino shook hands firmly and exchanged commemorative gifts.

Following the signing ceremony, the members participated in a forum to exchange opinions on the increasing number of international students studying in Japan, which was implemented as part of the Study in Japan Global Network Project commissioned by MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). Rector Tin Win introduced YUE’s efforts to establish the Japanese Language Course to participants, and came up with suggestions based on his experience of receiving a Ph.D. from a Japanese university. The forum provided an opportunity for a lively exchange of views.

In Myanmar, YUE has been playing a leadership role in the fields of economics, business administration and accounting, attracting many excellent students. YUE and Okayama University have built a continued cooperative relationship and made various efforts to promote academic exchange, including regularly holding a Study in Japan Fair to encourage local students to study in Japan, and sending Okayama University students—mainly those in the fields of humanities and social sciences—to YUE for overseas training. The Faculty of Economics has also been carrying out the Economics Cross-Border Studies (ECBO) Project, including student exchanges with YUE, and a Faculty of Law student is studying at YUE under Okayama University’s long-term overseas study program. The Agreement concluded this time is expected to further strengthen friendly ties between Japan and Myanmar, as well as facilitating academic exchanges between Okayama University and YUE.