Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences & Tsukuba International Academy forSport Studies (TIAS), UNIVERSITY of TSUKUBA

2021

February 3, 2021: A special day for Japan-Cyprus Academic Diplomacy,
Exchange and Future Prospects

February 3, 2021, His Excellency Mr. Charis MORITSIS, Ambassador of the Republic ofCyprus to Japan, visited the University of Tsukuba (UT) and Tsukuba City, the science city ofIbaraki Prefecture. The visit was a result of exchanges between the Ambassador and Dr.
Alexis LYRAS, with the intention to bridge and strengthen academic partnership andcollaboration opportunities between the Republic of Cyprus and the University of Tsukuba.
During this day-long visit, Mr. MORITSIS was welcomed by Dr. Kyosuke NAGATA, Presidentof University of Tsukuba, and this day will be recorded in history as the first day the Cyprus’
flag was raised next to Japan’s and University of Tsukuba Flags as a symbol of appreciationand collaboration prospects between Japan and Cyprus. President, Dr. NAGATA welcomed
the Cypriot Ambassador at the headquarters of the university and exchanged ideas forfuture collaboration between the University of Tsukuba with educational and academic
agencies from the Republic of Cyprus.

Prof. Hisashi SANADA (Chair of TIAS, and Director of CORE – Center for Olympic Researchand Education) and Dr. Alexis LYRAS (TIAS, UT) joined this meeting to embrace and enrich
the scope and the vision of the bilateral agenda. Dr Nagata “highlighted the uniqueness ofTsukuba, a science city that was built on academic excellence and innovation andsuggested the establishment of collaboration and exchange opportunities on a wide
spectrum of departments and disciplines, ranging from Science, Artificial Intelligence,
Technology to Environmental Studies, Medicine, Health, Humanities, Sport and OlympicStudies related topics”. The Ambassador expressed his vision and intention to strengthen
partnership and two-way exchange opportunities and highlighted that as we “Imagine theFuture” (referring to the University of Tsukuba moto), our future is built on the present- andexpressed his intention to work closely with the University in order , to establish, step bystep, a strong partnership, , starting with official MOU, and building a strategy forexchange programs and collaboration across academic disciplines and institutions. Dr.
Alexis LYRAS suggested a wide range of initiatives and opportunities that could strengthen
this partnership and expressed his commitment to build a long-term and sustainablestrategy with programs that would benefit faculty, students and educators between bothcountries. The President and Ambassador pointed the need of championing this initiativeand suggested to have Dr. LYRAS as a liaison for embracing and championing thisinitiative.
The Ambassador stated that his next steps would be a solid plan of action with tangible
steps forward. Prof. SANADA further supported this collaboration and highlighted hisintention for closer collaboration on research, innovation and knowhow. The meetingconcluded with a common understanding that the global pandemic requires new beginnings
with bold ideas and innovation; whereas this is the right time to plan ahead for a new andimpactful beginning, with respect to the nature and investments in the Human resources oftomorrow.
The day-long visit started at MIZUHONOMURA ICHIBA, a farmer’s market and a worldknown institution for the high standards in community collaboration for quality assurance
and sustainable agricultural development high standards; an agency and institution thatreflects the values and tradition of the Japanese heritage and culture. Dr. Lyras welcomed
the Ambassador with Mr. Thanassis Poullikkas, a University of Tsukuba graduate student
from Cyprus who is currently pursuing his PhD at the School of Medical Sciences (HumanBiology Program, HBP) with support from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Dr. Lyras highlighted the symbolic meaning of themeeting point, mentioning that as we recover from the global pandemic, (1) it is importantto start rebuilding our future with partnerships and collaborations and academic excellence
that embrace high quality assurance standards and (2) going back to the basics. Slow down,build on relationships and values- with respect to mother earth and the environment. This isalso the (3) essence of the Olympic idea and the core of the Olympian Heritage.

The Ambassador had the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Poullikkas who shared hisexperience at the University of Tsukuba’s Medical Center, his research on cancer and also
the uniqueness of the experience by having the opportunity to work and learn in Japan. TheAmbassador highlighted the need for sharing these opportunities with other potential
students and faculty in Cyprus (cooperation with the University of Cyprus as a starting2point) and embrace two-way exchange opportunities and collaboration with multiple
agencies throughout the island.
During the morning meeting, Dr Lyras shared the outline and rationale of multiple programs
and projects initiated in Japan and Internationally. These projects were inaugurated as aworld-wide Academic Legacy initiative in Sao Paolo in September 2016- replicated andexpanded with programs, conferences, presentations, workshops and international Forums
India, Greece, Cyprus, France, Argentina and the UK the last five years. All these projects
were implemented with support from Sport for Tomorrow, as part of the Tokyo 2020 Games
academic legacy project. These and more reports and sample of UT-TIAS led projects can befound on the TIAS website (http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/external-activities/projects/).
The second stop of the Ambassador’s visit was at the Shrine at the Tsukuba Mountain,
which according to the mythology its two characteristic peaks reflect the fatherly andmotherly figures of the God (Amaterasu) that brought the first Japanese to the Land of theRising Sun. Nowadays, students from the university are doing a ‘pilgrimage’ at the “motherpeak” for a good fortune in their exams. The symbolic meaning on how Japan embraces
their values and tradition, and how the continuation of their cultural heritage has created aprosperous, resilient, accountable and respectful culture. The analogy was also made that
the Olympic Games were built on Olympus Mountain mythology, with symbolic meaning ofexcellence, spirituality and transcendence- how nature in other words, can embracehumanity and excellence across various domains in life. Virtues those are often lost in timeand translation.

The third stop of this visit included a small tour at the premises of the University, at Jigoro
Kano’s statue and museum, Sport and Physical Education Facilities, Tsukuba International
Academy of Sport Sciences (TIAS) and the Global Sport (GSI) Innovation building.

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The day was concluded with a meeting where Prof. Hisashi SANADA welcomed andintroduced the Ambassador with the TIAS Faculty. The meeting was primarily attended byProf. Randeep RAKWAL and Assistant Prof. Taro OBAYASHI. The Chair of the TIAS 2.0(http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/tias2/) Prof. Koyo FUKASAWA, and the Dean of the Faculty ofHealth and Sport Sciences, Prof. Takeshi NISHIYASU also greeted and interacted with theAmbassador. During the meeting Prof. SANADA introduced the faculty to the Ambassador
and provided a summary of TIAS history and future vision. Prof. RAKWAL provided a booklet
with previous programs/projects and collaborations with various countries and suggested afollow up with a zoom meeting with Faculty and institutions we have already collaborated inCYPRUS as the next step, to brainstorm further collaboration and projects. Dr. OBAYASHI
express his interest in engaging secondary school teachers and students in educational
programs related to Olympic and Paralympic Educational programs and exchange programs
and initiatives. Dr. Obayashi also suggested the opportunities that will arise with the hostcity Tokyo Games program and the ambassador reiterated. Prof. RAKWAL indicated thepossibility of high-school children visiting UT affiliated schools and special schools and tohave a field trip to the Tsukuba campus to learn more about its diverse campus andeducational opportunities. The student exchange program with partner universities inCyprus would be another exciting possibility showcasing each other educational institutions
and cultures. Previously, graduate students from our university have visited University ofCyprus and CARDET on an Internship, which serves as a starting point for further exchanges.

4Lastly, on February 4, 2021, during the TIAS Steering Committee, Prof. SANADA, gave thefloor to Dr. LYRAS to inform the TIAS Staff and Faculty about the Ambassador’s site visit andto elaborate on the scope and future prospect of this visit. Dr. LYRAS gave a short overviewof the day-long visit and expressed his commitment to provide a detailed written report anda strategic planning document by the next TIAS Steering committee meeting on the March
3rd, 2021. Dr LYRAS mentioned that the report will be prepared in close collaboration andconsultation with Profs. SANADA and RAKWAL, and His Excellency Mr. Charis MORITSIS.
Thank you,2021.02.10

Alexis LYRAS, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies (TIAS),
Global Sport Innovation Bldg., Room 406, UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA,
1-1-1
Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, JapanEmail: al987@Georgetown.edu
Mobile: +1202-9033324
Website: alexislyras.com

Randeep RAKWAL, Ph.D.
Professor,
Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies (TIAS),
Global Sport Innovation Bldg., Room 403, UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA,
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
Email - plantproteomics@gmail.com - rakwal.randeep.fu@u.tsukuba.ac.jp (office)
Mobile – (+81) 090-1853-7875 / Office phone – (+81)029-853-2681
Website: http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/ , http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/tias2/, http://www.trios.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/researcher/0000003045

Hisashi SANADA Ph.D.
Chair, Tsukuba International Academy for Sport Studies (TIAS),
Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences,
Global Sport Innovation Bldg., Room 415, UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA,
1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
Email: sanada.hisashi.fw@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
Office phone – (+81) 029-853-2906
Website: http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp / https://trios.tsukuba.ac.jp/researcher/0000001953

LINKS:
1. https://www.cy.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_el/index.html
2. https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/
3. http://www.taiiku.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/
4. http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/
5. http://tias.tsukuba.ac.jp/tias2/
6. http://core.taiiku.tsukuba.ac.jp/
7. https://www.sport4tomorrow.jpnsport.go.jp/

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