Kobe University Brussels European Centre
E-newsletter, December 2021

Kobe University Brussels European Centre
Newsletter

The 11th KUBEC Symposium:
A Successful ‘Hybrid’ Event Reconnects EU and Japanese Researchers◆ NEWSContents---News (KUBEC Symposium,
Kobe University Brussels
Workshop, Visegrad Project,
Visit of Estonian Delegation)
Research at Kobe University(2nd half of 2021)
Kobe University ResearchHighlights -enhancing
collaboration with EuropeSocial MediaLet us know what you think
about our English website

T

he 11th Kobe University
Brussels European CentreSymposium

On 20 October the 11th Kobe University
Brussels European Centre Symposium
took place on the highly topical themeof ‘Green Horizons, Sustainable
Futures: EU and Japan Research for
Climate-Prepared, Resilient Societies’.
Jointly organised with the Vrije
Universiteit Brussel (VUB), with thesupport of the University of Kent thesymposium was held in a ‘hybrid’format, with a core in-person meeting in
Brussels attended by some 90

participants from Belgium, France,
the UK, Germany, Italy, Estonia,Lithuania, Portugal, Poland andTaiwan. Allowing researchers andparticipants to reconnect in personand virtually, the symposium wasalso webcast live for the first time,
attracting an additional 80 followers
from Japan and Europe. Attendees
included EC and Japanese
government officials, researchers,
and Japanese universities, thinktanks and industries.
Kobe University President Masato
Fujisawa, VUB Rector Caroline
Pauwels, Japanese Ambassador tothe EU Yasushi Masaki and EC
Deputy Director-General, DG

Kobe University Brussels European Centre
E-newsletter, December 2021

Research and Innovation Signe Ratso
gave the opening remarks. They stressed
the need toreinforce
EU-Japancooperation
in R&I,
particularlyin thecontext of the climate emergency. Theyalso outlined the joint commitment ofJapan and the EU in leadinginternational efforts toward a net-zeroglobal economy by 2050, illustrated by
the signing in May of the EU-Japan
Green Alliance, and the key role ofresearch and innovation in achieving
this goal.
Two keynotes by Paulo Ferrão,Professor at Lisbon University andmember of the Mission Board on Smart
and Climate Neutral Cities, and by Elina
Bardram, Director at
DG for ClimateAction, set the tone
for the following
high-level
presentations given
by 35 speakers in theinterconnected areasof economics,
technology and social
sciences andhumanities.
Three parallel sessions, followed byinteractive workshops and brokerage
events, showcased the latest researchand policy initiatives, and provided aplatform to explore future collaboration
opportunities.
The symposium benefitted from an
unprecedented level of support from theEC, represented by DDG Ratso,
Director Bardram and half a dozen
officials, as well as the Japanese
Mission, with the participation ofAmbassador Masaki, Deputy Head ofMission Fujiwara and two seniorCounsellors.
Also worth noting was the participationof industry, represented by Mr. Naohide

Fuwa, Vice-President for Research at
Toyota Motors Europe. TME, a key
participant in EU research currently
involved in 17 EU projects, alsopresented the experimental Mirai
hydrogen car at the event.

This symposium was the first major
event that KUBEC was able to organise
since the start of the pandemic. It
offered participants a welcome
opportunity to reconnect in person andonline, and reconfirmed the importanceof actively renewing and strengthening
international academic exchanges inthese still challenging circumstances.
Kobe University will continue toleverage KUBEC as a base for promoting
stronger academic and researchcollaborations between Japan andEurope.
Video Archive: https://www.office.kobeu.ac.jp/ipiep/materials/videoarchive202110
20.pdfRelated Webpage: https://www.kobeu.ac.jp/en/NEWS/info/2021_10_29_01.html

W

80 participants including UnILiON
members, researchers, students andgovernment officials from Europeand Japan.
Professor Toshihiro Kawabata,
Kobe University Executive Vice
President in charge of Research,Social Co-Creation and Innovation,
gave an opening address followed by
an opening remark by Ms. Maria
Cristina Russo, Director for Global
Approach and International
Cooperation in R&I, DG for
Research and Innovation, European
Commission. Afterwards, speakersfrom EU and Japan, including
representatives of the European
Commission, the Mission of Japanto the EU, Japanese funding
agencies, universities, research
institutions and industry. Speakers
introduced the latest funding
opportunities for joint EU-Japan
projects, discussed best practices,
identified challenges to overcome,and exchanged their vision on how
to strengthen future cooperation
between EU and Japan.
Kobe University will keep
promoting cooperation with Europe
in the fields of education andresearch by continuing to holdvarious events like this.

orkshop and Brokerage
event on EU-Japan
Research Collaboration

On 21 October, a follow-up KUBEC
workshop on ‘New Opportunities for
EU-Japan Research & Innovation
Cooperation’ was held online. Thisevent was jointly organized with theVrije Universiteit Brussel, with support
from Waseda University and Kansai
University, and in conjunction with theUniLiON network. The event aimed topromote international joint research
projects through both EU and Japanese
research funding schemes, including
Horizon Europe. It attracted more thanRelated Webpage:https://www.kobeu.ac.jp/en/NEWS/info/2021_11_04_02.ht
mlKobe University Brussels European Centre
E-newsletter, December 2021Visegrad Project completedOn 23 July, Kobe University held theVisegrad Project Concluding
Conference "Comparing Responses toGlobal Transformations - Regime
Changes in the V4 and Japan" online.
Kobe University was selected for theVisegrad Grants in 2020, and has
consequently been offering a new course
since October 2020 on social structureand global society post-Corona. This
involves comparing aspects of Japan
with those of countries in Central andEastern Europe, which haveexperienced systemic changes and aredealing with globalization. The course
is run in cooperation with researchers
from the following partner universities
in the V4 countries: JagiellonianUniversity (Poland), Eötvös Loránd
University (Hungary), Comenius
University (Slovakia), and Charles
University (Czech Republic).
This conference was held to conclude
the project, and was attended byProfessor Emeritus Kiyomitsu Yui andProfessor Yoshihiko Shiratori from theGraduate School of Humanities,
participating researchers from each V4
partner university, and students who
had taken the course.
In the first session, Professor Emeritus
Yui reviewed the main points of theclasses given so far, which was followed
by a lively discussion among theresearchers. In the second session, theparticipants discussed the possibility ofapplying for a new project or otherresearch grants to further develop theacademicexchange
conducted
up untilnow, andalso

traded opinions on the possibility ofproducing a publication as an outcomeof this project.
Kobe University was also selected toreceive the Visegrad Grants in 2017 andhas subsequently been actively engaged
in international exchange activities,including the implementation of otherprojects, with partner universities inCentral and Eastern Europe. Kobe
University will continue to promotestronger cooperation in education andresearch between Japan and thesecountries.

introduced Kobe University as a key
research and innovation partner forEU researchers. Recalling the 2018
visit to Kobe by a delegation fromTalTech, he presented Kobe
University’s international strategy
and its focus on Europe, KUBEC’srole and activities, as well as theclose relationship between Kobe
University and its start-ups. Thiswas followed up by a presentation
with video by Ms Eri Anno,
Research Development Manager, on
Kobe University’s 7 flagshipresearch projects.

Related Webpage: https://www.kobeu.ac.jp/en/NEWS/info/2021_07_30_03.html

Estonian Delegation ofInnovators Study Tour toBrussels had a meeting withKUBEC

On 8 December in Brussels, Kobe
University Brussels European Centre(KUBEC) organised a hybrid meetingwith an Estonian delegation led by EvePäärendson (Entrepreneurship andInnovation Liaison Officer of EnterpriseEstonia). The event was hosted at the
Estonian Permanent Representation inBrussels, with online participation fromKobe, and moderated by Patrick VittetPhilippe, Advisor to KUBEC. The
delegation consisted of representativesof Estonian universities, including
Tallinn University, University of Tartu
and Tallinn University of Technology,
as well as participants from industry
and innovative SMES
Prof. Ken-ichiYoshida,
Executive
Director of theCentre for EU
AcademicCollaboration,

For the VUB, Prof. Hugo Thienpont
Vice-Rector for Innovation andIndustry Relations, gave an
inspiring and hands-on presentationon ‘Universities as Drivers forInnovation: Challenges, Solutions
and Best Practices to Valorize
Research’’. Finally, Dr. Toshiyasu
Ichioka, RIKEN Director for
Europe, highlighted the role ofRIKEN as a research leader in Japanand a key player in R&I cooperation
with Europe
Eachpresentation wasfollowed by alively question
and answer
session in which
the participants
exchanged useful
information that may lead to futurecollaboration between the parties.
Kobe University will continue topromote further cooperation withEstonia in education and research.

Kobe University Brussels European Centre
E-newsletter, December 2021

◆ Research at
Kobe University(2nd half of 2021)

New genetic driver of autism and other developmental disorders identified
Research News
Physiology, Cell Biology

The thrilling discovery of a beetle’s active escape through a frog’s bodyResearch NewsEcology, Agrobioscience

New solution for low cost, light-weight and compact wireless transfer devices
Research NewsElectronics Engineering

Interactive floor system makes tracks in encouraging children’s play
Research News
Science Education

Everything you need to know about our research is featured
on the Research at Kobe website, including the latest press
releases as well as articles on our researchers, facilities andcollaborations.
If you have any questions about research news, please contact us at:

intl-relations (a)office.kobe-u.ac.jp

Kobe University Brussels European Centre
E-newsletter, December 2021

Now on YouTube: Kobe University Research Highlights -enhancing collaboration with EuropeWe are delighted to announce that a new video series entitled “Kobe University Research Highlights -enhancing
collaboration with Europe-” is now available on Kobe University’s Official YouTube Channel. Each of the featured
centres/projects corresponds to one of the 6 research clusters of HORIZON Europe. Please feel free to share the videos if you
enjoyed them. You can find out more about the introduced projects in the brochure.
All project leaders are eager to develop further collaboration with institutions and researchers in Europe. If you areinterested, please contact the Office of Research Management who will be pleased to match you up with Kobe Universityresearchers.

Office of Research Management: gksh-ura(a)research.kobe-u.ac.jp◆ Social Media
Keep up to date with Kobe University on the following platforms:

KobeU_Global

KobeUniversityGlobal

Kobe University

kobe_university◆ Let us know what you think about our English website
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