University celebrates links with Japan

The University has reaffirmed its links with Japan and its commitment to a more sustainable future, following a visit from the Governor of Osaka.

Osaka Governor meets with the Vice-Chancellor

Hirofumi Yoshimura met with Vice-Chancellor Professor Simone Buitendijk, Principal Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hai-Sui Yu, and colleagues on Wednesday 7 December. 

In their meeting, Professor Buitendijk highlighted the University’s connections to Osaka and Japan, and discussed the importance of international collaboration. She said: “The University has deep and lasting ties with Japan in student education, research collaborations, and in student and staff mobility. This reflects our global outlook and our University values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity.”

With a population of more than 19 million people - more than the whole of the North of England - the Osaka region is Japan’s second most populous urban area and home to some to its most renowned universities.

Helen Foster, Director of the University’s International Office, welcomed the talks with the Governor and his delegation. She said that they were now looking to “how we can collaborate through both the Osaka Prefectural Government and also through our very close ties in Osaka with the universities in that area.” 

Green finance 

After meeting the Vice-Chancellor and the Principal Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Mr Yoshimura and colleagues from the Osaka prefecture government met with colleagues in Leeds University Business School (LUBS) at Nexus to discuss finance technology (fintech)

Professor Iain Clacher, Pro-Dean: International in LUBS, who took part in the meeting, welcomed the opportunity to further develop the School’s collaboration with institutions in Osaka in a field which they have been working on for some time.

Professor Clacher said: “Through partnership and collaboration, and by harnessing the power of innovation and technology we will be able to improve the financial system, whether through improved consumer outcomes, or by supporting the transition to a low carbon climate resilient future.”

Leeds and Japan

The University has strong links to Japan, with 52 university partners collaborating on student education and research initiatives.

177 current students also call the country home. Since 2012, Leeds has welcomed more than 500 high school students through the Osaka Global School to experience the city and the University.

In recent years, academics from Leeds and its partner institution in the Osaka region, the University of Kyoto, have worked together to look at how engineering can improve the identification and mitigation of natural disasters.

Looking to the future, the University is exploring how it can further collaborate with Osaka universities ahead of the future-focused World Expo in 2025, which is taking place in the city. 

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