Kanazawa University Kick-off Symposium for MEXT ‘Inter-University Exchange Project’ -‘Training Program for Russia-Japan Innovative Leaders of Tomorrow’ took place in Kanazawa on January 17th, and more than 120 people participated from home and abroad.

The symposium aimed to introduce the five-year project to the public and collect ideas from different quarters so that they can be leveraged in the project.

The president of Kanazawa University Koetsu Yamazaki opened the symposium followed by the guest address by Masanori Shinano Director-General, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan and the video message from Yoshiro Mori Senior Executive Advisor of Nonprofit Organization “Japan – Russia” Society (NPO “Nichiro Kyokai”). Then, Senior Coordinator/Director, Japan-Russia Economic Affairs Division, Director, Japan-Russia Exchange Program Division of Russia Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan delivered the keynote speech titled ‘Recent Development of Japan-Russia Relations –Eight-point Cooperation Plan-‘. Vice President Yoshio Otani explained our initiatives in this project. Introduction of various student exchange programs as well as the partner institutions followed suit.

On this occasion, 20 people from Russian partner institutions including Kazan Federal University Rector Prof. Ilshat Gafurov and Tatarstan Cancer Center  Chief Medical Doctor Dr. Ildar Hayrullin met with the President of Kanazawa University. After the opening remark by President Koetsu Yamazaki, a signing ceremony took place to conclude the Memorandum for Cooperation for DDP between KFU and KU, Agreement for Cooperation between TCC, KFU and KU and Agreement for Cooperation between Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University and KU.