The Kyoto University Museum has launched a three-year initiative under the JSPS Core-to-Core Program titled “Asian Vertebrate Species Diversity Network Platform with Combining Researchers, Specimens and Information.” The project is categorized within the JSPS program, as a type B project to develop Asia?Africa science platforms in 2014-2016. In addition to Kyoto University, the project involves six academic institutions in Asia as core members: Shandong University (China), Seoul National University (Korea), the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) (Vietnam), Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), the University of Malaya (Malaysia), and the Research Center for Biology of the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) (Indonesia). Coordinated by Associate Prof.
Masaharu Motokawa of the Kyoto University Museum, the project involves 129 researchers from the core member and other institutions from ten countries throughout Asia, including institutions in the Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The project builds on the achievements of the 2011-2013 JSPS Asia?Africa Science Platform Program, “Research Platform for East Asian Vertebrate Species Diversity and Formation of Specimen Network.” The projects aim to form an Asian multilateral network platform, connecting researchers, specimens, and information, and facilitating a broad range of activities such as collaborative research, international symposia, and initiatives to foster young researchers. In December 2014, to mark the first year of the new project, the 4^th International Symposium on Asian Vertebrate Species Diversity will be held at the University of Malaya. The symposium sees to promote academic exchange and discussion among experienced and young researchers on the effective operation of the network platform from Kyoto University towards the global scientific community.

Masaharu Motokawa, PhD

Associate Professor, The Kyoto University Museum