Kyoto University–Peking University academic exchange meeting and "Study at KU" information session (11 December 2015)

The Kyoto University–Peking University academic exchange meeting and "Study at KU" information session was held at Peking University on 11 December 2015. With the aim of promoting further academic exchange and student exchange between the two universities, several KU faculties introduced their educational opportunities and research in the event. Peking University is one of the most prominent universities in China, and has made academic and student exchange agreements with Kyoto University.

The event included a courtesy visit, sample lectures by KU teaching staff from the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS, the Graduate School of Engineering), the Graduate School of Letters, and the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), and the "Study at KU" information session. Around 250 students from Peking University participated in the event.

At the courtesy visit, Vice President of Peking University Li Yansong and Director-General of Kyoto University's Organization for the Promotion of International Relations (OPIR) Junichi Mori discussed how the two universities would cooperate in order to develop academic and student exchange.

Following the courtesy visit, sample lectures covering three academic fields -- chemistry, humanities, and biomedical sciences -- were held simultaneously at three venues in Peking University. At the chemistry session, iCeMS Director Susumu Kitagawa, Professor of the Graduate School of Engineering, delivered a sample lecture titled "Chemistry of New Porous Materials -- Porous Coordination Polymers/Metal-Organic Frameworks". After the lecture, students mainly from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering asked numerous questions, and a lively Q&A session continued even after the scheduled end time.

At the humanities session, two sample lectures were delivered by professors of the Graduate School of Letters: "Discussion on China's Influence on Japanese Art over History" by Professor Kensuke Nedachi, and "From the Sino-Japanese War to the World War" by Professor Kazu Nagai. The venue was fully packed with participants, many of whom were students studying the humanities at Peking University. Following the lectures, participants asked a wide range of questions to the lecturers, and were engaged in heated debate on the topics.

A sample lecture titled "Effect of Feeder-Free Culture System for Quality of Human iPS Cells" was delivered by Dr Masato Nakagawa from CiRA in the biomedical session. Participants, including students of the School of Life Sciences and other institutions, took notes with interest and asked many detailed questions after the lecture.

The event concluded with the "Study at KU" information session, making the venue overflowing with visitors. Following the briefing on KU research, admissions, and scholarships by Mr Han Liyou, OPIR's Senior Specialist Staff, Mr Manabu Nako, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in China, explained about scholarships from Japanese Government, and Ms Deborah Measor, Program Manager of Bai Xian Asia Institute, explained about its Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program (AFLSP).