The pre-launch meeting for the "Project on Creation of Trans-ASEAN Environmental and Social Innovators Through Development of Overseas Satellites" (2015-2016), organized by the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES), took place on 28 February at the Kyoto University (KU) ASEAN Center, Bangkok. The Project aims to provide a three-year double Master's degree program through establishment of foreign satellites in cooperation with overseas universities. The Master's program itself is designed to train KU graduate students to be able to conduct research overseas in both English and the local language, and help students from ASEAN countries develop Japanese-language proficiency. Attending the meeting were representatives of the ASEAN institutions taking part in the Project -- Prof Huynh Trung Hai of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST, Vietnam), Assistant Prof Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon of Mahidol University (Thailand), Prof Ernan Rustiadi of Bogor Agricultural University (BAU, Indonesia), and Prof Ngo Bunthan, Rector of Royal University of Agriculture (Cambodia). Kyoto University, meanwhile, was represented by Executive Vice-Presidents Kayo Inaba and Toshio Sugiman, GSGES Dean Shigeo Fujii and Vice-Dean Shinya Funakawa, and Prof Eiji Nawata, Vice-Dean of the Graduate School of Agriculture.
The meeting opened with participants introducing themselves and EVP Inaba greeting them on behalf of KU. Next, Prof Fujii delivered a detailed description of the Project, for which he serves as leader, outlining requests made to participating institutions regarding implementation of the double-degree program.
Following this, representatives of the satellite-host institutions -- HUST Prof Huynh, Mahidol Assistant Prof Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon, and BAU Prof Ernan Rustiadi -- each delivered presentations, describing each university's educational programs, status of double-degree programs, and progress with preparations for the Project. The meeting sparked lively discussion on various topics of concern, such as implementation, roadmaps, and strategy and vision, revealing a high level of enthusiasm among the participants.
The topics discussed in this meeting will be further addressed in the official launch symposium, scheduled to take place October 2015 in Kyoto.
Assembly photo
