University of Edinburgh delegation visits Nagoya University to identify promising areas for joint research

During the week of July 27-31, 2026, a delegation from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland visited Nagoya University. The delegates represented a wide range of fields, including science, engineering, the humanities, social sciences, and medicine. The visit marked one of the largest exchanges since Nagoya University opened its Global Campus at the University of Edinburgh in April 2026.

The delegation visiting Nagoya University’s Higashiyama Campus included Neil Robertson, dean of international partnerships; Andy Mount, director of the Pyrochemical Research Laboratory; David Richardson, chief operating officer of the Centre for AI in Assistive Autonomy; Laura Jeffery, dean of research in the College of Arts, Humanities and the Social Sciences, and Sudeepa Abeysinghe, senior lecturer in global health policy. A separate visit to the Tsurumai Campus included Mike Ludwig and Peter Duncan from University of Edinburgh’s Center for Discovery Brain Sciences.

The visit combined strategic meetings with tours of Nagoya University’s research labs and academic facilities. It built on a long-standing partnership between the two universities, centered on the Joint Degree Program with the Graduate School of Science and collaborative research in chemistry, physics, and frontier medical science.

On July 28, the morning opened with a meeting at the Toyoda Auditorium, hosted by Nagoya University Vice President Makoto Kobashi with Dean Tatsuya Suzuki of the Graduate School of Engineering, Chief URA Ryuichi Nakajima, alongside colleagues from the industry-academia collaboration units, the Global Multi-Campus (GMC) Institute, and the International and Educational Affairs divisions.

Three priority themes emerged as promising areas for joint work: functional molecules; mobility, including autonomous driving; and healthy aging, including robotics and physical AI. Edinburgh’s expertise in AI and autonomy is expected to play a significant role in taking these initiatives forward, particularly in mobility, where the two universities already collaborate. Participants also discussed shared use of research facilities, joint laboratories, student exchange in engineering, and joint symposia.

The delegation was then joined by Nagoya University President Naoshi Sugiyama and Vice President Yoshiyuki Suto for a discussion of the strategic partnership between the two institutions and the role the GMC can play as a platform for sustained cooperation.

Over lunch, hosted by GMC at Common Nexus (ComoNe), conversations continued in a more informal setting. In the afternoon, the group met Dean Yukiyo Hoshino of the Graduate School of Humanities, alongside researchers Chikako Nagayama, Shungo Suzuki, and Yoko Kato to discuss partnerships in the humanities and social sciences.

“It’s been such a great series of meetings and events and we’re very lucky to be able to meet so many fantastic colleagues” said Sudeepa Abeysinghe, senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Following this, the delegation toured ComoNe facilities and met with Nagoya University students preparing to travel to Edinburgh on an exchange program later this year.