On February 19, 2015, Nagoya University (President at the time: Michinari Hamaguchi) signed a memorandum with Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings, Inc. (President & CEO: Tateaki Ishida) for the Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings Global Business Program, with the aim of supporting academic and educational exchange with the United Kingdom.
Objective of the Program
An international symposium with the theme of "Japan’s new role in transforming Asia" was held at the Toyoda Auditorium in Nagoya University on August 31, 2014, hosted by the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA, also called Chatham House) in the UK, in special cooperation with Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings (hereafter "Tokai Tokyo"). Nagoya University and Tokai Tokyo took this opportunity to share the recognition that academia and industry should cooperate in promoting the development of global human resources that will play leading roles in the internationalization of the Tokai region. As a result, with Tokai Tokyo’s support, the Nagoya University "Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings Global Business Program" was established.
As a gateway to Asia, Nagoya University has attracted attention from UK’s research and educational institutes. In 2014 the University intensified its exchange with the UK, by concluding an academic exchange agreement with St. Johns College at the University of Cambridge as well as the University of Edinburgh, and by becoming a RIIA Academic Institutional Member.
We believe that this program will play a significant role in further invigorating the academic and educational exchange between Nagoya University and the UK. We also believe that this program is significant in terms of contribution to local communities as well, from the perspective that through the program, we can provide local people and students of other universities with valuable opportunities to be exposed to changes in international situations, which will consequently contribute to the internationalization of not only Nagoya University but also the Tokai region as a whole.
Contents of the Program
The program will be implemented mainly by the "PhD Professional: Gateway to Success in Frontier Asia" program and the International Affairs Department of Nagoya University. Contents of the program will be: offering an international affairs course that explains complex movements in global affairs to citizens and students in an easy-to-understand manner; sending Nagoya University’s undergraduates and graduates to the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh in the UK; and admitting undergraduates of the University of Cambridge to Nagoya University.
Signing Ceremony
A signing ceremony was held as part of the second session of the AY2014 symposium of the "PhD Professional: Gateway to Success in Frontier Asia" (Program for Leading Graduate Schools) with the theme of "Developing PhDs who will fly high into society — experiences of Vitae UK (a program to support career development of researchers in the country) and Japan’s Initiatives" at a banquet hall of the Meitetsu New Grand Hotel in Nagoya, Japan. Approximately 100 people — including people associated with Nagoya University, Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings, the British Council (UK’s official international cultural exchange organization), and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology — participated in the ceremony.
Future Schedule
This program will be launched on March 1, 2015. As the first event of the program, we plan to send Nagoya University’s undergraduate students to St. Johns College at the University of Cambridge in early March (short stay).
