The 6th Mexico-Japan Rectors’ Summit was held from September 4th to 6th, 2024, at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) in Mexico City. President Yoshiaki Terumichi was among the attendees. The biennial summit, which began in 2011, alternates between the two countries, providing a platform for university leaders from Japan and Mexico to strengthen friendships and explore new collaborations. The previous 5th Japan-Mexico Rectors’ Summit in Japan was hosted by Sophia University at its Yotsuya campus.
The theme for this year’s summit was “Academia-Industry: facing the current global challenges together.” With the joint statements adopted at the first five conferences in mind, the aim was to discuss ways in which industry, academia and government could work together to tackle modern global challenges. The discussions were organized into four sessions: “The Future of Work: Challenges and Opportunities,” “Health: The Fragility of Humanity and the Environment,” “Water: A Multilateral Perspective on a National Emergency,” and “Sustainable Development: Food and Energy, Inseparable Transformations.”
The summit was attended by over 70 universities and institutions from Mexico, including those that only attended the opening ceremony, and nine universities from Japan. The opening ceremony on the first day began with greetings from the host universities and relevant government agencies from both countries, as well as from the president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, which connects Japan and Mexico.
Distinguished speakers included H.E. Mr. Noriteru Fukushima, Ambassador of Japan to Mexico, Mr. Yasushi Noguchi, Assistant Minister and Director-General of the Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau. Mr. Noguchi also delivered a video message on behalf of Mr. Yoshifumi Tsuge, State Minister for Foreign Affairs. Additionally, Mr. Kazuhiko Yano, Senior Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, contributed via a video message. President Terumichi also gave a speech as a representative university that hosted the previous summit.
In the following keynote speech, General Director Arturo Reyes Sandoval of IPN introduced the initiatives IPN is undertaking in relation to the four sessions. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between Japanese and Mexican universities, alongside industry partners.
This summit marked the first time such an event was held, featuring not only university representatives from both nations but also speakers from various companies and institutions. This provided a platform for in-depth discussions on academia-industry collaboration, including case studies, challenges, and the critical need for such partnerships.
During the conference, the University of Tsukuba and Mexico’s El Colegio de Postgraduados announced the renewal of their partnership, underscoring the event’s role in strengthening ties between universities in Japan and Mexico.
Over the two days, presentations were given by universities and companies from both countries on four sub-themes, followed by panel discussions.
After the sessions concluded, a closing ceremony took place where a joint statement was delivered in English by Dr. Arturo Reyes Sandoval, General Director, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, and Dr. Jun Ikeda, Vice President and Executive Director for Global Affairs at the University of Tsukuba, which will host the next summit in Japan. The statement was met with applause from the participants.
The ceremony also included remarks from Melba Pría, the Ambassador of Mexico to Japan, and other dignitaries. The University of Tsukuba officially announced its role as the host for the next conference, scheduled for 2026, marking the conclusion of the 6th Mexico-Japan Rectors’ Summit.