India Week was held to commemorate the signing of the agreement between the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and Sophia University
“Sophia University India Week” was held at the Yotsuya Campus from July 1 to July 3. India, with its rapid economic growth and extensive market opportunities, offers a high level of education, particularly in the fields of science and technology.
Sophia considers India as one of strategically developing nations in promoting globalization, and in April this year, concluded a collaboration agreement with Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), a leading institution known for its graduates playing key roles in the IT industry worldwide.
This event was held to commemorate the signing of the agreement between the two institutions, and a symposium entitled “Future of Japan and India: The Role of Universities” was held with Indian Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Sibi George, who is committed to enhancing Japan-India relations through industry-government-academia collaboration.
In addition, workshops on Transportation Science and Technology were held by researchers from Sophia and IITD over three days.
symposium “Future of Japan and India: The Role of Universities”
The symposium on the first day, “Future of Japan and India: The Role of Universities” was opened with a keynote speech by Indian Ambassador to Japan, H.E. Mr. Sibi George, highlighting the political, economic, and cultural ties between Japan and India as immediate neighbors.
This was followed by a panel discussion on the current status and future prospects of the Japan-India partnership in terms of industry-academia-government perspectives by Professor James Gomes of IITD, Professor Sakthi Kumar of Toyo University Graduate School, Mr. Kohei Okada of Teijin India, Mr. Teruyuki Ito of JICA South Asia Department, Mr. Yukihide Nakayama of JETRO Planning Department, and Mr. Yuji Nishikawa of JST Sakura Science Program Headquarters, moderated by Professor Yoshiro Azuma, former professor of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Sophia University, and a current adjunct professor at IITD.
At last, John Joseph Puthenkalam, Trustee for Global Academic Affairs at Sophia University, closed the session expressing his hope that the relationship between India and Japan will continue to develop in various forms and degrees.
Workshop “Mechanical Engineering—Railway, Healthcare and Industry”
In the morning of the second day, a workshop entitled “Mechanical Engineering—Railway, Healthcare and Industry” was held, hosted by the Faculty of Science and Technology, with research presentations given by both universities.
After the program, time was also set aside for a lab tour to introduce IITD representatives to the facilities of our university. The coordinator of the workshop, Professor Shoichiro Takehara of the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, commented on the first joint workshop with IITD, “Many participants from the general public and students showed a high level of interest toward the ties with India, the IITD faculty also made very positive feedback about the collaboration with our university, and I believe that this event was a good start for future collaboration in a variety of fields.”
Workshop “University Students in India”
Also in that afternoon, the Faculty of Economics hosted a workshop “University Students in India” to discuss the university life of both Japan and India.
The workshop consisted of presentations on the value of studying at Indian universities for Japanese students and, in turn, the advantages of studying at Japanese universities for Indian students, leading to a lively discussion.
The coordinator, Yuki Higuchi, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, commented that, “The workshop began with introductions to student life in India by Professors Yoshiro Azuma and Eri Ikeda, who teach at IITD, followed by reports from two current IITD students and two Indian students studying at Sophia. The subsequent Q&A session was very energetic, and a fruitful exchange of opinions took place.”
Workshop “Sustainable Urban Transportation”
On the third day, the Faculty of Science and Technology hosted the workshop “Sustainable Urban Transportation”, with guest speakers from the University of Tokyo, Chiba University, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., and Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.
The coordinator of the workshop, Professor Masafumi Miyatake of the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, expressed his enthusiasm after the workshop: “The presentations on advanced research and energetic exchange of opinions made clear that our university and IITD could work together. A sustainable world cannot be achieved without India’s support. I hope that both universities can serve as hubs to enhance collaboration among universities and industries in each country as well.”
In addition to Sophia students, participants from other universities also attended the event, and during the coffee break, with light refreshments, active exchanges of opinions took place.