A delegation from Chalmers, led by the President, has visited Japan to strengthen and renew collaborations with some of the country’s most prominent universities and research institutes. During the trip, several important steps were taken towards deepened partnerships in areas central to Chalmers’ research and education.
Japan has long been a close partner to Chalmers in fields such as robotics, electronics, materials science, life sciences, energy technology, transport, and AI. The collaboration with Japan therefore plays an important role in Chalmers’ ambition to contribute to a sustainable future through world-class research and innovation.
During the visit, the delegation met with, among others, the University of Tokyo, the Riken Nihonbashi research institute, Mitsubishi Electric’s R&D centre, and attended the Science and Technology for Society (STS) Forum. The aim is to strengthen existing collaborations, identify new research opportunities, and deepen relations with Chalmers’ Japanese partners.
“Japanese universities are important partners for Chalmers. We share many strong scientific areas, and by being present on site we can further develop our academic relationships in a region that is becoming increasingly important for research and innovation,” says President Martin Nilsson Jacobi.
During the trip, a new collaboration agreement between Chalmers and the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo was finalised. The agreement enables joint research projects and student exchanges in informatics and related areas. The collaboration was initiated by Arion Pons, Research Assistant at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, and includes a research internship programme that gives Chalmers master’s and doctoral students access to exclusive research opportunities at NII.
“NII is one of Japan’s leading research institutes, and this collaboration strengthens Chalmers’ international position in the field,” says Arion Pons. “It is encouraging to see how the initiative is now evolving into a larger and more long-term partnership.”
After the week in Japan, Martin Nilsson Jacobi will continue on to China, where he will join a delegation of other Swedish university presidents. That part of the trip includes visits to Chalmers’ established partner university Shanghai Jiao Tong, as well as Fudan University, and meetings with new potential collaborators.
The delegation’s trip to Asia thus marks not only a deepening of Chalmers’ relations in Japan, but also a broader strategic engagement in the region – with the goal of strengthening research, education, and innovation through global collaboration.
Text: Jens Hansson, Robert Karlsson and David Björneloo