India Japan Laboratory, Keio University-IJBC delegation visits Pune’s top varsities, explores joint research and exchange

PUNE (MAHARASHTRA) : In its bid to potentially forge collaborations in the field of research, educational and cultural activities and promote bilateral exchanges, a high-level joint delegation of India Japan Laboratory (IJL) of Keio University and Indo-Japan Business Council IJBC), Pune, visited four premier universities in Pune last week

The delegation comprising of Dr. Rajib Shaw, the director of IJL,Professor of Keio University, Ms. Tomo Kawane, Senior Researcher of IJL, Keio University, Siddharth Deshmukh, President, IJBC, and Abhishek Choudury, Vice-president, IJBC, visited the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Symbiosis International University, and MIT-WPU (World Peace University) on March 10-11. IJBC facilitated these visits to various universities in Pune.

Ms. Kawane who is also an Honorary Member of ACN Editorial Advisory Board, an Asian think tank, played a pivotal role in forging IJBC and IJL collaboration through her initiation to introduce IJL on the platform of Konnichiwa Pune 2021. She created a coordial and cooperative relationship with IJBC through her continuous participation in all the three previous Konnichiwa Pune flagship events since 2018.

Prior to the visit to universities, the IJL and IJBC representatives also had detailed discussion with Dr. Yasukata Fukahori, Consul-General of Japan in Mumbai, and Noritaka Tauchi, Consul (Culture and Information Section) to discuss further collaborations to enhance bilateral relations between India and Japan.

The purpose of the university visits was to explore future potentials of collaborations in the field of research, educational and cultural activities. Such collaborations are to be actively promoted through the collaboration of IJL and IJBC.

With a pan-Indian footprint and established in 2011, the IJBC is an apex bi-lateral Chamber synergizing India-Japan engagement in business, trade, commerce, education, and culture, and is working continually to enhance India-Japan Business and Economic Engagement.

Dignitaries such as Professor M.S. Santhanam, Dean, International Relations and Outreach Professor (Physics), IISER Pune, Dr. M.G. Chaskar, Dean-Science & Technology, Savitribhai Phule Pune University, Bharatkumar B. Ahuja, Director, COEP, Dr. Anita Patankar, Director, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, Dr. R.M. Chitnis, Vice Chancellor of MIT-World Peace University received the delegation of IJBC and IJL and invited their faculty members for discussion.

The IJL and IJBC representatives held discussions with researchers and faculties, and also met vice chancellors, directors and deans for exploring possible areas of collaborative research and educational exchange such as summer schools, interactive workshops on Anime, collaborative research potentials, inviting Indian students for selected lectures of India-focused course offered by Keio University, and developing innovation-focused courses.

Meeting with College of Engineering Pune (COEP) representatives for IJBC and IJL was hosted by Pratap Pawar, the Chairman of COEP and Sakal Group.  In 2019, Dr. Rajib Shaw had received the Maharashtra delegation led by Pratap Pawar and comprising of more than 50 representatives to Keio University in 2019, before the onset of the pandemic.

It is mention worthy here that both IJBC and IJL representatives specially took time out to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the SMEs in both India and Japan in consideration to develop a joint certificate course specialized in making SMEs ready for international collaboration.  They are also keen to work on the policy papers to enhance economic activities, both domestically and internationally.

IJBC and IJL signed MOU in January 2022 and have been actively working together since then.  They have initiated the commemorative webinars to celebrate the 70^th year of the diplomatic relationship between India and Japan.  For more details, please visit  https://www.ijbc.org/special-lecture-series.html

India Japan Laboratory (IJL) undertakes cutting-edge bilateral/multilateral research, enhances higher education collaboration and partnership, and facilitates the exchange of intellectual capital between India and Japan. Established in 2019, the lab collectively addresses, analyzes, learns, and nurtures the issues related to India, Japan, and beyond, and make it more relevant to the global communities under three key pillars: environment, disaster, development; emerging technologies; culture, yoga, music, etc.