Hiroshima University concluded an Academic Exchange Agreement with the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil, in 2010, and has since promoted active academic exchange. Additionally, HU concluded an Academic Exchange Agreement concerning Asian Studies with the Faculty of Humanities of USP on September 10, 2013. USP had been planning to establish a new graduate school for Asian Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, when in March of this year Dr. Eliza Atsuko Tashiro Perez, Vice-Director of Center Japanese Studies at the Faculty of Humanities (an alumna of HU) visited the Graduate School of Letters at HU and made a request for cooperation, which lead to the recent agreement. At the signing ceremony, Dr. Makoto Katsube, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters at HU and Dr. Joao Roberto Gomes de Faria, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Humanities signed the agreement and afterwards discussed future collaboration.



The University of Sao Paulo 50th Year of Japanese Language Courses Commemoration Symposium “Research on Japanese Language, Literature and Culture” was held on September 11. Dr. Tetsuji Okamoto, Executive and Vice President of HU gave a keynote lecture “Hiroshima University and the Phoenix Leader Education Program for Renaissance from Radiation Disaster”. About 100 people took part in the opening ceremony at the lecture hall of the USP Japanese Culture Building, and Mr. Noriteru Fukushima, the Consul General of Japan in Sao Paulo, made a congratulatory address. Afterwards Dr. Tetsuji Okamoto held a lecture on HU’s efforts toward renaissance after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and development of personnel on the basis of experiences and achievements for supporting recovery after the atomic bomb. He explained the importance of contributions from the Social Sciences and Humanities, such as psychological support for victims or regenerating communities, in conjunction with medical, environmental and engineering approaches to solutions.



The following day, there was a meeting for Japanese Studies graduate students with about 80 participants. Dr. Makoto Katsube, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters, held a keynote lecture “Social background of ‘A tall tree catches much wind.’ - the historic consideration of the village society in Japan” and talked about the Japanese temperament formed in the history of farming communities (mura-society), the historical essence of Japanese society. Professor Shozo Motoyama from the Faculty of Humanities of USP gave follow-up comments after the lecture, and fielded many questions from the active audience.



On September 9 at the Faculty of Law, and September 12 at the Faculty of Dentistry, lectures were held respectively by Dr. Makoto Katsube, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters and Dr. Okamoto, Executive and Vice President. At the faculty of Law, Professor Masato Ninomiya from the Faculty of Law of USP (Visiting Professor of HU) presented a special lecture “The Emperor Meiji and the Constitutional Monarchy”. About 40 participants took part, including USP students who were participating in the 2013 Summer Program for Peace and Law (held in July and August at HU). The lecture explained the newest research results on the Emperor Meiji and the process of establishing Japan’s constitutional monarchy.



At the Faculty of Dentistry, about 20 people listened to the special lecture of Dr. Okamoto, Executive and Vice President on HU’s new graduate school program, concerning the disciplines of dentistry and renaissance from radiation disaster. Later they visited the facilities for educational research and the hospital units. Afterwards, there was a discourse with Professor Celso Augusto Lemos Junior and others, and both sides discussed academic exchange between the Faculties of Dentistry.



On September 12 our delegation made a courtesy call to Dr. Joao Grandino Rodas, President of USP. Based on the steady progression of academic exchange between the two universities, they agreed on strengthening the relationship by taking on new projects. With the intention of enhancing new exchange projects, they visited the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and held a meeting with Professor Jose Arana Varela, Chief Executive Officer of FAPESP and conferred on concluding an academic exchange agreement between FAPESP and HU.



Since HU established the Hiroshima University Brazil Center in Sao Paulo City as an overseas base in 2009, USP has played a vital role in active academic exchange with Brazil. We hope that going into the future, in-depth exchange within each discipline will continue.

The signing ceremony with the USP Faculty of Humanities; Dr. Joao Roberto Gomes de Faria, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Humanities of USP (left) and Dr. Makoto Katsube, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters (right)	Dr. Tetsuji Okamoto, Executive and Vice President, giving a keynote lecture at the symposium held in commemoration of the 50th year of Japanese Language Courses at USP
Dr. Makoto Katsube, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters holding a special lecture at the USP Faculty of Law	Visit to the USP Faculty of Dentistry
Courtesy call on USP President (From right to left: Executive and Vice President Dr. Okamoto, USP President Dr. Joao Grandino Rodas, Dean of the Graduate School of Letters Dr. Katsube, USP Professor Ninomiya)	The meeting between Professor Jose Arana Varela, Chief Executive Officer of FAPESP (right) and Executive and Vice President Dr. Tetsuji Okamoto (left)

【Inquiries】

International Exchange Group,

Education and International Office (International Center),

Hiroshima University

TEL: 082-424-6042

E-mail: kokusai-kyoten(AT)office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp

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