From 18th to 20th November 2019, three teaching and administrative staff from Hokkaido University (Deputy Director of Arctic Research Center Professor Otsuka, of Faculty of Engineering Associate Professor Mori and HaRP office public-private-academic partnership coordinator Ms. Lomaeva) visited St. Petersburg, Russia as part of activities of Hokkaido Regional Consortium. They participated in the 3rd working group meeting on cooperation and development between Hokkaido and St. Petersburg. In addition, they co-hosted a workshop with members from the Faculty of International Relations at St. Petersburg State University and participated in a discussion session on architecture in cold climate regions. A summary of the three days activities are as follows.
November 18
Hokkaido University held a workshop on cold climate regions, co-hosted with the School of International Relations at Saint Petersburg State University, where Japanese and Russian university professors and Russian students actively exchanged opinions.
November 19
(1) The 3rd working group meeting on cooperation and development between Hokkaido and St. Petersburg was held. Hokkaido University introduced to Russian participants the social contribution of the Arctic Research center and the Faculty of Engineering in the field of observation of cold climate regions, marine transportation, and architecture. They also presented on the achievements of exchanges that can serve as a model of future collaboration in each region in the two countries. Mr. Belozyorov, Deputy Director of the Center for Asian Economic Research, University of St. Petersburg, received the guidance from the HaRP office, reported on the activities of the center, and explained the prospects for exchanges with Japanese universities and other organizations.
(2) A forum for exchanging opinions on architecture in cold climate regions was held jointly by Hokkaido Intellect Tank (HIT) and the Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Experts from Hokkaido university, the construction department of Hokkaido Government, construction companies and research institutions exchanged opinions on a project for restoring historic buildings and inter-university collaboration. The areas of cooperation between Hokkaido Government and St. Petersburg cover a wide range of areas, including architecture of cold climate regions, tourism, education, culture, and Arctic research and development. The HaRP office has assisted in supporting the activities of relevant parties in universities.
November 20
(1) Professor Otsuka visited the the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) and exchanged information on future joint research and possibilities of internship. He also interviewed about AARI’s collaboration with the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) and Shimadzu Corporation.
(2) The Hokkaido University delegation visited the Japan Center in St. Petersburg and the Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering to conduct interviews on cases of collaboration between research institutions in St. Petersburg and Japanese companies. Such cases would include Kawasaki Robotics GmbH of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Kawasaki Robotics Technology Center (KRTC), which was established in the Saint Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics by Robowizard LLC, a Russian sales company. HaRP presented this collaboration case in the Second Japan-Russia Industry, Academia and Government Working-level Conference.
Through this visit to St. Petersburg, the network for Japan-Russia public-private-academic partnership was strengthened.
The Cold Climate Regions Workshop (November 18)
The 3rd working group meeting on cooperation and development between Hokkaido and St. Petersburg (November 19)
Participants at the opinion exchange meeting on architecture in cold climate regions held at the Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (November 19)