Japan: Osaka Winter School and Fukushima Symposium in Groningen

In February, Prof. Masaharu Nomachi, director of the Osaka European Center for Academic Initiatives, worked with various partners to accommodate programmes intended to strengthen and diversify the strategic partnership between Osaka and Groningen. 

In the Winter School (18-28 Feb), 6 OU students from a mix of academic disciplines visited Groningen for almost two weeks on an appetizer stay and engaged in courses and lectures provided by the UG Language Centre, the Center for Japan Studies, the Faculty of Arts (History; IRIO), Campus Fryslân, and FSE.

In the Fukushima Symposium (25-28 Feb), 6 more OU students from the interdisciplinary Fukushima ‘Hamadohri’ Summer Course came to Groningen for 4-5 days for sessions at FSE and the Rudolf Agricola School, and presented their insights from Fukushima to Groningen NOHA students.

The two groups merged for parts of the programmes and played the Groningen We-Energy Serious Board Game together, gaming out the choices and tradeoffs in sustainable energy interventions.

Next steps include closer engagement on Children and Young People in Disaster Areas, as presented by Dr. Hamed Seddighi of the Rudolf Agricola School. 

On the Groningen side, the events were coordinated by the Language Centre, the Center for Japan Studies, FSE, MSD, and ISR.

Contact at ISR: Tim Zwaagstra