CWRU, Japan’s Tohoku University agree on research collaboration and student exchange program

President Susumu Satomi of Tohoku University at podium
President Susumu Satomi of Tohoku University gives his speech

Case Western Reserve University and Japan’s Tohoku University will collaborate on research and student exchanges after the institution’s respective leaders signed formal agreements Wednesday.

Tohoku University President Susumu Satomi and Kazuyuki Katayama, Japan’s Detroit-based consul general, attended the signing ceremony with Case Western Reserve President Barbara R. Snyder and several other university administrative and research leaders. One of the leading research universities in Japan, Tohoku is part of the country’s Top Global University Project, which aims to improve Japan’s global outreach in education and research. To help launch the partnership, more than a dozen of its students and faculty came to Case Western Reserve this week for a two-day Data and Life Science Collaboration & Symposium.

“As a university, one of our focuses is internationalization. It means creating deep relationships and partnerships with universities overseas, and Tohoku is one of those relationships,” Associate Provost for International Affairs David Fleshler said. “We are now making the statement that they are going to be a major partner with us, partly because of the kinds of things they do—the medical science, the engineering, the law.”

The research Memorandum of Understanding calls for exchange of faculty, staff and students; joint research projects; joint education and training programs; exchange of academic and research publications and information; collaborative funding and fund development.

“There are a number of areas where we see commonality, and our systems are different enough that we can really benefit from each other, and ultimately benefit the world,” Fleshler said.

Each university expects to choose two undergraduate students each semester to participate in the exchange.

Also attending the signing ceremony were Provost and Executive Vice President William “Bud” Baeslack III, School of Medicine Dean and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs Pamela B.Davis, Deputy Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lynn Singer, School of Medicine Vice Dean for Research Mark Chance, and School of Medicine Associate Dean for Graduate Education Paul MacDonald.