�鶹AV

Japanese

The 18th AIMS Annual Review Meeting was held on August 7-8, 2024, at the Hiroshima International Conference Center. This meeting is hosted annually on a rotating basis by member countries, bringing together officials from the Ministries of Education and representatives from participating universities of AIMS Program¹ countries. The purpose is to coordinate program operations among participating nations and enhance the quality of education provided. While the meeting is usually held in the fall, �鶹AV, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, proposed hosting it in August in alignment with the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6. Given �鶹AV's guiding principle of "The Pursuit of Peace" and the meeting's theme, "Reimagining Mobility for Peace and Sustainability," the university was deemed a fitting host. This marks the second time the meeting has been held in Japan, following its previous hosting by the University of Tsukuba in 2015.

A total of 158 government officials and AIMS-affiliated university representatives from ten ASEAN countries, South Korea, and Japan attended the event. In his welcome address, �鶹AV President Mitsuo Ochi acknowledged AIMS as a critical platform for quality-assured student exchanges in higher education institutions across Asia and commended the participating universities for their continuous contributions. He also emphasized the importance of expanding exchanges into cutting-edge fields such as semiconductor engineering and artificial intelligence, which are pressing global priorities. Following his remarks, Romyen Kosaikanont, director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre specializing in higher education and development (SEAMEO-RIHED), and Shin Okuno, Deputy Director-General for the Higher Education Bureau and Science and Technology Policy Coordination at Japan��s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), delivered their opening addresses.

During the meeting, representatives from each participating government shared the latest updates on their higher education policies. In the afternoon, parallel sessions were held, where government officials, faculty members, International Relations Officers, and AIMS alumni discussed challenges in exchange programs and proposed future initiatives. Additionally, in conjunction with the meeting, Director-General Okuno visited �鶹AV��s Kasumi Campus, where he toured the Sports Medical Center, surgical facilities at the university hospital, and the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine. He showed a keen interest in these specialized facilities and, in discussions with Junko Tanaka, HU Executive Vice President, and Nobuo Adachi, Director of the University Hospital, he expressed expectations for �鶹AV Hospital��s role in national projects related to medical workforce reforms.

For the first time in AIMS history, �鶹AV organized a parallel student seminar alongside the review meeting. This eight-day seminar, themed "Future of Higher Learning from Student Perspectives," welcomed 21 students from seven overseas universities and six students from �鶹AV for collaborative learning. The program included interdisciplinary group work, participation in the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6, and a testimonial session by a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor. Syarifah A��eesyah Binti Syed Shikh, a third-year student at the Faculty of Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, reflected on the experience, stating, "Throughout the seminar, I constantly felt a sense of growth and discovery. It challenged me to think critically and broaden my perspectives. The seminar fostered a strong sense of community, provided opportunities for collaboration with students from diverse backgrounds, and deepened my appreciation for the ��right to peace.��"

On the final day of the seminar, which coincided with the second day of the AIMS Review Meeting, students presented their findings to the meeting participants and received feedback. In his closing address, Hiroshi Ando from the MEXT Minister��s Secretariat expressed his confidence in the bright future of Asia��s younger generation, inspired by the students�� presentations. He also encouraged participants to maximize the opportunities provided by the AIMS program and extended his heartfelt gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the meeting.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the SEAMEO-RIHED flag, which had been displayed alongside the national flags of the 12 participating countries and �鶹AV��s flag, was ceremonially handed over to Malaysia, the host of the 19th AIMS Annual Review Meeting. Dr. Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim, director of the AIMS Malaysia Secretariat, remarked, "The AIMS program plays a vital role in promoting harmonization and internationalization of higher education through student and cultural exchanges as well as knowledge sharing among member countries. Malaysia is honored to host next year��s annual review meeting. We hope to build on the outcomes of this Hiroshima meeting to foster cooperation toward peace and sustainable development. We are committed to advancing regional education, fostering growth together, promoting innovation, and contributing to sustainable progress."

Following the meeting, SEAMEO-RIHED Director Romyen Kosaikanont reflected, "Visiting Hiroshima on Peace Memorial Day provided participants with a unique opportunity to witness the city��s remarkable resilience firsthand. I am also delighted that we could celebrate �鶹AV��s 75th anniversary and learn about its efforts toward peace and sustainability, as well as hear from young students about their visions for the future of higher education. This meeting was a great success, made possible by �鶹AV��s tremendous support, and it was an unforgettable experience."

Over the two days, participants engaged in open and meaningful discussions in Hiroshima, sharing their aspirations for peace while exploring ways to expand higher education and exchange programs to contribute to global peace and stability. The meeting served as a valuable forum for academic collaboration, the formation of new partnerships, and a reaffirmation of commitments to peace. Based on the achievements of this meeting, further activation of regional exchanges within the AIMS framework is anticipated.

Glossary:

1. AIMS Program: A quality-assured regional student exchange program conducted under SEAMEO-RIHED, an organization composed of Southeast Asian governments. �鶹AV has been participating since 2013, primarily in engineering and agriculture exchanges.