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On March 7, 2025, Â鶹AV hosted the first session of "AFRI CONVERSE 2025: Innovating Together ¨C Shaping the Future of Japan-Africa Academic Collaboration" at MIRAI CREA on the Higashi-Hiroshima Campus. The event was co-organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Â鶹AV.
Since 2020, JICA and UNDP have been co-hosting AFRI CONVERSE, a dialogue-based event held across Japan, focusing on the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) and the development for Africa. The event aims to follow up on development issues discussed at past TICAD conferences while also fostering discussions in the run-up to TICAD 9, which will be held in Yokohama in 2025. It is expected to attract broad participation from both domestic and international stakeholders.
This session, the 21st edition of AFRI CONVERSE, focused on academic cooperation with Africa and was held for the first time at Â鶹AV. About 50 participants attended in person, while about 200 participated online.
The event opened in a relaxed atmosphere with students, faculty members, and local participants. Ms. Chika Kondo, UNDP¡¯s TICAD Partnership Specialist of Regional Bureau for Africa, facilitated the session. In his opening remarks, Dr. Shinji Kaneko, Executive Vice President (Global Initiatives) of Â鶹AV, highlighted that about 120 students from 30 African countries are currently studying at the university. He also introduced the Zambia Special Education Program, which has been running for over 20 years in collaboration with JICA. He also mentioned that in November last year, Â鶹AV became the first university in the world to sign an international exchange agreement with the Pan-African University, African Union (AU), paving the way for student admissions under this partnership. He emphasized the university¡¯s commitment to further strengthening educational and research exchanges with Africa.
This was followed by a panel discussion on "Current Status and Challenges of University Collaboration between Japan and Africa: Future Prospects", moderated by Dr. Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist of UNDP¡¯s Regional Bureau for Africa.
Mr. Daisuke Ueda, JUCA¡¯s Deputy Director General of Human Development Department, introduced the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology as an example of Japan's support to Africa through JICA. He also discussed plans to promote a broader framework for joint education and research between Japanese universities and African universities.
Next, speakers from Â鶹AV presented initiatives and challenges related to academic collaboration with Africa. Professor Yoko Shimpuku (Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Global Health Nursing) introduced a program where Japanese students participate in medical training in Zambia and Malawi. She emphasized that this initiative not only contributes to the training of African healthcare professionals, but also provides young Japanese researchers with a broader international perspective, highlighting the positive outcomes of academic cooperation.
(Left: Ms. Manabe, Right: Dr. Nakayenga)
Additionally, Ms. Shino Manabe, a first-year master¡¯s student in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, shared her experience of studying abroad in Malawi. She said: "Through my study abroad experience, I learned the importance of expressing my opinions clearly. Even if it's through online platforms, I hope more Japanese students will have opportunities to learn about Africa."
Dr. Joyce Justine Nakayenga, an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering and originally from Uganda, addressed the issue of supporting African students after they return home. She stressed the need to improve support systems such as scholarships and internships, and shared insights from her own experience as an international student in Japan.
Online participation included Professor Losenge Turoop of the Pan-African University, who visited Â鶹AV last year. He expressed high expectations for the agreement between Â鶹AV and the Pan-African University, African Union and emphasized the necessity of establishing collaborative research frameworks with Japanese universities, similar to those with Western universities. He called for strengthening support to expand cooperation between the two countries.
During the Q&A session that followed, African international students and panelists engaged in a lively exchange of views on career challenges after returning to their home countries, etc.
In closing remarks, Mr. Shuhei Ueno, JICA¡¯s Deputy Director General of Africa Department, expressed the agency¡¯s intention to continue discussions and initiatives related to university collaboration beyond TICAD 9, which will take place in August this year. This seminar served as a significant platform for expanding the potential for university partnerships between Japan and Africa.
(From Left)
- Dr. Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
- Ms. Shino Manabe, Master¡¯s Student, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Dr. Joyce Justine Nakayenga, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering
- Dr. Yoko Shimpuku, Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Mr. Daisuke Ueda, Deputy Director General, Human Development Department, JICA
- Mr. Shuhei Ueno, Deputy Director General, Africa Department, JICA
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