Dr. Alice P. Gast, the President of Lehigh University (U.S.A.), visited Kobe University on October 6, 2009. President Gast was greeted by Dr. NAKAMURA Chiharu, Vice President/Director in charge of International Exchange and Regional Partnership, Dr. TAKEDA Hiroshi, Vice President/Director in charge of Research and Information Management, and Professor OKUBO Masayoshi of Graduate School of Engineering.

Lehigh University is a private university established in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1865. It is made up of the following four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business and Economics, Education, Engineering and Applied Science. Lehigh's core values are very similar to the "spirit of integrity, freedom and cooperation" which Kobe University states in its Mission Statement.

Dr. Gast, a world renowned chemist who has served on several national advisory committees and boards including the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), expressed her hope to promote and develop further exchanges of information and joint researches in areas of interest to both universities, including business administration.

President Gast also expressed an interest in Kobe University's short-term summer program for Lehigh University places strong emphasis on student exchange. Since studying in the United States is also popular amongst Kobe University students, constructive discussion on future student exchanges took place between the two universities.