December 13, 2018
On November 27, Kobe University held a Visegrad Project Academic Workshop on the theme of “Populism and Nationalism” at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary.
Kobe University has been selected for a Visegrad University Studies Grant, and from October 2017 we are offering a course titled “The Place of V4 Countries in Europe and Japan” to study the importance of Central and Eastern Europe within the EU, connections between Japan and the region, and how this region is regarded in Japan. The course is taught with cooperation from scholars in our V4 partner universities: Jagiellonian University (Poland), Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary), Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia), and Charles University (Czech). The classes are open to exchange students from our partner institutions, and it forms part of the Educational Program on Current Japan, a program on Japanese culture, society, science and technology taught in English and Japanese.
The Workshop began with a greeting from Sanae Tada (Director of the Japan Foundation Budapest) who expressed her hopes for the strengthening of mutual understanding and increased exchange between Japan and Central and Eastern Europe. Researchers from the consortium universities presented the latest trends in populism and nationalism for various countries in Central and Eastern Europe, also referring to their relations with China and Russia. The participants listened attentively to each presentation, and active debates took place during the question and answer sessions.
In October 2015 Kobe University established a liaison office in Kraków, Poland, and we are actively involved in Erasmus+ programs and other exchange initiatives with partner universities in Central and Eastern Europe such as Jagiellonian University. Through the Visegrad Project, Kobe University will continue to promote collaboration in education and research between Japan and Central and Eastern Europe.

(International Affairs Planning Division)