The 7th Kobe University-Beijing Foreign Studies University Joint Symposium was held in a hybrid format

The 7th Kobe University – Beijing Foreign Studies University Joint Symposium was held as a hybrid event on December 2, 2022. The event was jointly hosted by Kobe University and the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Kobe University has been strengthening its collaborative relationship with Beijing Foreign Studies University since concluding an inter-university academic exchange agreement in 2008. This symposium series began in the 2015 academic year as one of the activities of the Kobe University and Beijing Foreign Studies University International Collaborative Research Base, which was established with the aim of promoting international joint research and holding events such as symposiums and workshops in order to find and cultivate outstanding young researchers.

The theme of this year’s symposium was “Japanese Studies in the Post-Pandemic Era". The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered major changes in the conduction of international collaborative research, and we hope that this symposium provided an opportunity to rethink how Japanese Studies research will be carried out from now on.

The symposium began with opening remarks given by Prof. ZHOU Yifu (Director of the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University) and Prof. NAKAMURA Tamotsu (Executive Vice President in Charge of International Affairs, Kobe University). Next, five researchers from Japan and China gave presentations and answered questions from a wide range of perspectives in the humanities and social sciences. The symposium was brought to a finish with closing remarks from Prof. HUANG Lin (Director of Kobe University’s Asia and Oceania Division) and Prof. XIONG Wenli (Vice Director of the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University).

Even though the symposium could not be held in person in Beijing for yet another year due to the coronavirus pandemic, approximately 50 people participated either in person at Kobe University or online. The symposium covered a topical theme of great interest to the participants, leading to active exchanges of research. It is hoped that this symposium will further develop the cooperative relationship between the two universities.

 (International Affairs Department)