On August 21, 2025, following the CAMPUS Asia Plus Annual Symposium co-hosted by Kobe University and the National University of Laos, the Kobe University Alumni Association in Laos was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The event was made possible by the initiative of Ms. Duangchay Inkeo, President of the Alumni Association, who serves in a key role in the Supply Chain Department of Lao Brewery Company.
The alumni meeting was attended by distinguished graduates of Kobe University, including Ms. Phonevanh Outhavong, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Lao PDR; Mr. Somchit Khammoungkhoune, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance of Lao PDR; and Dr. Phouphet Kyophilavong, Vice President of the National University of Laos, along with other alumni who are currently active in higher education institutions, government agencies, private companies, and organizations in Laos. Also present were students from the National University of Laos who had previously studied at Kobe University under the CAMPUS Asia Plus Program.
From Kobe University, Dean Yuichiro Uchida of the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Professor Keiichi Ogawa, and other faculty and students who participated in the symposium, as well as undergraduate students currently undertaking internships at the Laos-Japan Center, joined the gathering. In total, around 60 participants engaged in lively exchange.
At the alumni meeting, Professor Emeritus Toshihisa Toyoda, who had delivered the keynote lecture at the symposium, together with Vice President Phouphet, who had studied under Professor Toyoda during his time at Kobe University, offered warm messages to the alumni and current students. The alumni shared memories of their time in Japan across generations and borders, and reported on their present activities.
Through this alumni gathering, Kobe University’s international network and the foundation for global human resource development were further strengthened, and greater collaboration and development are anticipated in the future.
(CAMPUS Asia Office)