On June 23, Professor Phouphet Kyophilavong, vice president of the National University of Laos, called on President FUJISAWA Masato.
From Kobe University, the meeting was attended by Executive Vice President TAMAKI Hisashi, director of the Office for Promoting International Partnerships; UCHIDA Yuichiro, professor and dean of the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS); OGAWA Keiichi, professor and vice dean of GSICS; TOKUOKA Mami, project assistant professor at GSICS; and ISHII Yudai, project assistant professor at GSICS.

At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President Kyophilavong noted that the National University of Laos is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. He also expressed his appreciation for the long-standing cooperative relationship between the two universities.

The participants exchanged views on student exchange between the two universities. Vice President Kyophilavong emphasized that Kobe University alumni are making significant contributions in Laos, with many working at the National University of Laos and others holding senior positions in government and public institutions. President Fujisawa then expressed his expectation that collaboration between the two universities would expand beyond economics and business administration to include fields such as engineering, science, and agriculture.

The participants also exchanged information on scholarship and support programs that facilitate study in Japan for students from Laos. They confirmed that, in addition to the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship, initiatives such as the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) and the SDGs Global Leader program have made significant contributions to human resource exchange between the two countries.

Furthermore, the participants discussed the Kobe University Alumni Association in Laos and expressed high expectations for the further development of exchanges through the alumni network.

This visit is expected to further strengthen the partnership and academic exchange between the two universities.

（International Affairs Division）