The 25th Academic Exchange Seminar between Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Osaka University (OU) was held on 7-8 November 2023. This academic exchange seminar with SJTU, one of OU’s strategic partners, has been alternately held between the universities since 1995.

Although the seminar was held online during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, this year, the seminar was held in person for the first time in four years, with OU welcoming over 40 SJTU researchers and members to its campus. This year’s seminar featured seven fields, including Joining and Welding, Laser, Information Sciences, Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology, Combustion Engineering, and Smart City.

On the morning of 7 November, participants gathered for the opening ceremony, which was facilitated by Professor Katsuyoshi KONDOH (Institute of Joining and Welding Sciences, OU) with remarks by OU Executive Vice President TANAKA Manabu and SJTU Deputy Director of the University Council WU Dan. They expressed the joy of the reunion of researchers, praising each other for holding the 25th seminar, and voicing their expectations that the bilateral relationship would further develop through this seminar. Subsequently, the representatives of each field explained the progress of research collaboration in their fields. After reconfirming their intent to enhance collaboration, the opening ceremony ended.

In the afternoon and throughout the rest of the meeting, researchers were divided into groups by field for workshops and facility visits. Over 120 individuals from SJTU and OU were in attendance, making for a lively seminar.

Prior to the seminar, a meeting between Deputy Director WU and President NISHIO Shojiro was held. They looked back on their over 45-year-long history of exchange to deepen collaboration and affirmed that they would further develop their cooperation in research and education. The universities aim to publish the results of their joint research to the world at the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and their collaboration is anticipated to further develop.