THE Campus Live Japan, a symposium organized by Times Higher Education, was held at Keio University’s Mita Campus on 13 and 14 December 2022. Under the theme, “Reimagining the Future of Japanese Universities in the Post-Pandemic World,” attendees discussed the challenges and prospects for higher education. Professor Genta KAWAHARA, Executive Vice President of Global Engagement, was selected as a panelist alongside other notable speakers for the “University Leaders Panel: University’s Roles and Resilience in Times of International Crisis and Security Risks.”

Professor KAWAHARA participated in the Panel with Professor Peter Mathieson (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh), Professor Caroline Benton (Vice President and Executive Director of Global Affairs, University of Tsukuba), and Professor Motohiro TSUCHIYA (Vice President of Global Engagement and Information Technology, Keio University). The discussion was moderated by The Right Hon. the Lord Johnson of Marylebone, former UK Minister of State for Universities and Science, who now holds senior positions at King’s College London and Harvard University.

Professor KAWAHARA spoke about the need for international collaborations between institutions to face global issues in contemporary society. He also talked about the Japan-UK Research and Education Network for Knowledge Economy Initiative (RENKEI), a consortium between twelve universities in Japan and the UK, as an example of a collaborative network of universities addressing societal issues. As a group, the panel reaffirmed the role and value of universities in the current geopolitical landscape.

In addition to the Panel was a UK Government Address in which Madame Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan, and Mr. George Freeman, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, gave special lectures. Under the theme, “Supercharging Scientific Collaboration for a Changing World,” they discussed the reinforcement of global scientific collaboration. Lord Johnson of Marylebone also delivered a keynote address on his co-authored publication, “Stumbling Bear, Soaring Dragon,” in which he discussed the challenges of handling the geopolitics of global science.

Discussions during the symposium centered on the question, “What is a university?” and involved various perspectives on the role universities play in a society where significant global change has taken place since the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day of the symposium on 14 December also included lectures and discussions on various topics.