Meeting Building Bridges Between Italy and Japan

About the Event

Over the past years, Toyo University and several Italian universities have built a vibrant and enduring academic partnership founded on interdisciplinary research, educational exchange and public engagement.
Bringing together scholars from architecture, urban planning, law, languages, environmental studies and the social sciences, this collaboration has generated joint research projects, Summer Schools, fieldwork, student mobility programmes and international dialogue.
Originally inspired by shared reflections on post-disaster reconstruction and the revitalisation of inland territories, the partnership has progressively evolved into a broader platform for cooperation addressing sustainability, resilient communities, cultural heritage, regional development and the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.
This event celebrates not only the achievements of this long-standing collaboration, but above all the people, ideas and friendships that have made it possible. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on future directions for academic cooperation between Italy and Japan.

Programme

3:00 p.m.
Welcome and Opening Addresses
Giovanni Molari - Rector, University of Bologna
Etsuko Yaguchi - President, Toyo University

Introduction
Paola Scrolavezza - Head of Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, University of Bologna

Panel I Building Bridges
Shared Experiences in Research, Education and International Collaboration
Moderator: Lucia Ruggeri - Director of the School of Law, Scientific Coordinator of the Collaborative Programme “From Earthquake Reconstruction towards Sustainable Cities and Regions in the Post COVID-19 Era”, University of Camerino
Speakers:
Diego Cucinelli - Associate Professor, University of Florence
Norihisa Shima - Academic Coordinator of the UNICAM–Toyo University Collaborative Programme
Toyo University Students: Ideas and Experiences from Toyo University

Panel II Inspiring the Future. New Perspectives for Italy–Japan Academic Cooperation
Moderator: Simona Tondelli - Deputy Rector, University of Bologna
Speakers:
Stefano Capolongo - Full Professor, Polytechnic University of Milan
Daniele Giondrino - Resercher, University of Torino
Kazuhiko Okamoto - Professor, Toyo University

5:45 p.m.
Interactive Dialogue Building the Next Chapter Together
An open dialogue among speakers, participants and institutional representatives on future directions for academic cooperation between Italy and Japan.

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna in collaboration with Toyo University and University of Camerino.