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Delegates from Huazhong Agricultural University Visit Kyoto University

Prof. Xiuxin Deng, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Former President of Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), Prof. Shengxial Hu, Dean of HZAU International College, and Mr. Hongrong Zhang, Dean and Secretary of HZAU College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences visited Kyoto University (KU) on February 17 and 18. Their activities included a meeting with Prof. Yasuyuki Kono, Vice-President for International Strategy of KU, the dean and professors of the Graduate School of Agricultural (GSA), a seminar, and a visit to the GSA Experimental Farm. (University Headquarter’s website link)

HZAU and GSA concluded a department-level exchange agreement in 2017 and have been maintaining a strong connection through various events and courtesy visits.

The HZAU delegates met with Prof. Yasuyuki Kono, Vice-President for International Strategy, Prof. Eiji Nawata, Dean of GSA (Tropical Agriculture), Prof. Akira Murakami, Vice-Dean (Agricultural Facilities Engineering), Prof. Motoki Akitsu, Vice-Dean (Philosophy of Agricultural Science), Prof. Hisashi Miyagawa (Bioregulation Chemistry), and Prof. Ryutaro Tao (Pomology) on February 18 in the university headquarter.

At the meeting, Vice-President Kono mentioned the joint symposium among HZAU,  College of Bio-Resourses & Agriculture of National Taiwan University (NTU), and GSAKU held in 2018. He also mentioned a HZAU student who stayed at GSA under the student exchange agreement between the two schools. Former President Deng showed an interest in maintaining and further advancing the relationship with GSA in his greeting remarks.

Vice-President Kono gave a brief introduction of Kyoto University. Former President Deng explained in detail that Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chinese Academy of Science play important roles in applied and basic sciences, respectively in China and that HZAU is one of the National key universities in China under the Project 211. There was also a discussion on the current situations of China and Japan from perspectives of ideal status of agriculture and agricultural education for younger generations in the modern society.

The meeting was concluded after reaching agreement to further strengthen partnership with possibilities of establishment of on-site laboratories and exchanges of personnel including young faculties and staff members.

After the meeting, the delegation attended an open seminar held at GSA where Prof. Deng gave a presentation titled “Problem-driven Citrus Research in China”. The seminar was attended by participants from NTU as well and was followed by a lively discussion about fruit quality and breeding of citrus.

On February 17, the delegation visited the GSA Experimental Farm where they were welcomed by 6 researchers including Prof. Tetsuya Nakazaki (Plant Production Control: Link available in Japanese only) and Associate Prof. Ryuhei Nakano.

After a general introduction of the farm by Prof. Nakazaki, the delegates took a tour of the facilities, tomato and strawberry greenhouses, and farm fields. They seemed intrigued by the farm and were asking many questions about the scale, research, management, and operation of the farm.

HZAU representatives’ visit offered an opportunity for a concrete discussion on the advanced partnership in the future and showed a potential for a deeper relationship between Huazhong Agricultural University and Kyoto University.

Meeting at University Headquarter

Meeting at University Headquarter

Open Seminar

Open Seminar

Visiting GSA Experimental Farm

Visiting GSA Experimental Farm