The Australian National University (ANU) and University of Tokyo (UTokyo) have signed a new strategic partnership agreement aimed at bolstering research, collaboration and exchanges between the two institutions.
The Memorandum of Strategic Engagement will serve as a framework for cooperation and collaboration between the two universities and could include double degree programs and student exchange programs to promote the other institution.
ANU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Young AO, signed the agreement with the President of the University of Tokyo, Junichi Hamada, during a trip to Japan.
“The signing of this type of memorandum is a first for ANU, and is emblematic of the very close and highly regarded friendship between our two universities dating back almost to the formation of ANU,” Professor Ian Young said.
“We look forward to working with our Japanese partners on this important policy.
“I see this project linking with the launch of the New Colombo Plan by the Australian Government, as well as assisting ANU achieve its objective of forming stronger people-to-people linkages between the next generation of young leaders from our countries.”
The partnership covers any discipline across both universities but may include further collaboration in earth and planetary sciences, public policy, liberal arts and Asia Pacific studies.The two universities signed exchange agreements in March 2009 and an agreement in July 2013 for undergraduate exchange students in geophysics, earth science-related areas, Asia-Pacific studies, public policy, humanities and social sciences.
