On September 10 and 11, 2026, RWTH Aachen University hosted a series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of its academic partnership with Keio University.
The relationship between the two universities dates back to 1956 and has since developed into a wide-ranging partnership spanning education and research. Over the past seven decades, a total of 700 students and researchers have taken part in exchanges between the two universities. Through programs such as spring and summer schools and dual-degree programs, these exchanges have fostered lasting academic and personal connections across generations.
The anniversary ceremony on September 10 brought together around 120 guests, including staff, students, and alumni of both universities. Keio was represented by a twelve-member delegation that included Professor Motohiro Tsuchiya, Vice-President for Global Engagement; Professor Kenji Yasuoka, Dean of the Graduate School of Science and Technology; and Professor Emeritus Shinnosuke Obi. Yoshitaka Tsunoda, Consul General of Japan in Düsseldorf, also attended the ceremony.
Following opening remarks by Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, Vice-President Tsuchiya and other guests delivered congratulatory remarks. A panel discussion brought together researchers, students, and alumni from different generations to reflect on the history of the partnership, share their experiences, and discuss opportunities for future collaboration. Academic seminars and a workshop on student mobility also provided opportunities for the participants to explore new possibilities for interdisciplinary research and further exchanges between the two universities.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the conferral of the title “Honorary Fellow of RWTH Aachen University” on Professor Emeritus Shinnosuke Obi, former Vice-President of Keio University and former Director of the Keio International Center, in recognition of his longstanding contributions to the development of the partnership and cross-border collaboration between the two universities. In his remarks following the conferral, Professor Obi reflected on the many people who have shaped the relationship over the past seven decades, emphasizing that the partnership has been built not only through institutional agreements, but also through personal connections, mutual trust, and friendships passed from one generation to the next.
On September 11, the Keio delegation visited several research facilities at RWTH Aachen, where members learned about cutting-edge research and exchanged views on opportunities for future research collaboration.
The two-day program concluded with a farewell ceremony for the Keio Summer School of Engineering, which marked its 20th anniversary this year. This occasion served as a fitting reminder that the partnership built over the past 70 years continues to be carried forward by new generations of students and researchers.
Building on seven decades of trust and personal connections, Keio University looks forward to further strengthening its partnership with RWTH Aachen University in education and research in the years ahead.