April 1, 2024
Keio University (President: Kohei Itoh), Yamagata Prefecture (Governor: Mieko Yoshimura), and Tsuruoka City (Mayor: Osamu Minagawa) have concluded their sixth-term agreement (FY2024-2028) to jointly promote research and educational projects centered on the Keio University Institute for Advanced Biosciences (in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture; hereinafter IAB). The signing ceremony was held at the Yamagata Prefectural Government Office on Wednesday, March 27, where President Itoh, Governor Yoshimura, and Mayor Minagawa attended and signed the agreement.
The collaboration among the three parties—Keio University, Yamagata Prefecture, and Tsuruoka City—spans 23 years, starting with the first-term agreement in fiscal year 2001 when the Tsuruoka Town Campus of Keio (TTCK) was established. This sixth-term agreement was concluded in recognition of various achievements, such as maintaining a high level of research activity despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering human resources not only for local high school students but also training innovators from company-dispatched personnel, and gaining attention as the "Tsuruoka Science Park," a regional innovation hub accompanying the development of bio-ventures. Building on these research and educational activities, we will strive to further strengthen our collaboration with the prefecture and the city, aiming for further regional revitalization.