From November 5 to 6, 2025, the "Commemorative Symposium for the 20th Anniversary of the Double Degree Program in Keio Science and Technology - Looking Ahead to the Brain Circulation Ecosystem in 2040" was held at the East Research Building's G-Lab on Keio University's Mita Campus. This symposium was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as part of its Inter-University Exchange Project. Around 100 people, including alumni of the double degree program and faculty and staff members of universities and related organizations from all over the world, gathered to discuss and exchange their knowledge in two days.
On the first day of the symposium, the opening was provided by Professor Toshiyuki Murakami, Dean of the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio President Kohei Itoh, and Mr. Kuniaki Sato, Director of the Division of International Affairs at MEXT. This was followed by speeches from three keynote speakers. A retrospect was given on the double degree program’s history, which began with the Master's Double Degree Program with the Ecole Centrale Group in France in 2005. Since then, Keio's Graduate School of Science and Technology has concluded agreements with 17 universities, mainly in Europe, to deepen education, research, and international exchange. The speakers also shared their vision to strengthen the "Brain Circulation ecosystem" by 2040, referring to enhancing a network that facilitates the flow of academics and their knowledge unimpeded by borders, fostering greater intellectual exchange and innovation for the benefit of all.
Keynote Speech 1: "International Programs at Keio University Science and Technology: In Retrospect and Beyond" (Professor Shinnosuke Obi, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University)
Keynote Speech 2: "Significance of the French-Japanese International Collaborative Degree Program (Joint Program)" (Dr. Marie-Pierre Favre, Vice President, Tohoku University)
Keynote Speech 3: "Significance of International Joint Degree Programs－Trends and Challenges in ASEAN" (Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont, Vice President, Mae Fah Luang University)
Panel Discussion: "Globalization, Jointness, and Quality Assurance" (Moderator: Professor Shinnosuke Obi, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University; Panelists: Professor Vincent Fremont, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Professor Mami Matsukawa, Doshisha University, Professor Norihisa Miki, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University)
Workshops were also held, titled "Cooperation with Industry and Brain Circulation Ecosystem" and "Student Service and Mobility," and all participants engaged in exchanging ideas and opinions.
On the second day, overseas partner universities of the Faculty and Graduate School of Science and Technology of Keio University showcased the recent developments surrounding the double degree program.
IMT Mines Albi, Professor Philippe Lours
Instituto Superior Tecnico - University of Lisbon, Mr. Ricardo Pinto
INSA Lyon, Professor Damien Fabregue
Warsaw University of Technology, Professor Teresa Zielinska
The symposium concluded with a panel discussion, "Double Degree Program at Keio University Science and Technology - Alumni and Students' Perspectives." The panelists' honest opinions based on their raw experiences highlighted the possible improvements of the double degree program.
The two-day symposium closed with remarks by Vice-President Motohiro Tsuchiya. He introduced the founder of Keio Yukichi Fukuzawa's "Things Western (Seiyō Jijō)," and stated that he would further promote Keio's international exchange.
Alumni of the double degree program, thriving all over the world, gathered for the reception on the second day to celebrate 20 years of the double degree program together.
The symposium provided an opportunity for participants to deepen discussions on the future of international education and degree programs with insight into the three parties of academic institutions, students, and society, to establish a renewed framework to nurture global personnel. Faculty and Graduate School of Science and Technology continue to improve the double degree program and contribute to the globalization of academia.
Web page for the symposium: https://www.st.keio.ac.jp/en/symposium2025.html