The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ryuichi Shoji has expressed his country’s interest in the development of collaborative ventures between researchers of the University of Lagos and their counterparts in Japanese Universities, explaining that such collaborations have strong potentials for mutually beneficial outcomes.
Ambassador Shoji stated this on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 during a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Rahamon .A. Bello, FAEng.
In response, the Vice-Chancellor welcomed Ambassador Shoji and expressed the University’s readiness to give positive considerations to the proposal for research collaboration. He added that the University would be willing to explore the possibilities of a collaboration in the area of Japanese language and culture, particularly as the University enjoys a strong relationship with the Asian continent.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, a direct consequence of an existing relationship between the University and the Confucius Institute is that UNILAG is poised to commence a Bachelors Degree Programme in Chinese Language and Culture during the next academic session.
Professor Bello pledged to forward a list of Asian scholars within the University to the Japanese Embassy to facilitate the realization of planned collaboration.
Ambassador Shoji’s visit comes ahead of the one-day seminar on “Solid Waste Management: Promoting Environmentally Sound Disposal and 3R” being organized by the University of Lagos, in collaboration the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria.
The Embassy’s First Secretary and Head of Economic/Development Cooperation, Mr. Takeshi Hagino and a staff in the Economic/Development Cooperation, Mr. Kazuhito Kibana, accompanied him.
The Seminar, which is scheduled for November 20, 2013 at the Julius Berger Hall, UNILAG Main Campus, Akoka will feature Michikazu Kojima of the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) as lead speaker.
