News

Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki attended the 15th Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Senior International Leaders' Meeting, held at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Tecnológico de Monterrey) in Mexico from September 20 - 22.

At this annual meeting, senior staff responsible for international exchange gather to discuss APRU's strategic plans and activities, and measures to address specific problems in the Pacific Rim, such as natural disasters. This year, there were approximately 50 participants from the region's leading education and research institutions.

At the meeting, Assistant Professor Takako Izumi of the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), delivered a presentation on the activities of the APRU Multi-Hazards Program, which she coordinates. The program harnesses international cooperation and collaboration to push for the adoption of policies to defend and mitigate against disasters around the world.

From this September, EVP Ueki will be involved in investigating and deliberating strategies and policy direction at the association, in his role as a member of the APRU International Policy Advisory Committee.

APRU: Association of Pacific Rim Universities

APRU was founded in 1997 to create an association of premier research universities around the Pacific Rim region to foster cooperation in education and research in areas including but not limited to economic development, science and technology, human resource development, education and environmental protection. Currently there are 43 member universities from 16 countries. Tohoku University joined in 2008 and President Satomi served as a Steering Committee member for two years, beginning in 2015.