On March 4, 2025, during the opening ceremony of APAN 59 held at Pacifico Yokohama (Yokohama, Japan), SOI Asia and APAN (Asia Pacific Advanced Network) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and collaboration between the two organizations. This strategic partnership aims to foster knowledge exchange, support capacity-building initiatives, and strengthen the research and education community across Asia.
Keiko Okawa, professor at Keio University and director of SOI Asia, delivered a keynote speech during the opening ceremony, highlighting the impactful trajectory of SOI Asia and its contributions to the education and research community in Asia.
SOI Asia has played a crucial role in connecting higher education institutions, particularly in Southeast and South Asia, facilitating collaboration and sharing valuable resources among academic and research communities. Okawa also stressed the importance of human resources development and community-based efforts as essential pillars to build, maintain, and engage communities in a sustainable way.
At the end of the session, SOI Asia’s Okawa and Shinji Shimojo, chairman of APAN board of directors and a professor at Aomori University, signed the MoU. The agreement outlines key areas of cooperation, including the exchange of technical knowledge, documentation, and best practices, as well as collaboration in capacity-building initiatives such as workshops, webinars, and other events.
This partnership is expected to bring significant benefits to the academic and research communities in Asia, promoting cross-border collaboration, strengthening the presence and development of RENs and enhancing opportunities for knowledge sharing and professional development.
At APAN 59, SOI Asia will also conduct a workshop session on day 5 to introduce Community Research Framework. Called Community Based Research or simply CBR, this scheme was designed to promote inter-university collaborative research activities and students’ involvement in the research activities.
For more information about APAN 59, please visit the website: https://apan59.apan.net/
