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The harmony of Polish-Japanese cooperation
Polish-Japanese activities in the fields of cultural heritage, research and education will be the theme of the symposium "Harmony of Cooperation", hosted by Kobe University on 23-25 April. The event is part of a project that Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is implementing in cooperation with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency and is held in connection with Poland's presence at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
On the 13th of April 2025, the world's largest and most important economic and cultural event – World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai - will take place in Japan. The organizers of the event expect 161 countries and regions and 9 international organizations to participate. Poland will be introduced as a country whose main resource is people - creative, open-minded, well-educated, imaginative, courageous in their thoughts and actions.
In connection with Poland's participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, in cooperation with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, is implementing a project funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, titled “Harmony of Heritage and Innovation: Polish-Japanese cooperation in the field of urban studies and Japanese studies". As part of this project, on the 23-25 April an international academic event will take place. The event will be held at the partner Kobe University. It will be participated by scientists and experts from both universities, as well as representatives of the Municipal Office of Toruń and other municipal institutions of Toruń. The three-day symposium entitled “Harmony of Cooperation" will be filled with numerous presentations and discussions on cooperation between the two universities in areas like Japanese studies, Japanese culture, cultural heritage, scientific research and education.
NCU's participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai is a unique event. It is the first time when we are taking part in such project. Cooperation with Kobe University is important for us. Kobe University is our proven partner, with whom we have been conducting scientific and educational activities for a decade" - says Adam Kola, PhD, NCU professor, Vice-Rector for Research.
The symposium “Harmony of Cooperation", beyond emphasizing the cooperation between Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Kobe University, also accents the role of the City of Toruń as a significant partner of NCU. The partnership between NCU and the city will resonate particularly strongly on the third day of the symposium. On that day, the issues relating to the newly opened Urban Lab in Toruń, NCU Copernican Integration Centre and engaging third sector organizations will be discussed.
Participants from NCU:
- Prof. Adam Kola (NCU, Vice-Rector for Research);
- Prof. Magdalena Barwiołek (NCU, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation);
- Prof. Maciej Serowaniec (NCU, Dean of Faculty of Law and Administration - responsible for a partnership agreement between Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Kobe University in a field of law);
- Dr Marcelina de Zoete-Leśniczak (NCU, responsible for a partnership agreement between Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Kobe University in a field of Japanese studies and research);
- Dr Michał Bomastyk (NCU, President of the Institute for Prevention of Exclusions Foundation);
- Prof. Ulrich Schaaf (NCU, expert in modernization of historical buildings);
- Paulina Jeziorek, MA (NCU, Copernican Integration Centre, responsible at NCU for the "eatable social garden" for inhabitants of Toruń);
Participants from the Oriental Department, Japanese Studies of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun:
- Dr Małgorzata Sobczyk;
- Dr Monika Lecińska-Ruchniewicz;
- Barbara Zaremba, MA;
- Wojciech Nowak, MA;
- Toshikazu Seguchi, BA;
The project “Harmony of heritage and innovation: Polish-Japanese cooperation in the field of urban studies and Japanese studies" involves:
dr Michał Bomastyk, Department of Research and Projects Support
dr Marcelina de Zoete-Leśniczak, Oriental Department
Sylwia Marek, Department of International Partnerships and Educational Mobility
Urszula Sęczyk-Bonczkowska, Department of Promotion and Communication
Bartosz Zdunowski, Department of Research and Projects Support
This project has been supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange under the International Scientific Event Program at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai - Agreement No. BPI/OSA/2024/1/010016/U/00001.
