On October 20, H.E. Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union (EU) to Japan, and four delegates visited Kanazawa University to give a lecture at the Central Library and to pay a courtesy call on President Takashi Wada.
The EU Information Center (Eui), the only one of its kind in the Hokuriku region, is located in the Central Library as a hub for deepening understanding of the EU.
The lecture was co-hosted with the Ishikawa EU Association, and H. E. Mr. Paquet gave a speech in English entitled ” Japan-EU Relations in a Changing World”. This lecture was held as part of the ” Japan-EU Friendship Week 2023″ and was attended by 76 faculty members, staff and students.
Following an opening address by Deputy Director Kana Oyabu, the Ambassador outlined the importance of Japan-EU relations and priorities in the international field based on his extensive experience working at the European Commission, followed by a Q&A session in which he answered enthusiastic questions from the audience.
After the lecture, the delegation toured Nano Life Science Institute (Nano LSI) and paid a courtesy call on President Takashi Wada.
During the courtesy visit, the parties discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between Japan and the EU in the area of collaborative research and joint projects, referring to the European Research Council (ERC), a funding agency of the EU.
The Erasmus Mundus Master’s Program, the EU’s scholarship program for candidates from around the world, and the European Higher Education Fair were also mentioned. This fair provides Japanese students with valuable information on study abroad in Europe, and the Ambassador encouraged our students to participate in the fair.