- Name:German-Japanese University Alliance
HeKKSaGOn:Heidelberg, Kyoto, Karlsruhe, Tohoku (in Sendai), Göttingen, Osaka – network - Established in:2010
- Member Institutions: 6 Universities from Japan and Germany
(Germany) Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), University of Göttingen
(Japan) Tohoku University, Kyoto University, Osaka University - Website:https://www.hekksagon.net
The Japanese-German University Consortium HeKKSaGOn founded in 2010 is a bilateral university network composed of three Japanese and three German major universities with the aim to promote exchange between Japan and Germany through activities such as research staff/student exchange, joint research, workshops and summer schools.
Priority Areas
At the Presidents’ Conference in Heidelberg in 2019, the following four areas were identified as priority areas and will be given special focus:
1. Transcultural studies and the transformation of cultural heritage
2. Data science, digitization, and artificial intelligence
3. Health, well-being, safe and resilient societies
4. Engineering molecular systems and bioimaging
Working Group Projects
The following eight projects have been selected as HeKKSaGOn working group projects and are being funded by the member universities to which they belong. (Period: October 2020 – September 2023)
| プロジェクト題目 | Lead Coordinator | Coordinator at Tohoku University | Priority Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next-Generation Biomedical Sciences - Fusion of Molecular Engineering, Imaging, and Modeling | Prof. Motomu Tanaka (Heidelberg U) | Prof. Hiroshi Suito (AIMR) | 2,4 |
| Quantum Innovation by Interdisciplinary Medical Research | Prof. Takashi Nakano (Osaka U) | Prof. Kei Takase (GS Medicine) | 3 |
| Mineral and energy resource systems for resilient, sustainable societies | Prof. Kazuyo Matsubae (Tohoku U) | PRof. Kazuyo Matsubae (GS Environmental Studies) | 3 |
| Robotics for Health, Well-being, Safe and Resilient Societies | Prof. Kazuya Yoshida (Tohoku U) | Prof. Kazuya Yoshida (GS Engineering | 3 |
| HeKKSaGOn Conference and Summer School: “The Digital World: Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics | Prof. Ramin Yahyapour (U Göttingen) | Prof. Mitsuyuki Nakao (GS Information Science) | 2 |
| Mathematics at the Interface of Science and Technology | Prof. Wilderich Tuschmann (KIT） | Prof. Shioya Takashi (GS Sciences) | 2,3,4 |
| Asian and Transcultural Studies: The Next Generation | Prof. Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano (Kyoto U) | Prof. Koji Ono (GS Arts and Literature) | 1 |
| Recreating Global History from Asian Perspectives: The Twentieth-Century World in Turmoil | Prof. Shigeru Akita (Osaka U) | Prof. Hiroaki Adachi (GS Arts and Literature) | 1 |
Activities
HeKKSaGOn Presidential Conferences, Research Collaboration through Working Groups and Seasonal Schools for students and early-career researchers. Tohoku University will host the 8th HeKKSaGOn Presidential Conference on September 9-10, 2021.
HeKKSaGOn Presidential Conferences
| Period | Host | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8th | 2021.9.9-10 | Tohoku University | ||
| 7th | 2019.9.12-13 | Heidelberg University | Details | HeKKSaGOn website |
| 6th | 2018.4.12-13 | Osaka University | Details | HeKKSaGOn website |
| 5th | 2016.9.29-30 | KIT | Details | HeKKSaGOn website |
| 4th | 2015.4.16-17 | Tohoku University | Details | HeKKSaGOn website |
| 3rd | 2013.9.12-13 | University of Göttingen | HeKKSaGOn website | |
| 2nd | 2012.3.29-30 | Kyoto University | ||
| 1st | 2010.7.29-30 | Heidelberg University |
Experience story by a participant
Learning through Diversity and Friendship
The event was a student workshop with a theme of Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of the HeKKSaGOn network.
As I had expected, activities that included diversity in terms of the participants’ backgrounds and majors enriched my view regarding certain topics and gave me a different perspective. This effect was extended beyond the workshop’s scheduled sessions by the amazing interaction we had at lunch, dinner, and even at breakfast. Having a similar but still different experience of being in both Japan and Germany made it easy for us to engage in conversation beyond our tasks within the workshop.
Working together as groups, and ultimately as a big team, on a presentation about a topic that is not specifically related to our major was a great experience, as it taught us how to work with a mixed group and how to deliver results. It gave me a chance to explore my strengths and weaknesses regarding working in a large team. Also, the activity led by the coach made me reflect on myself and sustainable development in general, and I believe it will raise my awareness regarding this topic.
(Sana Talmoudi, Graduate School of Engineering / participated in HeKKSaGOn Presidents’ Conference- Students Workshop at Heidelberg University from September 12-13, 2019)
Contacts
Global Engagement Division
TEL: +81-22-217-5578/6182
Email：kokusai-k
grp.tohoku.ac.jp