Japanese

Kochi University International Collaboration Office

　Kochi University established the International Collaboration Office within a partner university, Bicol University (Philippines). On Thursday, December 18, 2008, Director Fukami and Professor Morooka, Graduate School of Kuroshio Science, visited Bicol University and attended the opening ceremony with Bicol University President Lauraya.

　Bicol University, situated in Bicol Region in the southern part of Luzon Island, has ten colleges (departments), such as the College of Arts and Letters, Business, Economics and Management, Science, Engineering, Agriculture and Forestry, and Fisheries. The university has more than 10 thousand students and a thousand teachers. Since Bicol University and Kochi University concluded the agreement on academic exchange in March 2006, research cooperation has been actively implemented with the initiative of teachers and students of the Graduate School of Kuroshio Science. In particular, Tabaco Campus, in which the College of Fisheries is located, has many similarities to Kochi Prefecture due to the fact that Tabaco is facing the Kuroshio Current. In the past, they have steadily achieved results in the field of joint research, such as marine environment, fish and algae biology, and observation of protected environment areas.

　The established office is equipped with a research laboratory, lodging room, kitchen, etc., which allows researchers from overseas to stay on a long-term basis. Resident staff of Bicol University engage in the office’s management while providing support for international joint research and keeping close contact with Kochi University. It is expected to play a role as an important research base with the goal of creating Kuroshio Science.