A delegation led by Ambassador of Italy to Japan Gianluigi Benedetti and Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo) Japan Hub Director and Scientific Coordinator Michele Bonino visited Tokyo Tech on April 10. This followed a visit by Benedetti to the Institute in April 2022 and a more recent PoliTo delegation visit in July 2023.
This time, the group were welcomed on Ookayama Campus by Tokyo Tech President Kazuya Masu, Vice President for International Affairs Nobuhiro Hayashi, Vice President for Government and Industry Relations Yoichi Oshima, and Senior Aide to the Executive Vice President for Institute Strategy Noriko Ito.
Ambassador Gianluigi Benedetti (center right), President Kazuya Masu (center left), and others
Since they upgraded their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023, Japan and Italy have sought to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas, including economy and security. The countries have also agreed to cooperate more closely in the field of science and technology, and according to Ambassador Benedetti, various research projects involving Italy and Japan are on the agenda in 2024.
Tokyo Tech and PoliTo currently have two ongoing School-level agreements — one involving the School of Environment and Society, and the other involving the School of Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, School of Environment and Society. Thus, members of the two institutions already conduct joint research actively, particularly in the field of robotics.
In July 2023, PoliTo became the first Italian university to establish an independent office in Japan after the launch of the PoliTo Japan Hub in Kyoto. Throughout PoliTo's expansion to the east, Tokyo Tech has since remained an active partner by joining the hub's inauguration ceremony and participating in joint workshops and other activities. During the April 10 meeting, the counterparts confirmed that this collaboration would continue through joint research, student exchange, and the strengthening of networks between companies and organizations in Japan and Italy.
In addition to robotics, architecture is a particular field of interest in terms of collaboration between Tokyo Tech and PoliTo. After the meeting with the Tokyo Tech president, Bonino met Professor Shin-ichi Okuyama and Associate Professor Ryo Murata from the School of Environment and Society to discuss education and research activities at the two institutions.
To conclude his visit, Bonino also met with School of Engineering Professor Yukio Takeda, a Tokyo Tech scholar who is actively involved in robotics research with PoliTo colleagues. The two agreed to move forward with preparations for a short-term student exchange program between Tokyo Tech and PoliTo, and to jointly supervise doctoral students in the future.
