On February 28, the Pre-launch Meeting for the “Project on Creation of Trans-ASEAN Environmental and Social Innovators Through Development of Overseas Satellites” (2015-2016) was held at the Kyoto University (KU) ASEAN Center, Bangkok, organized by the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) at KU. The aim of this project is to provide a three-year double master’s degree program through establishment of foreign satellites in cooperation with overseas universities. The program is intended to produce GS graduates of KU who can use not only English but also the local language when researching in overseas countries, and overseas GS graduates who are proficient in Japanese. Attending the meeting were Prof. Huynh Trung Hai of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST, Vietnam), Assistant Prof. Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon of Mahidol University (Thailand), Prof. Ernan Rustiadi of Bogor Agricultural University (Indonesia) and Prof. Ngo Bunthan of Rector of Royal University of Agriculture (Cambodia). In addition, Executive Vice-president (VP) Prof. Kayo Inaba and Prof. Toshio Sugiman, GSGES Dean Prof. Shigeo Fujii, Vice-dean Prof. Shinya Funakawa, and the Vice-dean of GS of Agriculture, Prof. Eiji Nawata, etc. from KU participated in the meeting.

The meeting opened with participants introducing themselves and a warm greeting from KU given by VP Prof. Kayo Inaba. Then, Project Leader Prof. Fujii delivered a detailed description of the project contents and reported on matters concerning requests for implementation of the Double Degree Program by those universities that are setting up overseas satellites. This was followed by an overview of the university and information regarding the education system, double degree achievements, and preparations for implementation of this joint project involving HUST, Mahidol University and Bogor Agricultural University. There was lively discussion on various matters relating to implementation of the project, such as “implementation structure”, “road map”, “strategy and vision” and the relevant overseas universities showed strong interest in the project before the meeting came to a successful conclusion. The featured topics will be further addressed in the launch symposium which is scheduled to take place in October, 2015, in Kyoto.