India Japan Laboratory of Keio University joined hands with Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru to co-organize the first India-Japan Science, Technology, Innovation (IJ-STI) Forum at IISc Campus on 1st and 2nd December 2023.
More than 150 participants, researchers, students, young entrepreneurs, academia, government officials, and industry representatives joined the programme. The four theme-based sessions were held, namely, 1) Innovation through SMEs, 2) Energy and Climate Change, 3) Societal Transformation, and 4) Towards Sustainability, inviting eminent speakers from relevant fields.
Poster presentations and exhibition of sustainable art and crafts were also part of the programme. Academic sessions had engaging presentations by research scholars travelled from different parts of India. At the end of the two-day sessions, the policy note for enhancing exchanges between India and Japan was presented as the summary of the forum.
Both IISc and Keio University intend to analyze the issues related to India and Japan further to make it more relevant to the global communities through collaborations and exchanges to expand knowledge and build cross-cultural relationships. The forum focuses on the amalgamation of Science, Technology, Innovation and People, encouraging researchers, students and entrepreneurs to cultivate their knowledge, promote the use of appropriate concepts and technologies and address national needs in attaining Sustainable Development Goals. Our STI Forum has proved to be an ideal platform to facilitate interactions among individuals and various institutions. In 2024 Keio University will host the second STI Forum in Japan.