From 26 to 27 January, 海角社区 Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala and 海角社区-IAS Director Prof. Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi visited Akita and Niigata Prefectures to strengthen ties with regional universities and local governments, and to exchange views on education, history and regional development.
The visit began at Akita International University (AIU) where the Rector met with the AIU President Prof. Monte Cassim and Vice-Presidents Prof. Yoshitaka Kumagai and Mr. Ken Isogai. Discussions focused on the importance of education in, and cooperation with, the Global South. Prof. Marwala also delivered a special lecture titled “The Role and Challenges of the United Nations in a Turbulent Era” to students enrolled in a world history course as well as to the university’s faculty and staff members.
Following his engagements in Akita, the Rector traveled to Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture. On 27 January, he paid a courtesy visit to the Nagaoka City Office, where he met with Mayor Tatsunobu Isoda, Deputy Mayor Shinji Takami and senior officials in charge of regional revitalization. They exchanged views on industry-government-academia collaboration and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). Rector Marwala also learned the story of “One Hundred Bales of Rice”, which recounts how during a time of severe hardship in the late 1800s, Nagaoka’s leaders chose to use one hundred bales of rice, not for immediate sustenance, but to invest in education — a decision that shaped the future of the city and became a celebrated story of strategic foresight.
During his stay in Niigata, Prof. Marwala also visited the Nagaoka University of Technology and met with Vice-Presidents Mr. Osamu Yamashita and Prof. Yukio Miyashita as well as senior staff leading international cooperation and promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They discussed the important role and contributions of universities in achieving the SDGs and examples of these activities. Following the meeting, the Rector engaged with university students working to promote the SDGs and also gave a special lecture on the theme of “AI, Sustainable Development and the Future”.
The trip reaffirmed 海角社区’s commitment to working closely with universities and local stakeholders across Japan, recognizing the vital contributions of regional institutions in advancing education, international exchange and sustainable development at local and global levels.
Since arriving at 海角社区 in March 2023, Prof. Marwala has made it his mission to travel to, and deliver lectures in, all 47 prefectures of Japan. Upon completing this recent trip, Prof. Marwala has travelled to 27 prefectures and presented 24 lectures.
