Kyutech was selected for the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) competitive funding program, the Sakura Science Program. Under the coordination of Associate Professor Shinya Ikeno, Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyutech hosted seven researchers and students from Ain Shams University in Egypt and King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia for three weeks, from January 24 to February 13, 2026.
The program was conducted under the theme:
“International Collaborative Research on Next-Generation Plant Biotechnology Supporting Sustainable Agriculture in Africa and the Middle East.”
This initiative included a wide range of activities, such as the promotion of joint research, research discussions through intercultural exchange, laboratory tours, research presentations, and visits to bio-related laboratories at both the Wakamatsu and Iizuka campuses of Kyutech. These activities provided participants with comprehensive exposure to Kyutech’s research environment and academic strengths.
In particular, visits to the RIKEN Kobe Campus and Kobe University in Hyogo Prefecture offered participants valuable opportunities to experience Japan’s cutting-edge research facilities and advanced scientific infrastructure, leaving a strong impression on the visiting researchers and students.
Through this series of activities, interactions among students deepened significantly. By directly experiencing differences in research environments and cultural backgrounds, participants broadened their academic perspectives and strengthened their international outlook. The program proved to be a highly meaningful and productive international exchange initiative.
Kyutech will continue to strengthen inter-university partnerships and contribute to the sustainable development of international collaborative research in the future.
Kickoff Meeting
Experiment in Progress
Experiment in Progress
Tour of Iizuka Campus
Tour of RIKEN Kobe (BDR)
Tour of Kobe University
