Staff Exchanges

Ongoing [Expanding the partnership: UZH]: Dr. Kate Harris, a university research administrator (URA) in the School of Science (UTokyo) has been holding regular online meetings with members of the International Relations Office at the University of Zürich (UZH) with a view to developing a formal partnership between the two universities.

February 19 - 20 [Expanding the partnership: UZH]: Dr. Kate Harris, a university research administrator (URA) in the School of Science (UTokyo), visited Ms. Katja Durkin-Sommerhalder and Ms. Tiffany Merz-Cheok in the International Relations Office of the University of Zürich (UZH) to establish a relationship with UZH at the administrative level and discuss how they could work together. She also met Ms. Cornelia Kuster and Mr. Maurus Bolfing in the Research Development Team at UZH to learn more about the support available to Swiss researchers.; Dr. Harris (center) with Ms. Merz-Cheok (left) and Ms. Durkin-Sommerhalder (right)

February 19: Dr. Kate Harris, a university research administrator (URA) in the School of Science (UTokyo), visited Mr. Anders Hagström, Director of International Affairs, and Ms. Elise Nardin, Program Manager, both at ETH Global, to discuss how they could work more closely together to promote the partnership at their respective institutions.

September 5 - 6: Prof. Yasuhiro Sakemi of the Center for Nuclear Study (School of Science, UTokyo) and his group are continuing to work with Prof. Klaus Kirch of the Department of Physics (ETH Zürich) on the development of magnetic shielding technology. Dr. Yasuteru Kotaka, a technical specialist in Prof. Sakemi’s group, visited the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to discuss the performance and construction of the large-scale magnetic shielding room that is set up there.; Dr. Kotaka (center) with Prof. Kirch (left) and Assistant. Prof. Kazuo Tanaka from the Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center at Tohoku University, who is also collaborating on the project

January 17-18: Dr. Kate Harris, a university research administrator (URA) in the School of Science (UTokyo), visited ETH Zürich to learn about the support systems they have in place to help researchers focus on their research. She met Prof. Karl-Heinz Altmann, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, and Mr. Marc Hauser, Department Coordinator and Controller, who explained the organization of the department. She also met Ms. Agatha Keller, Co-Head of EU GrantsAccess, Ms. Annika Glauner, Research Development Manager and Senior Policy Advisor, and Dr. Sonja Negovetic, Deputy Head of the Office of Research, and discussed the support provided for researchers applying for international grants, ETH Zürich's internal grant system for high-risk research, and the emphasis that the Swiss government places on postdoctoral fellowships abroad. Finally, she discussed fundraising techniques with Mr. Walter Esposito, who is responsible for Donor Relations at the ETH Zürich Foundation.; From left: Ms. Glauner, Dr. Harris, and Ms. Keller at the EU GrantsAccess Office; Dr. Harris with Mr. Esposito of the ETH Zürich Foundation

January 26-29: Ms. Agatha Keller, Co-Head of EU Grants Access at ETH Zürich, was invited to visit UTokyo. Ms. Keller met with Prof. Makoto Gonokami, President of UTokyo, and Prof. Ken Furuya, Executive Vice President responsible for International Affairs, and shared her ideas on future exchanges. She also participated in informal meetings with Prof. Naoto Sekimura, Vice President and Deputy Director of the Division of International Affairs; Prof. Kaoru Yamanouchi, Vice Dean of the School of Science; and Mr. Yukitsugu Ono, Manager of the International Affairs Department, during which the four exchanged further ideas on the development of the strategic partnership. In addition, Ms. Keller gave a lecture entitled “International Research Management @ ETH Zürich,” and discussed the promotion of research with university research administrators (URAs) and research support staff.; From left: Executive Vice President Furuya, Ms. Keller, President Gonokami, and Prof. Yamanouchi; Front row, from left: Prof. Sekimura, Ms. Keller, Prof. Yamanouchi, and Mr. Ono

November 21-24: Dr. Yoshiko Baba, University Research Administrator (URA); Mr. Takafumi Yokoyama, Assistant Manager of the Financial Affairs Team; and Ms. Atsuko Takatsuno, Senior Staff Member of the Personnel Team, all of the School of Science (UTokyo), visited ETH Zürich together with Prof. Yamanouchi, Vice Dean of the School of Science, and his secretary, Ms. Mihoshi Abe. They discussed systems for acquiring external funding, methods for allocating and managing university funds, and departmental research support systems with Prof. Simon Lilly, Head of the Department of Physics, and Mr. Andreas Brandstetter of the same department.; Prof. Lilly (left of center) and Mr. Brandstetter (right of center) with Prof. Yamanouchi and his team

March 23: Dr. Teruyuki Hayashi, University Research Administrator (URA) in the School of Science (UTokyo), visited ETH Zürich, where he met Ms. Agatha Keller, Co-Head of EU Grants Access. They agreed to continue to cooperate in the future.; Ms. Keller and Dr. Hayashi

March 12: Based on an agreement reached at the kick-off symposium in February, a team from the School of Science (UTokyo), comprising Dr. Satoru Nogami, University Research Administrator (URA); Mr. Masashi Uesugi, Assistant Manager of Accounting Administration; Ms. Satoko Nishimura, Chief Librarian of the School of Science Library; Ms. Yuuki Kuroda, Staff Member of the General Affairs Team; and Ms. Junko Ikutani, Staff Member of the Student Affairs Team, visited the ETH Zürich headquarters. They held discussions with Mr. Anders Hagström, Director of Global Educational Affairs, on the acceptance of overseas students, ways of obtaining European funding, and the accountability of universities towards taxpayers in the face of globalization.; The team also met and exchanged ideas with Prof. Donald Hilvert, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences; Prof. Jeffrey Bode, Head of the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry; and Prof. Christophe Copéret, Head of the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, and were given a tour of the research facilities.; Dr. Wittek (third from left), Head of the Student Exchange Office at ETH Zürich, and Ms. Hofrichter (fourth from left), also of the Student Exchange Office, with Dr. Byland, Program Manager for ETH Global (second from right)