The 13th Kobe University Brussels European Centre Forum, themed “Conquering Cancer: A Key Role for EU-Japan Research” took place at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium from November 30 to December 1, 2023. The forum was co-organized with the Oncology Research Centre at VUB, and additionally supported by the University of Kent and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

On November 30, ten researchers from ULB, VUB, University of Kent and Kobe University visited the Jules Bordet Institute at ULB, a specialized hospital and research institute for cancer treatment. Dr. Julie Gaye, the deputy director of research administration at the Hospital Universitaire de Bruxelles, first gave a presentation on CTSU Operations, followed by a presentation by Professor Christos Sotiriou, the director of the Bordet Cancer Research Laboratories, on the key cancer research activities at the Jules Bordet Institute. Following the presentations, they toured the Jules Bordet Institute’s cancer research laboratories and had an active exchange of opinions.

The morning of December 1 saw a series of lectures themed around cancer research at VUB’s Health Campus. Four speakers from each university (VUB, ULB, the University of Kent and Kobe University) presented on their respective research areas. Approximately 60 attendees, including students from VUB, were present for this session.

The afternoon was spent touring VUB's research facilities and participating in a workshop which led to active exchange of ideas among the participants. It is hoped that these activities will result in the development of joint research projects and further exchanges between different organizations.

Since it was established by Kobe University in 2010, KUBEC has served as an education and research hub in Europe. It holds various academic events (such as this symposium series) and promotes academic exchanges in Europe. Spearheaded by the Institute for Promoting International Partnerships, Kobe University will continue to promote stronger Japan-Europe collaborations in both education and research.

(Global Engagement Division)