Project Leader:
Hirochika Nakajima, Professor of Applied Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, and the Director for Research Strategy, Waseda University
Counterpart:
Hugo Thienpont, Professor of Applied Physics and Photonics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
General content:
Photonics is a discipline of key importance in industrial sectors such as tele- and data communications, the camera industry, biotechnology, solar energy, medical instrumentation, and laser material processing. EUIJ at Waseda believes that closer co-operation over the development of photonic technology, and the application of photonic solutions in many key industrial sectors will foster even closer EU-Japan co-operation.
Both Professor Nakajima and Professor Theinpont are leading scholars in the field of photonics. Their substantial relationship began when Professor Nakajima asked Professor Theinpont to be the keynote speaker for the 13th MOC held in Takamatsu, Japan, in 2007. In turn, when Professor Theinpont hosted the 14th MOC in September 2008, Professor Nakajima was invited as a plenary speaker.
VUB, of which Professor Theinpont is a faculty member, has established The Erasmus Mundus MSc programme in Photonics and has been expanding academic exchanges globally. Professor Nakajima is keen on strengthening research ties and increasing the number of academic exchanges of graduate and postgraduate students between the EU and Japan in the context of the Erasmus Mundus programme.