Nine visitors from Can Tho City, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, including Vo Thanh Thong, Chairman of Can Tho People's Committee (equivalent to a prefectural governor), and members of the Can Tho City government, universities, and hospital, paid a courtesy call to President Makino on October 13.

President Makino introduced cooperative relationships between Okayama University and Vietnam. He said, “I hope for the development of human resources through industrial-academic-government collaboration. I want Okayama University to promote student exchange programs.” Besides President Makino, Executive Director for Hospital and Medical Service and Director of Okayama University Hospital Susumu Kanazawa also exchanged opinions with the delegates.

Afterwards, the visitors listened to an introduction of research on technologies for producing and maintaining the freshness of fruits to promote export given by Associate Professor Ryohei Nakano of the Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science. This research is a part of the “Special Scheme Project on Regional Developing Strategy” at the NARO Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution.

The delegation from Can Tho City also met with Dean Yasutomo Nasu of Okayama University Hospital’s Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences. In addition, they were given an observational tour of the hospital facilities.

Can Tho City places great importance on government policies to support the fields of agriculture, such as the areas of agricultural equipment and machinery and agricultural support; healthcare, such as heart disease prevention, nursing, and caregiving; and university education. Okayama University looks forward to partnerships in these fields, such as academic exchanges and personnel training.