To promote activities of Okayama University as a Research University, Bernard Chenevier, Vice-Executive Director (International Affairs) and Senior URA of our University, attended the 8th National Organization of Research Development Professionals: NORDP. This Annual Research Development Conference was held May 23-25, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida (USA), which provides international research managers with a place to communicate and interact.

At this NORDP conference, a wide-range and practical lectures were given with specific focus on strategic management for research, especially, creating the base for research development, acquiring research funding, networking with colleagues, or promoting innovation.

About 400 participants from around the world attended the NORDP. A range of problems or solutions were addressed. Many attendees were interested in the necessity or the issues on promoting international research collaboration. Dr. Chenevier deepened the discussion including what our international research collaboration should be.

Members of International Affairs Units or URAs in universities or institutes from Japan took part in this conference. The activities of Research University Network of Japan (RUNJ) , whose facilitator is National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) and Okayama University is one of the steering committees, were introduced. Lively discussion were held during the poster session about the enhancement of international collaboration with the research universities in Japan.

After attending the NORDP conference, Dr. Chenevier visited Okayama University Silicon Valley Office (OUSVO) which opened in Fremont, California in November 2015. The director of OUSVO, Prof. Mototaka Senda, Deputy Director of Intellectual Property Office, Organization for Research Promotion and Collaboration of Okayama University and Dr. Chenevier could consider possible development of OUSVO related to the future international strategy of Okayama University.

The OUSVO is located in Silicon Valley known as the center of leading companies. The office manages joint research agreements and licensing contracts with companies in North America for original seeds developed by Okayama University initiative. Based on this office, we would like to create a network with universities around the office, including San Jose State University (SJSU) which has an exchange agreement with Okayama University, challenge joint researches involving Japanese companies and support the studying abroad and internship of students. This time Dr. Chenevier visited SJSU. He had a meeting with Associate Professor, Thomas Austin, who gave a future session for the field of cyber security in Okayama University in March 2016, and Prf. Sami Khuri, head of the Dept. of Computer Science and Dr. Alaric Trousdale, Head of the International Affairs at SJSU. The discussion was mainly oriented to research student mobility in the field of computer science and more specifically Cybersecurity.

NORDP2016： http://www.nordp.org/conferences

【Contact information】
Okayama University Research Administration (URA) Office
TEL: +81-86-251-8919
E-mail: ura-info(a)okayama-u.ac.jp
For inquiries, please contact us by replacing (a) with the @mark.