The Inter-University Exchange Project initiative, aimed to nurture global human resources who aim to work on the international stage and strengthen the global development of university education while assuring the quality of higher education is a series of projects launched by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in FY2011 for the purpose of providing financial support for efforts on the formation of collaborative programs with universities in designated countries and regions that conduct study abroad programs for Japanese students and accepting foreign students. Ehime University has been selected for this program twice so far. The following is an overview of these initiatives.

[FY2012-2016] “Collaborative Service-Learning Program in Rural and Coastal Communities among Six Universities of Japan and Indonesia”

Ehime University established the SUIJI (Six-University Initiative Japan Indonesia) Consortium together with five partner institutions: Kagawa University and Kochi University in Japan, as well as Universitas Gadjah Mada, IPB University and Hasanuddin University in Indonesia. Through this consortium, the participating universities have developed a multilayered collaborative education framework from undergraduate through postgraduate programs.

At the undergraduate level, the SUIJI Service-Learning Program (SUIJI-SLP) aims to cultivate SUIJI Servant Leaders who possess a global perspective and are committed to contributing to sustainable development in local communities. In this program, students from the six Japanese and Indonesian universities spend approximately three weeks in rural, mountainous, or coastal communities in both countries. Working across differences in language, culture, and academic background, participants learn together while addressing challenges faced by local communities.

The SUIJI Joint Program (SUIJI-JP), offered at the master’s and doctoral levels, provides students from Japan and Indonesia with opportunities to participate in joint educational programs hosted by the partner university. The participating students can take courses and receive research supervision from faculty members at both their home and host institutions in six fields of agricultural sciences: forestry, water circulation, soil science, food science, plant environmental control, and marine production.

For more information, please visit the website of the ASEAN / Africa Engagement Center, Ehime University.

[FY2023] “SDGs×Food-Value-Chain in Ehime for Glocal Food Security”

Under the theme“SDGs × Food-Value-Chain in Ehime for Glocal Food Security,” the project focuses on Ehime Prefecture’s rich natural environment of mountains, villages, and seas, as well as the primary and food industries that have developed in harmony with these geographical characteristics. The program provides online educational content on innovative initiatives related to food-based value chains, which are essential for sustaining human society, while also introducing the concept of multispecies thinking, which extends consideration beyond human beings to other forms of life.

The educational materials incorporate extensive video content based on on-site fieldwork and virtual study tours. These contents have been made publicly available since FY2025.

For more information, please visit the website of the ASEAN / Africa Engagement Center, Ehime University (SDGs × Food-Value-Chain in Ehime for Glocal Food Security).