Strengthening Links with Japan: Tohoku University’s visit to the University of Southampton
A University of Southampton delegation hosted Tohoku University from Sendai, Japan in December, building on strong ties through the RENKEI consortium between UK and Japanese universities.
We are one of the founding members of RENKEI, established in 2012. RENKEI brings together leading universities from both countries to facilitate collaborative research, student and staff mobility, and institutional partnerships that address global challenges.
Tohoku is ranked Japan’s top university in the 2025 Times Higher Education Japan Rankings and 109th globally by QS. Known for its “Open Doors” philosophy and global outlook, it is a pioneer in international education and research.
The university’s Global Vision 2030 sets out an ambitious plan focused on sustainability, societal resilience and international collaboration — themes that strongly align with Southampton’s own strategy.
Tohoku and Southampton already collaborate in marine science, regenerative medicine, quantum materials, and disaster resilience, with 43 joint publications over the past five years. The partnership continues to grow through joint research and RENKEI-led initiatives.
Maria Norton, International Research Partnerships Lead, said: “Tohoku, a fellow founding partner of RENKEI, shares our values and with this significant 3-day visit demonstrated how important our bilateral relationship is. ASPIRE #2 will be launched in 2026 with approx. £250million allocated. This a natural lever for our partnership, as we target joint funding schemes.”
The visit began at University Hospital Southampton, where the delegation explored the Wessex Investigational Science Hub (WISH) Lab and learned more about the Faculty of Medicine’s translational research. A visit to the Centre for Cancer Immunology followed, giving colleagues the chance to share research interests and discuss opportunities to work more closely together.
The day ended at Highfield Campus with a roundtable discussion and informal networking, highlighting potential areas for future collaboration, including links with the Institute for Medical Innovation, the Southampton Emerging Therapies and Technologies (SETT) Centre, and Tohoku’s University for International Research Excellence (UREx) Programme.
On the second day, the delegation split into two groups. One group visited Southampton Science Park, where they were introduced to the School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation (SHEI) and LifeLab, with a focus on innovation-focused education and enterprise activity.
The other group visited the National Oceanography Centre Southampton to explore shared strengths and future collaboration in marine and environmental science.
Tohoku will host the next RENKEI Early Career Researcher Workshop, in May 2026, focusing on oceans, space, and resilience — offering opportunities for Southampton researchers to participate and connect with Japanese peers.
This visit aims to deepen one of Southampton’s most important international relationships, opening doors for new joint research centres, collaborative PhDs, and academic mobility opportunities across Asia.
Mark Spearing, Vice-President (Research and Enterprise), said: “Our relationship with Tohoku reflects the best of international collaboration — a genuine partnership built on trust, shared curiosity, and a commitment to making a difference. I’m excited for the opportunities this provides us and the research possibilities it enables, particularly for our early career researchers in 2026 and beyond.”
Find out more about the Tohoku University’s UREX-Tohoku Project.
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