On December 8, 2022, Rector Prof. Rik Van de Walle of Belgium’s Ghent University, and his delegation, paid a courtesy visit to President Morisako. KIT signed an Academic Exchange Agreement with them in 2019 and established a consortium to jointly implement the International Master of Science in Textile Engineering “WE-TEAM” program, which started in 2021. This multiple degree program, which encourages highly motivated students of textile engineering to study in more than three countries, was selected as an EMJMD project under the EU Erasmus+ program.
　The Ghent University delegation came to Japan in conjunction with the Belgium Economic Mission led by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of the Kingdom of Belgium. On December 5, prior to their visit to KIT, the Consortium Agreement for the WE-TEAM program was signed in Tokyo in HRH Princess Astrid’s presence, providing an opportunity for both institutions to reaffirm our partnership.
　On this first visit to KIT, Rector of Ghent University expressed his intention to promote joint research which will contribute to energy-use reductions and make tangible advances in climate change mitigation. The exciting possibility of launching new joint research projects was discussed and a visit was made to several KIT laboratories.

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  Signing ceremony
  on WE-TEAM Consortium Agreement

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  Discussing future collaborations①

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  Discussing future collaborations②

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  From left to right: Prof. Okubayashi, Prof. Sakuma,
  Vice-President Kamei, President Morisako,
  Prof. Joris Degroote, Rector Prof. Rik Van de Walle,
  Prof. Lieva Van Langenhove