30 Years of Collaboration: Teikyo University and Harvard Symposium Reflects on Academic Partnership

In a significant milestone, the 12th Teikyo-Harvard Symposium took center stage on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center on Harvard University Medical Campus. This gathering marked the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the enduring academic alliance between Teikyo University and Harvard University in the United States. Kicking off the symposium, Chairman and President Yoshihito Okinaga of Teikyo University provided insights into the program's activities and delved into its rich 30-year history. The audience then engaged with an expert lecture exploring "Lessons from COVID-19 in Japan and the United States."

Harvard University made a substantial contribution to the discourse, with Bill Hanage, Co-Head of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Tori Cowger, Research Fellow at the Center for Health and Human Rights, and Harvard University graduate Associate Professor at Columbia University, Dustin T. Duncan, presenting their latest research findings. The topics spanned the correlation between COVID-19 infection rates in the United States and socioeconomic factors, infections in public schools, and regional differences, with a focus on spatial epidemiology and social epidemiology. Teikyo University representatives also took the stage, with Graduate School of Public Health Dean Yoshiharu Fukuda and Graduate School of Economics Professor Yoshinori Nakata delivering impactful lectures. Fukuda shed light on the university's role in Japan's COVID-19 countermeasures, while Nakata, a clinician as well, explored surgical productivity during the pandemic in hospitals.
In her closing remarks, Executive Director and Deputy President Hiroko Tominaga underscored the importance of cross-border, face-to-face discussions and emphasized the ongoing necessity of exchanges with experts and students. Notably, Tominaga engaged with Jane J. Kim, Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at T.H. Chan, Harvard University, to discuss plans for future partnership activities. As the event unfolded, it became evident that the Teikyo-Harvard Program's 30-year history serves as a solid foundation for future endeavors. The commitment to education and research will continue to flourish, with both institutions dedicated to amplifying the global impact of universities and contributing to society through practical learning.

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