​Stellenbosch University (SU)  officially launched the Stellenbosch University Japan Centre (SUJC), envisioned to be a leading hub for academic research and cultural exchange between South Africa and Japan.

The SUJC is the culmination of a long-standing collaboration between SU and Japan in research partnership activities that span more than 20 years. Discussions to establish the SUJC began in 2020 and in May 2022 a framework for establishing the Centre was approved by both the SU Rectorate and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo.

The purpose of the SUJC is to contribute to enhancing South Africa-Japan relations by:

• Promoting Japanese Studies at SU;
  
• Encouraging research and teaching collaboration between SA and Japan in all fields of study through bilateral and multilateral higher education networks at institutional and national levels;
• Hosting educational, cultural, and people-to-people events for the broader community; and
• Collaborating with similar centres in Africa and internationally.

The SUJC will also engage with the Japanese public and private sectors in South Africa to support bilateral and multilateral academic activities between South Africa and Japan.

Speaking at the launch event which took place on 11 August, Prof Wim de Villiers, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said the University is looking forward to engaging with Japanese stakeholders in South Africa and also to strengthen ties with external and continental stakeholders. “The Centre will add value to a greater understanding, deeper collaboration, and quality long-term partnerships between our peoples."

“A robust research collaboration between SU and Japanese universities in mathematical sciences, chemistry, biology, polymer science, engineering, and the broader social sciences already exists. So, we really want to see bilateral relations in these and other disciplines growing and flourishing."

De Villiers added: “This partnership with Japan will also help to realise South Africa's technical and vocational education goals. We are struggling with a skills deficit, in addition to a lack of employment opportunities, and we must learn actively and relentlessly to teach new skills for the world that awaits us all."

Norio Maruyama, Japan's ambassador in South Africa, said he is looking forward to the Centre facilitating collaboration in a wide range of areas, especially in science and technology.

“South Africa and Japan have a mutual interest to cooperate in the field of science and technology and to seek business opportunities. I am certain that the Centre will provide an excellent platform to exploit these opportunities."

He said the location of the SUJC in the Western Cape is of great significance.

“The Western Cape is one of South Africa's most culturally diverse provinces and the presence of excellent wineries and winemakers here is also very important. A lot of Japanese winemakers can benefit from the skills development expertise provided by Stellenbosch University."

Prof Scarlett Cornelissen of the Department of Political Science serves as the director of the SUJC. She will provide strategic direction and oversight along with co-director Sarah van der Westhuizen.

Cornelissen, who has a strong link with Japan as a long-time scholar of its culture, language, and relationship with Africa, explained how the Centre came about: “We saw these hubs of activity at SU that were all Japan-related – people doing joint research projects with partners in Japan, students going to Japanese universities on exchange programmes and Japanese students coming to enrol in courses here. We realised that it made sense to bring all these elements together under one umbrella and that was how the SUJC came to be.

“But it is about more than that: it is also about introducing Japan and Japanese culture to a South African audience," she said.

Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Strategy, Global and Corporate Affairs, says they are excited for the work that will come from the Centre because it supports much of what the University envisions for its future.

“Although we are rooted in Africa, Stellenbosch University's reach is global. For us, internationalisation has therefore, especially over the past four years, become a strategic priority. This means attracting the best students from across the world, doing research that makes a global impact, and building partnerships and networks across the world," she said.

More about the SUJC

The SUJC is situated in the Centre for Global Engagement, SU International, in the Krotoa building. It is hosted within SU International to ensure the institutional reach of the Centre, broad support for academic and cultural activities through the infrastructure available at SU International, and the building of strong partnerships with Japanese higher education institutions in all fields of study.

The Centre is active in the following four areas:

Research
This includes promoting the Japan-South Africa Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement as well as joint research calls; and leveraging binational and international forums and networks to help facilitate collaborative research.

Teaching
This includes facilitating academic programmes in Japanese Studies; short courses on the Japanese economy, history, and society; as well as Japanese language studies. Programmes are hosted through events presented by the Centre, as well as related academic departments.

Staff and student mobility

This involves facilitating bilateral exchanges, student and staff mobility programmes; and partnerships with higher education institutions in Japan. SUJC also disseminates information about Japanese government scholarships and teaching and training opportunities in Japan.

Engagement
This involves disseminating knowledge about Japan and Japan-South Africa relations; hosting public lectures, seminars, and symposia; as well as academic and cultural networking events.

Visit: www.sun.ac.za/japancentre 
Email: japancentre@sun.ac.za

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