Rector Jan Mareš and Vice-Rector for Internationalization and External Relations Jiří Skládanka are currently taking part in a foreign mission to Japan and Taiwan, organized by the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (DZS). The trip is part of the official presentation of the Czech Republic at the ongoing World Expo 2025 in Osaka. On July 25, Czech universities will present themselves to the international public in Japan. As part of the visit to Taiwan, the rector signed a memorandum of understanding with National Chung Hsing University.
Universities from across the Czech Republic brought a diverse range of disciplines to Osaka – from technical and natural sciences to medical, social sciences, humanities, and the arts. For universities, this is an exceptional opportunity to meet with Japanese partners in person, build on existing projects, and open up new avenues of cooperation.
“I see negotiations with Japanese universities as a great opportunity to support mobility of both undergraduate and postgraduate students. These talks are also meant to strengthen research collaborations, especially in areas where MENDELU can build on existing projects, such as the one currently underway between our Faculty of Horticulture and Kyoto University of Advanced Science. The fact that these meetings are taking place in the Czech pavilion at the Expo only underlines the national importance of developing this collaboration,” said MENDELU Rector Jan Mareš.
Mendel University is also using the global event to popularize the legacy of G. J. Mendel. The university chose a modern and locally comprehensible form of presentation—a comic book—which introduces this important scientist as part of the Czech pavilion.
On Thursday, part of the Czech higher education delegation, led by university rectors, met with President Petr Pavel, while the vice-rectors held talks at Kansai University regarding student exchanges and research collaboration. On Friday, meetings with other institutions are scheduled, with a key meeting for MENDELU taking place with the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
Another highlight of the Taiwan leg of the trip was the signing of a student exchange memorandum with National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), which will host a group of Mendel University interns this September.
“The meetings in Taiwan highlight the growing importance of our cooperation with local universities, especially those focusing on life sciences and regional development. In terms of student mobility, there are real opportunities for funding exchange programs through Taiwanese government projects,” explained Jiří Skládanka, Vice-Rector for Internationalization and External Relations. Meetings were also held with representatives of seven other Taiwanese universities.
At EXPO 2025, discussions center largely around student exchange and other cooperation opportunities—from cutting-edge research and technologies to healthcare applications, as well as cultural and language projects. Throughout the day, panel discussions, TED Talk-style presentations, and targeted one-on-one meetings are taking place to connect the academic community and foster new forms of international cooperation. These include student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, and various other collaborative projects. Their presentation at the World Expo will help showcase the real-world impacts of Czech research and strengthen opportunities for international cooperation with Japanese partners.
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