Latvian Ambassador Visits Shizuoka University : June 17–18, 2025
Shizuoka University was honoured to welcome His Excellency Mr. Zigmars Zilgalvis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to Japan, along with Mr. Andžejs Kasevskis, Deputy Head of Mission and Counsellor at the Embassy of Latvia; Dr. Pavels Onufrijevs, Leading Researcher at Riga Technical University (RTU); and Ms. Anna Sedova from RTU’s International Cooperation Department, for a two-day visit aimed at enhancing academic collaboration and exploring opportunities in science and technology.
Day 1: Courtesy Visit and Campus Tours
The visit began on June 17 at the Shizuoka Campus with a courtesy meeting with University President Kazuyuki Hizume, where Ambassador Zilgalvis presented an overview of Latvia’s academic and innovation landscape. The delegation was then given a guided tour of the campus by Vice-President for International Strategy Prof. Koichiro Awai and Prof. Noriko Matsuda of the Organization for International Collaboration.
In the afternoon, the delegation travelled to the Hamamatsu Campus, where they were welcomed by Prof. Daniel Moraru. Highlights included laboratory visits guided by Prof. Moraru and Prof. Vygantas Mizeikis, showcasing advanced research facilities at the Faculty of Engineering and the Research Institute of Electronics.
This was followed by a roundtable meeting with deans and faculty leaders, including Prof. Tatsuhiro Konishi (Faculty of Informatics) and Prof. Yoshimasa Kawata (Research Institute of Electronics). Ambassador Zilgalvis delivered a presentation on Latvia’s industry and its relations with Japanese companies, which was followed by a discussion on potential collaborations.
Day 2: Industry and Institutional Exchange
On June 18, the delegation visited Yamaha Corporation Headquarters, where they met with Mr. Masahiro Ikeda, Executive General Manager and Mr. Simon Oss, Head of Global Relations, to discuss innovation in music technology and global partnerships. They also visited JETRO Hamamatsu, engaging in policy dialogue with Mr. Kenichi Nakamoto, Chief Director, and Ms. Nozomi Sugiyama, Chief, on regional industry-academic cooperation.
The academic exchange between Shizuoka University and Riga Technical University will mark its 12th year in 2025, with 15 students from our university having participated in the exchange programme and joint research activities steadily expanding. The visit by the Ambassador and university officials provided an important opportunity to further deepen the partnership between the two institutions and to build future avenues for collaboration.
