Summary

25th JASID Spring Conference was held on 15 June (Saturday) at Utsunomiya University’s Mine Campus, Utsunomiya University), followed by an excursion on 16 June (Sunday).

The theme was “Realizing International Cooperation and Interactive Co-creation in Local Context Global & Glocal Human Resource Development.” This event focused on the practical aspects of international cooperation and co-creation, with an emphasis on both global and local (glocal) human resource development.

At Utsunomiya University, we are practicing global and glocal human resource development related to international cooperation and co-creation both domestically and internationally, utilizing education, research, and community contributions. We introduced some of these in the plenary session with participation from students and local stakeholders.

Out of 79 accepted presentations: 44 for oral presentations (including 4 online), 6 for roundtable discussions, 4 for planned sessions (including 1 book talk), and 25 for poster presentations. On the day of the conference, 75 presentations were delivered: 43 for oral presentations (including 4 online), 6 for roundtable discussions, 4 for planned sessions (including 1 book talk), and 22 for poster sessions.

The conference reached a total of 270 participants. In addition to the Executive Committee, 20 student staff members managed the logistics of the conference, supported by other 15 student volunteers and plenary student speakers, making a total of at least 45 students were involved in the conference.

The excursion included visits to the Ashio Copper Mine and Japan’s Pioneer LRT. These visits provided opportunities to learn from Japan’s historical challenges and contemporary development. The Ashio Copper Mine, located in the northwestern part of Tochigi Prefecture Nikko City, often referred to as the “origin of environmental pollution,” serves as an important educational site about the history of pollution in Japan, a crucial narrative in the discourse on international development.

Additionally, participants explored the newly inaugurated Utsunomiya Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, a next-generation streetcar network that launched in 2023 after years of meticulous planning and construction as Utsunomiya City.

A significant mission requested by the president of the JASID was to make the conference “exciting!” One student who participated in the conference shared that he understood the “excitement” of research by participating in sessions where participants‘ passionately discussed various topics. During the social gathering, many participants including the president evaluated the conference as exiting and successful, with the African drumming during the reception adding the excitement. The success was a result of synergy among participants, presenters, and organizers.

We express our sincere appreciation to all parties involved and hope that the association will continue to be a place where a diverse range of people ― including the experienced and young individuals, researchers and practitioners, and people with various disabilities ― can share the joy of international development and its research, contributing to a better world.

• Executive Committee Chair:
  Sakamoto Kumiko (Professor, School of International Studies, Utsunomiya University (SIS,UU))
• Executive Directors: Fujii Hiroshige (Associate Professor, SIS, UU); Iizuka Akiko (Associate Professor, UU International Exchange Center)
• Executive Committee:
  Arjon Sugit (Assistant Professor, SIS, UU); Shigeta Yasuhiro (Visiting Professor, SIS, UU); Matsuo Masaki (Professor, SIS, UU); Takahashi Wakana (Professor, SIS, UU); Kurihara Shunsuke (Associate Professor, SIS, UU); Maruyama Tsuyoshi (Professor, School of Education, UU); Omori Reiko (Professor, School of Regional Design, UU)
• Student Executive Committee:
  Sagisaka Hiroe (Graduate SIS, UU, Doctoral Course); Fukuhara Reona (Graduate School of Regional Development and Creativity (GSRDC), UU, Master’s program); Kikuchi Kakeru (Graduate School of Regional Developmen GSRDC, UU, Master’s program); Frimpong Andrew Charles (GSRDC); Polgahagedara Don Pubudu Sanjeewa (GSRDC, UU, Doctoral Course)