Where are the points of contact between Bielefeld University’s research, teaching and study programmes and universities in Asia? This was the question posed by Rector Professor Dr Angelika Epple and Vice Rector for International Affairs, Diversity and Society Professor Dr Michaela Vogt on their trip to China and Japan at the beginning of August. In China, they were guests at Zheijang University in Hangzhou. In Japan, they exchanged ideas with colleagues from the strategic partner university in Osaka. Finally, they visited the branch office of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in Tokyo. In China and Japan, the focus was also on establishing new contacts with potential partners and developing further perspectives for existing long-term collaborations.
The first destination was Zheijang University in Hangzhou (China). The focus here was on the exchange with Professor Dr Tao Liu from the School for Public Affairs in the Department of Sociology. There are already initial connections and collaborations between this department in Zheijang and the Faculty of Sociology in Bielefeld.
The second destination was the strategic partner university in Osaka (Japan). Here, the rector and vice rector were able to meet the new president of Osaka University, Professor Dr Atsushi Kumanogoh, in person for the first time. He has held this office since April 2025. The agenda for the exchange between the university leaders from Bielefeld and Osaka included existing research collaborations between the universities and the associated development prospects. On the Bielefeld side, the Faculties of Biology and Chemistry, the Faculty of Technology and CITEC are particularly involved. Another important topic was the exchange of students and doctoral candidates between Bielefeld and Osaka.
© University of Osaka
© University of Osaka
© University of Osaka
© private
Angelika Epple and Michaela Vogt also visited the Diversity and Inclusion Center at Osaka University. The aim of the center is to strengthen and further develop a diverse and inclusive university culture for all status groups at Osaka University, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ issues. Parallels with Bielefeld University quickly became apparent and open up further prospects for cooperation.
A story of the Osaka-Bielefeld partnership
One of many examples of the lively strategic partnership between Bielefeld and Osaka is the joint doctoral programme in the Department of Chemistry since 2023. In the article, Japanese doctoral student Satoshi Horino talks about his experiences during a research stay in Bielefeld in 2024. In February 2025, he became the first doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry to receive a double degree from both universities.
The strategic university partnership between Bielefeld and Osaka has already existed for 15 years.
Another goal of the trip was the exchange with Axel Karpenstein, Head of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) branch office and Director of the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in Tokyo. The main focus here was on how existing links between Bielefeld University and other Japanese universities can be expanded, deepened and strengthened through funding on both the German and Japanese sides.
Angelika Epple and Michaela Vogt took the opportunity to present Bielefeld’s profile-building process and the associated focal points of Bielefeld’s research to their international partners at all the locations they visited during their trip. This enabled them to highlight Bielefeld University’s research strengths and encourage further international networking in the focus areas.
