The MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week 2023 was held on November 13-17, 2023 at Umeå University, and Stockholm, Sweden.
More than 240 researchers, students and university management representatives from Sweden and Japan in attendance. Participants were able to take part of each other’s research, compare experiences and networking to find ways for future collaborations and exchange. The theme for the conference was “Creating Resilient and Sustainable Societies”.
This was the final event of the four-year long progression of the MIRAI 2.0 project. This influenced the main objective and expectations of the event which were to:
- gather researchers, PhD students, university management and administrators from all 20 Swedish and Japanese MIRAI member universities, alongside with representatives from research funding agencies, industry, and policymakers.
- facilitate new and deepen existing collaborations within the five thematic areas; Ageing, Materials Science, Sustainability, AI, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
- provide a platform for challenge—driven transdisciplinary collaboration across all thematic areas.
- create common understanding of, and joint plans for, continued collaboration beyond the MIRAI2.0 project period.
You can find a news item on the Umeå University website: https://www.umu.se/en/news/mirai-r–and-i-week-in-umea_11855451/
Overview of the Program
During the MIRAI 2.0 Research & Innovation Week 2023 on November 13-17 the following activities took place.
November 13
- Registration and free time slot for meetings within the Thematic Expert Groups (TEGs) and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Expert Group (IEAG)
- Opening Ceremony
- Poster session Kick-off
- Poster Pitch-session
- Presentation of seed funded projects
- Welcome Reception
November 14
- Parallel Workshops / Presentation Sessions – all topics
- Leadership Summit and Leadership Lunch
- Campus Tour
- Site Visit / Laboratory Tour
- Excursions
- Strategic Management of Knowledge Assets (IEAG)
- MIRAI 2.0 Project Manager Meeting
November 15
- Co-creation in multicultural teams – Experiences from Swedish and Japanese companies (IEAG)
- General Assembly Meeting
- Parallel Transdisciplinary Challenge-Based Workshops
- Campus Tour
- Social evening with food and beverages (Rex Town Hall)
November 16
- Closing Workshop, Unlocking the Potential of MIRAI 3.0-Building a Sustainable Partnership
- Closing Ceremony and Kick-off of MIRAI 3.0
- Excursions
November 17
- Satellite event: MIRAI Open Day (co-organized by Kyushu University and the Embassy of Japan in Sweden at IVA Conference Center, auditorium Wallenbergsalen, Stockholm)