November 14, 2005
UCSC, Japanese university renew ties
By Louise Donahue
A delegation from Hokkaido Information University officially
renewed its association with UCSC on November 7 at a formal
signing ceremony at University House.
Chancellor Denton displays a colorful
gift from Hokkaido Information University, presented by
Satoru Ino, president of the university.
Photo: Louise Donahue
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Satoru Ino, president of the Hokkaido Information University,
and UCSC Chancellor Denice D. Denton signed a memorandum of
understanding renewing for another five years the cooperative
agreement that has been in effect since 2002.
On behalf of HIU I am pleased that I have carried out
my responsibility and also appreciate the precious opportunity
you have offered to us, said Ino following the signing.
You have kindly accepted our exchange students and offered
intensive language and culture courses to our students for the
past few years, he added.
This is the first memorandum of understanding I've signed
since I've been chancellor, said Chancellor Denton. I'm
very happy the memorandum of understanding is with Hokkaido
Information University.
The timing of the Japanese delegation's visit allowed the visitors
to witness Chancellor Denton's investiture ceremony and participate
in the Scholarships Benefit Dinner on November 5. The group
was also able to visit the surrounding area, including Monterey
and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Ino, a structural
engineer, was especially interested in seeing the bridge.
Under the agreement between Hokkaido and UCSC, dozens of students
from Japan have taken part in summer programs that combine English
language, cultural, and technical instruction.
Last month, UCSC engineering dean Steve Kang and UCSC professor
Ira Pohl took part in an international forum at Hokkaido Information
University on the development of information technology specialists
at the university level. Kang joined Chancellor Denton in greeting
the visitors at University House.
While the signing ceremony was formal, there were some lighter
moments afterward, such as when Chancellor Denton displayed
a hand-blown glass banana slug, and inquired about the Japanese
term for banana slug: namekuji.
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