EU continues the cooperation with Japan in Education, Culture and Sport

The 2nd EU-Japan Policy Dialogue on Education, Culture and Sport took place online in May to reflect on the progress of the partnership since its first meeting in 2018.

Both sides represented by Mariya Gabriel (European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth) and Mr Koichi Hagiuda (Japanese Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) agreed on the importance of promotion of initiatives and international projects in the fields of education, culture and sports and to build on already successful cooperation.

The meeting highlighted that international relations are important to bring people together through learning, teaching, and competition to a better understanding of the cultures of Europe and Japan.

In the field of education, both representatives shared that online learning using digital technology at all levels of education is important and has been effective since the start of the pandemic. Higher education should benefit from further cooperation and international exchange and continuing EU-Japan joint master degree’s programmes.

The meeting also reviewed the special three joint EU-Japan Erasmus Mundus Master programmes which focus on the areas of robotics, extended reality, and history.

The objectives in support of the cultural sector and heritage included how sport can be a channel for diplomacy and wider people-to-people cooperation were discussed.

Both sides will continue their commitment to cooperation and support from the respective programmes to keep and enhance the relationship between the EU countries and Japan.