On June 3, 2026, the University of Freiburg hosted a delegation from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø for a celebration of two milestones in their shared academic relationship: the opening of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Global Campus at the University of Freiburg and the renewal of the Joint Degree Program in Medical Science.
Held at the historic Haus zur Lieben Hand in central Freiburg, the ceremony represented the latest step forward in the two universities¡¯ partnership, building on the expanded strategic partnership agreement signed in 2023. The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Global Campus at the University of Freiburg, which extends the legacy of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø European Center (2010-2023), will serve as a hub for advancing international education, research collaboration, and academic exchange between the two institutions.
¡°These initiatives are our promise that the most curious students and the most ambitious researchers from Nagoya and Freiburg will continue to be part of a single, shared academic community,¡± said ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø President Naoshi Sugiyama. ¡°Our partnership stretches back more than 50 years, which is quite remarkable when you consider that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø was only established 87 years ago.¡±
University of Freiburg Rector Kerstin Krieglstein also praised the collaboration between the two universities:
Today¡¯s signing of the Joint Doctoral Program and the opening of the Global Campus send a strong signal of our reliable and active partnership with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. With the Joint Doctoral Program, we are creating a clear pathway for joint PhDs and fostering talent working at the intersections of our research fields. The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Global Campus in Freiburg will act as a catalyst in this regard: it makes exchange faster, easier, and more visible while generating momentum that extends into research, teaching, and knowledge transfer.
The ceremony was held during a visit to Freiburg in early June by a delegation from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, including President Sugiyama, Vice President Yoshiyuki Suto, Graduate School of Medicine Dean Masahisa Katsuno, and faculty members involved with the joint degree program. Other highlights of the visit included a joint symposium by the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Graduate School of Medicine and University of Freiburg Faculty of Medicine, as well as a lecture by Vice President Suto at the Archaeological Collection at the University of Freiburg.
As both universities look to the future, the Global Campus and renewed joint degree program lay the groundwork for deeper collaboration in research, education, and student exchange, ensuring that the Nagoya-Freiburg partnership remains a model for international academic cooperation for decades to come.
