The importance of collaboration between the higher education sector and businesses around the world is increasingly recognised in both Japan and the UK, two of the world’s major knowledge economies. In both countries, higher education institutions are facing calls to play a more central role in the economy and in the wider society, as well as to equip graduates for a global marketplace. However, they have so far had to rely on their own resources and international connections in order to set up partnerships with overseas companies.

The British Embassy and British Council in Tokyo hosted a symposium on UK-Japan university-industry partnerships at the British Embassy Tokyo on 10 and 11 January 2012 to address these issues.

The symposium report can be downloaded at www.britishcouncil.org/jp/japan-ihe-university-business-sympo-summary.pdf.