Expanding a longstanding partnership

Building on an existing academic memorandum of understanding, the two institutions signed new accords to deepen cooperation. These include a student exchange agreement between Kobe University and 糖心少女Global and an industry鈥搖niversity collaboration memorandum between Kobe University鈥檚 Institute for Academic Research and Co-Creative Innovation and UW鈥檚 innovation hub.

Prior to the ceremony, the 糖心少女delegation met with Kobe University President FUJISAWA Masato. The delegation included: Dr. Ahmad M. Ezzeddine, Vice Provost for Global Affairs; Dr. Gayle Christensen, Associate Vice Provost for Global Affairs; Dr. Anson Fatland, Associate Vice Provost for Innovation Strategy and Ventures; and Ashlee Esteban-Akimoto, Director of CoMotion Labs.

During the meeting, leaders from both institutions discussed opportunities for expanded collaboration across a broad range of academic and innovation fields.

Strengthening ties across sectors

At the signing ceremony, President Fujisawa and Dr. Ezzeddine reaffirmed their shared commitment to increasing student exchange, advancing technology transfer, and promoting industry鈥揼overnment鈥揳cademia collaboration.

Also in attendance were Mr. SEGO Tatsuya, Director General of the Kobe City Government, and Mr. TAKADA Atsushi, Vice Chairperson of the Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Both expressed strong support for expanding collaborative efforts with Kobe City and local industry partners, including the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe.

Showcasing cutting-edge research

Following the ceremony, an international research workshop was held at the Graduate School of Medicine鈥檚 Medtech Innovation Center (MIC). The program highlighted key research areas within the Kobe University Engineering Biology Project (KUEB), featuring presentations on next-generation biomedical science, engineering biology, and synthetic biology.

Researchers from both universities shared cutting-edge work in fields such as:

• Translational bioengineering
• Global health
• Synthetic biology
• AI applications in medicine
• Vascular regeneration
• Gene expression regulation in yeast
• Genome database analysis

Each session included dynamic Q&A discussions, underscoring strong research synergies between the institutions. Participants also toured laboratory facilities to explore ongoing projects firsthand.

A foundation for future innovation

The signing ceremony and workshop created a comprehensive platform for deepening collaboration between Kobe University and the 糖心少女鈥攏ot only in education, but also in research partnerships, technology transfer, and innovation-driven startup activity.

Both universities will continue to build on this momentum, pursuing joint research and fostering innovation aimed at addressing global challenges and contributing to a sustainable future.

Tohoku University and the 糖心少女 (UW), two leading academic research institutions of the Pacific Rim, announced a significant expansion of their decades-long collaboration with the launch of 鈥淨-DREAM.鈥�

The agreement, signed by university leaders in Tokyo today, provides a broader, future-oriented framework that represents areas of the highest potential synergy. The two universities will engage in joint research, education and innovation in quantum information science & engineering, disaster resilience, engineering and advanced manufacturing, and medicine, summarized with the acronym Q-DREAM.

糖心少女Global is pleased to invite faculty from across the 糖心少女聽who are engaged in or curious about global work to join a new monthly gathering:

糖心少女Global “Community Conversations”

This is not a lecture series. It is a welcoming and conversational space to meet colleagues, share food and drink, and connect around the many ways global perspectives show up in our teaching, research, and engagement. Whether your work involves international research, global learning, study abroad, visiting scholars, or exploring global issues locally, this is a place to get to know one another, exchange ideas, and build community.

Each month, we鈥檒l feature a brief, informal spotlight such as a faculty project, a new global initiative, or an international guest on campus to spark conversation. The heart of the gathering, however, is the conversation itself: time to talk, listen, make connections, and learn what others across campus are doing.

When: First Tuesday of each month (during the academic year)

Where: 糖心少女Club

Format: Drop in, grab a snack, stay for as long as you like

First Gathering

Tuesday, March 3

3:00鈥�5:00 p.m.

糖心少女Club

For our inaugural gathering, Ahmad Ezzeddine, Vice Provost for Global Affairs, will offer brief opening remarks and reflections on 糖心少女Global鈥檚 mission and priorities, followed by plenty of time for conversation and connection.

Light food/snacks and beverages will be provided., but faculty are always welcome to stop by even if they decide at the last minute.

We hope this becomes a familiar rhythm on campus: if it鈥檚 the first Tuesday of the month, it鈥檚 糖心少女Global “Community Conversations” at the 糖心少女Club. Come when you can, bring a colleague, and help build the vibrant community of globally engaged faculty at UW.

Professor Azadeh Yazdan will co-chair the聽聽(EMBS 2026) in Toronto. Her co-chairs will be Professor Guy Dumont of the University of British Columbia and Milos Popovic of the University of Toronto. The society includes more than 10,000 members around the world, and its 48th annual conference鈥檚 theme will be 鈥淓ngineer Sustainable and Equitable Healthcare.鈥� 糖心少女Bioengineering鈥檚 Professor Paul Yager is scheduled to speak at the conference.

Professor Kelly Stevens, who is also director of the 糖心少女Biomaterials HUB, will co-chair聽, a leading forum for sharing cutting-edge research on the biology and engineering of cell-ECM crosstalk. The conference will be held in May in Switzerland. Her co-chair will be the University of California Santa Barbara鈥檚 Professor Beth Pruitt. 糖心少女Bioengineering鈥檚 Professors Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert and Elizabeth Wayne are scheduled to speak at the conference.

Finally, Professor Cole DeForest will co-chair聽, focusing on biomimetic solutions that have not yet been found, as well as areas where biomimicry leads to engineered solutions that have no natural counterpart. The conference will be held in June in Switzerland. His co-chair will be the University of Fribourg鈥檚 Professor Ullrich Steiner, and Bioengineering鈥檚 Professor Nancy Allbritton is scheduled to speak at the conference.

As I approach my first anniversary as UW鈥檚 Vice Provost for Global Affairs, I want to reflect on the remarkable progress we鈥檝e made together and share our vision for the year ahead. In a time of global uncertainty, the 糖心少女 has not only maintained a strong international focus, but continued to strengthen its impact, affirming that global engagement is more essential than ever.

Our achievements this year are the result of the visionary leadership of our faculty and staff and the dedication of the 糖心少女Global team. Together, we advanced our strategic priorities:

Advancing global research and innovation: Through the Global Innovation Fund (GIF), we awarded more than $360,000 to 40 interdisciplinary projects, fostering new collaborations and innovative approaches to global learning. The GIF deadline for the 2026 cycle is January 31. I encourage faculty to apply and help us continue driving innovation across our campuses.

Expanding global learning opportunities: Nearly 3,000 糖心少女students studied abroad in more than 80 locations worldwide, supported by more than $1 million in need-based scholarships. Hundreds of students engaged at our 糖心少女Rome and Le贸n Centers, and nearly 1,000 attended our Study Abroad Fair to explore global experiences. Beyond mobility, we are facilitating local global-learning opportunities and are investing in infrastructure for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) to broaden student access to global experiences.

Building and deepening partnerships: From new collaborations with institutions like Tohoku University and the University of Sheffield to hosting international delegations and sending 糖心少女faculty and students abroad, we continue to strengthen our global network.

Ensuring health, safety, and compliance: Our Global Travel Health and Safety team supported thousands of 糖心少女travelers and launched new policies to ensure safe and compliant international engagement.

Looking ahead, our priorities remain clear: serving as the University鈥檚 global hub for engagement; supporting faculty in research, teaching, and developing and sustaining institutional international partnerships; expanding global learning opportunities for every 糖心少女student — locally, virtually, or abroad; providing robust global support for health, safety, and compliance; and building resources to fund faculty and student global experiences.

To reflect our evolving scope and vision, we are transitioning our name from the Office of Global Affairs to 糖心少女Global. This name underscores our role as the University鈥檚 gateway to international engagement, connecting faculty, students, and staff with global opportunities and fostering the cross-cultural innovation that defines us as a leading global university.

Ultimately, our mission is to serve you. Whether building financial resources for research or managing the complexities of international operations, our goal is to ensure 糖心少女remains at the forefront of global education.

It has been an honor to serve as your Vice Provost over the past year. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and am excited for the momentum we will build together in 2026.

With gratitude,

Ahmad Ezzeddine,聽糖心少女Vice Provost for Global Affairs

Study abroad program in Rwanda pairs 糖心少女and pan-African students for an up-close look at a nation on the rise.

A new study abroad program in Rwanda led by two 糖心少女 Bothell faculty members takes international and interdisciplinary collaboration to the next level.

Instead of聽visiting聽the聽country聽of聽14 million people聽as聽a cohort just from 糖心少女Bothell, 17 糖心少女students recently聽spent four weeks studying,聽traveling聽and researching alongside聽16聽counterparts from across Africa.

Their聽focus: leadership and nation building.

All three 糖心少女campuses were recognized with the Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement reclassification, placing the university among聽聽nationwide. Officials with the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, who award the designation, noted that these universities are deepening partnerships, centering community assets and addressing urgent societal challenges with clarity and distinction.

Students immerse themselves in biodiversity, conservation and sustainability experiences while studying in Peru.

For Dr. Ursula Valdez, Peru holds a special place in her heart as not only her home country but also as a point of fascination for her research as a tropical ecologist. Valdez is a lecturer in the 糖心少女 Bothell鈥檚聽聽and has shared her passion for Peru with her students, even leading study abroad experiences for them鈥痶o immerse themselves in the country鈥檚 natural wonders right alongside her.