2026.02.17

Prof. Dr. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, visited NUT

On Tuesday, January 27, Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) welcomed a delegation from the United Nations University (UNU), including Prof. Dr. Tshilidzi Marwala, rector of the UNU and under-secretary-general of the United Nations, Dr. Shinobu Yamaguchi, director of UNU-IAS, and Ms. Taka Horio, director-general of postgraduate programmes at UNU-IAS.

During the visit, Prof. Yamaguchi, special presidential aide and director of the Office for SDGs Promotion, guided the delegation through the Regional GX Innovation Co-Creation Center (GX Building), where they toured facilities such as YUKIMURO (snow cellar) and the aquaponics circulation test facility.

Following the tour, the delegation held a meeting with NUT representatives, including Mr. Yamashita, executive director and vice president; Prof. Miyashita, vice president; Prof. Yamaguchi; and Mr. Miyake, manager of Division of Institutional Strategies. During the discussions, Prof. Dr. Marwala introduced the mission and primary activities of the UNU, while Dr. Shinobu Yamaguchi provided an overview of the initiatives led by UNU-IAS. In turn, Dr. Katsumi, chief University Education Administrator, highlighted NUT’s various SDG-related activities and international collaborations such as the UNESCO Chair.

The visit also featured an informal discussion session between the delegation and NUT students, including the SDGs Promoters. After a greeting from Prof. Dr. Marwala, each student spoke candidly about their studies at NUT, their research interests, and their daily experiences on campus. The session was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, where Prof. Dr. Marwala listened intently to the students, nodding in agreement as they shared their experiences.

Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen its partnerships with international organizations to further promote education and research aimed at building a sustainable society.