Okayama University Vice President Engages with Global Leaders in Vienna to Promote Education and Inclusion
In January 2026, Atsufumi Yokoi, the Vice President of Okayama University, traveled to Vienna to engage with notable global leaders, notably Martin Essl, the founder of the Essl Foundation, who received an honorary doctorate from the university in December. The Essl Foundation is recognized for its worldwide initiative known as the 'Zero Project,' which promotes the rights and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in collaboration with the United Nations. This global movement currently encompasses over 100 countries and more than 10,000 participants, striving to create a barrier-free world.
During the visit, Vice President Yokoi elaborated on Okayama University’s initiatives in global engagement and explored potential collaborations with international organizations in Vienna. One of the significant stops was the Ban Ki-moon Foundation, co-founded by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer, where Yokoi met with CEO Monika Flora. The foundation focuses on leadership education aimed at the youth and the empowerment of societal leaders to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here, the discussions also touched on the cooperative efforts sparked by a comprehensive agreement signed in September 2025 between Okayama University and Kyung Hee University in South Korea. This agreement seeks to integrate initiatives around Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), promoted by the Japanese government, and Global Citizenship Education (GCED), championed by the Korean government, fostering a new consciousness in global citizenship.
Additionally, the visit included a meeting with Candice Welch, the Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where discussions emphasized the importance of university partnerships in drug crime prevention education for youth, particularly within Japan. Vice President Yokoi presented Okayama University’s stance in these endeavors.
Yokoi also engaged with H.E. Mr. Masato Iwama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Austria, to discuss involvement in the Zero Project and potential bilateral exchanges between universities. These interactions reflect Okayama University's commitment to strengthening its educational frameworks through global engagement, contributing towards the realization of SDGs, and promoting collaborative efforts for sustainable development.
The Zero Project is well-recognized for its contribution to enhancing legal rights and daily lives for individuals with disabilities, aiming to ensure a fair, just, and inclusive world. Achievements of the initiative have been acknowledged at international forums, including those involving the Japanese government and various UN meetings.
Overall, this diplomatic engagement underlines Okayama University’s pursuit of educational enhancement that caters not only to the local community but to a global audience, fostering a collaborative spirit geared towards innovative solutions to modern challenges. As a research university with unique characteristics and a strong community orientation, Okayama University is poised to continue making significant contributions to sustainable development and educational excellence on a global scale. Readers can expect robust initiatives from Okayama University as it continues to bridge local and global challenges through education and innovation.
During the visit, Vice President Yokoi elaborated on Okayama University’s initiatives in global engagement and explored potential collaborations with international organizations in Vienna. One of the significant stops was the Ban Ki-moon Foundation, co-founded by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Austrian President Heinz Fischer, where Yokoi met with CEO Monika Flora. The foundation focuses on leadership education aimed at the youth and the empowerment of societal leaders to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here, the discussions also touched on the cooperative efforts sparked by a comprehensive agreement signed in September 2025 between Okayama University and Kyung Hee University in South Korea. This agreement seeks to integrate initiatives around Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), promoted by the Japanese government, and Global Citizenship Education (GCED), championed by the Korean government, fostering a new consciousness in global citizenship.
Additionally, the visit included a meeting with Candice Welch, the Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where discussions emphasized the importance of university partnerships in drug crime prevention education for youth, particularly within Japan. Vice President Yokoi presented Okayama University’s stance in these endeavors.
Yokoi also engaged with H.E. Mr. Masato Iwama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Austria, to discuss involvement in the Zero Project and potential bilateral exchanges between universities. These interactions reflect Okayama University's commitment to strengthening its educational frameworks through global engagement, contributing towards the realization of SDGs, and promoting collaborative efforts for sustainable development.
The Zero Project is well-recognized for its contribution to enhancing legal rights and daily lives for individuals with disabilities, aiming to ensure a fair, just, and inclusive world. Achievements of the initiative have been acknowledged at international forums, including those involving the Japanese government and various UN meetings.
Overall, this diplomatic engagement underlines Okayama University’s pursuit of educational enhancement that caters not only to the local community but to a global audience, fostering a collaborative spirit geared towards innovative solutions to modern challenges. As a research university with unique characteristics and a strong community orientation, Okayama University is poised to continue making significant contributions to sustainable development and educational excellence on a global scale. Readers can expect robust initiatives from Okayama University as it continues to bridge local and global challenges through education and innovation.
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