International Exchanges
Report on the 2nd Sapporo Bio Cluster International Symposium 2010
The Bio-S project – a path toward
global partnerships for the creation of a world-class bio cluster
Under the Bio-S project, collaboration and exchanges with outstanding clusters in Japan and elsewhere are actively promoted. To create a world-class cluster, it is essential to study leading clusters and new initiatives in other countries, as well as to promote collaboration through information exchanges with such clusters.
As part of the Bio-S project, we have engaged in exchanges with the Netherland's Food Valley, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the food project at Italy's University of Bologna, and clusters in New Zealand and France. We are also active in implementing joint research programs with other countries and participating in international academic conferences.
2nd Sapporo Bio Cluster International Symposium 2010
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University of Guelph (AFMNet) Canada Prof. Rikey YADAA Canadian Portal to Excellence in Innovative Food Science and Technology |
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| General Manager Science,
Plant and Food Research Institute, New Zealand New Zealand Dr. Kieran ELBOROUGH
A New Zealand integrated science programme
for the commercialization of food technology |
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Business Development in Asia, Vitagora FranceMr. Geoffroy TRINH
Vitagora Taste-Nutrition-Health
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Following in the footsteps of the FY 2009 event, we also hosted an international symposium in FY 2010 at which three invited speakers from Canada, New Zealand and France gave keynote lectures. They presented pioneering food-related undertakings and ideas during sessions that were followed by lively discussions on health claims.
Our efforts to promote exchanges with the invited speakers toward future collaboration included a research meeting with researchers involved in the Bio-S project the day before the symposium and a meeting with private enterprises connected with the project on the morning of the event.
The symposium, whose 200 attendees included participants from outside Hokkaido and overseas, provided an opportunity to define the global position of the Bio-S project.
FY2009
Report on the Hokkaido Bio Innovation International Forum 2009
A cluster to expand the network for global cooperation
To create a world-class cluster, we must be conscious of our future business operations and cooperate/exchange with leading clusters in Japan and overseas. In the last fiscal year, we engaged in exchanges with the Netherland's Food Valley, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the food project at Italy's University of Bologna, through which we exchanged views on R&D and cluster management approaches. We also plan exchanges with clusters in New Zealand, Canada and France, and are implementing joint research programs with a number of different nations – particularly South Korea, China, Malaysia and other Asian countries. In March 2010, we hosted an international forum in Sapporo, and are stepping up our information dissemination and collection activities from a global perspective.
Bio-S International Symposium 2009
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Dr. Roger van HoeselManaging Director of Food Valley,Holland |
Dr. Bruno QuartaResearch Office Director ofAlma Mater Studiorum, Universita di Bologna, Italy |
| Stimulating cluster development: Lessons learned in Food Valley, the Netherlands |
From lab to dish: focus on process and methodology to foster collaboration and extraction of lab research results to be integrated into food products for health and other purposes |
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Dr. Charon ZondervanSenior Researcher (program manager),Wageningen University and Research Centre, Holland |
Mr. Eric Y.L. TaiDirector of the Planning and MarketingDivision at ITRI (the Industrial Technology Research Institute) South, Taiwan |
| When a university and contract research institutes join forces |
Experience of building industrial clusters in Taiwan |
In line with the Bio-S project's entry into the stage of advanced international cooperation, we held the Bio-S International Symposium 2009 as the first part of the 2009 Hokkaido Bio Innovation International Forum toward cluster development from a more global perspective. Speakers engaged in industry-academia cooperation and cluster development in the food field from Europe and Taiwan were invited to deliver keynote speeches, and a subsequent panel discussion introduced functional food in Hokkaido.
In the second part of the forum the next day, a joint presentation meeting of individuals from knowledge cluster and bio technology industrial clusters was held, and strategies to create internationally competitive bio clusters were presented along with reports on research outcomes.
