University of Ottawa Delegation Visits Okayama University Shikata Campus

On June 13, 2026, Okayama University announced that a delegation from the University of Ottawa, Canada, visited its Shikata Campus on May 27, 2026. The visit included a tour of Okayama University Hospital, meetings with university officials, and facility inspections.

Okayama University and the University of Ottawa share a long-standing partnership in research and education concerning women's health. This collaboration developed from the close academic ties between Professor Hisashi Masuyama of the Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Okayama University and Professor Benjamin K. Tsang of the University of Ottawa, who was part of the visiting delegation.

During the visit, the delegation first toured Okayama University Hospital, inspecting facilities including the operating rooms, the IVR Center, and the Comprehensive Perinatal Medicine Center. The visitors asked detailed questions regarding advanced medical services, state-of-the-art equipment, and patient support systems in Japan, leading to active discussions with their Japanese counterparts.

Following the tour, the delegation met with Yoshinobu Maeda, Director of Okayama University Hospital, and Jun Wada, Dean of the Medical School. They discussed medical education, research initiatives, and international exchange programs. The conversation also touched upon potential student exchanges, researcher collaboration, and the possibility of signing formal partnership agreements in the future.

Additionally, the delegation visited historical facilities on the Shikata Campus, including the Medical Archives, where they viewed historical documents related to the medical school's history and academic achievements, gaining a deeper appreciation of the university's traditions.

Furthermore, they visited the laboratory of the Department of Tumor Microenvironment, which collaborates with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Professor Yosuke Togashi of the Institute for Initiative Research (Advanced Science Research Center) provided briefings on the lab's facilities and research projects. The delegation showed strong interest in the advanced and collaborative international research conducted at Okayama University.

This visit is expected to further deepen ties between the two universities and foster international collaboration in education and research.