Transdiciplinarity and understanding life’s multiple perspectives--keys to success: inspirations from a leader at the Nagoya University Entrance Ceremony

Los Baños, Laguna --- “Transdisciplinarity” and understanding life’s multiple perspectives---this was how an inspirational speaker summarized the keys to success especially in scientific research during the Nagoya University Virtual Entrance Ceremony for new students of the Nagoya University Transnational Programs for Leading Professionals in Asian Countries held on 4 October 2021 at the Nagoya University Asian Satellite Campus-Philippines (NUASC-PH ) and co-hosted by the Office of the Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The NUASC-PH is located at UPLB campus.

Speaking from experience, Dr. Ajay Kohli, Director of Research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) shared how he learned these lessons when he worked at an agricultural research institute, that is IRRI, and understood the importance of combining knowledge from multiple disciplines and transcending boundaries to come up with a solution to a big problem, which may be composed of a multitude of problems. He said that with biotechnology and molecular biology as his field of specialization, he thought that he was better off but then “realized that it would not get him anywhere if all the breeders, the agronomists, the extension workers, the physiologists and the social economists would not work together to make a project successful.”

Dr. Kohli lauded Nagoya University for offering this “extraordinary program,” called the Transnational Doctoral Programs for Leading Professionals in Asian Countries where “talent and capability in the sciences are being recognized, rewarded and nurtured, and that allows outstanding scientists to pursue high quality transnational education while still being able to contribute to the scientific advancement in their home countries.”

Dr. Kohli urged the students to “use this opportunity and interact with multiple disciplines on the fantastic campus of Nagoya University, at UPLB campus, and at IRRI, to educate yourself not only in your discipline in which you graduate for which you can claim expertise but actually in looking at how life works, because life does not work in one single narrow perspective.” He also reminded the students to “never let go of common sense” in solving multifaceted problems as an integral whole. He was impressed by Nagoya University’s having multiple Nobel laureates and commended Nagoya University and the University of the Philippines for the ”amazing initiative” that may lead to more collaborative projects.

Dr. Kohli congratulated the two new students who are both NU-UP scholars, Mr. Hadji C. Jalotjot, University Researcher III of the UPLB College of Public Affairs, and Mr. Angelo Tapia, Assistant Professor of the UPLB Institute of Animal Science, and wished them success as they embark into a new life.

Other inspirational speakers were Hon. Danilo L. Concepcion, President of the University of the Philippines (UP) System; Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA); and Dr. Andres Winston C. Oreta, Vice President of NU Alumni- Philippines Branch, and Professor of Civil Engineering at De La Salle University, Manila. (Read more feature articles about inspirations from speakers of this event at . http://asci.nagoya-u.ac.jp/philippines).

Officials who welcomed the guests and participants at the ceremony were Dr. Kazuhito Kawakita , NU Vice President for International Affairs, Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research; Ms. Junko Sato, Director of Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) at the Embassy of Japan in Manila, Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr. Chancellor of UPLB; and Dr. Akira Yamauchi, Director of the NU Asian Satellite Campuses Institute. The ceremony was officially closed by Dr. Aya Okada, Dean of NU Graduate School of International Development.

The NUASC-PH is one of the six satellite campuses established in Asia. The others are located in Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The campuses offer the hybrid research-based doctoral programs for professionals in government positions who cannot leave their posts for long periods of time. The programs are offered in collaboration with the Graduate Schools of International Development, Law, Medicine, Bioagricultural Sciences, Environmental Studies, and Education and Human Development Every year, NU conducts the entrance ceremony to officially welcome new students admitted to the graduate program. This is the seventh since the satellite campus was launched in 2015 and the second virtually conducted since the start of the pandemic.
(Article written by Editha C. Cedicol)


                                Dr. Ajay Kohli