At the international symposium on the 25th of March 2014, researchers, faculty and students meet in Kochi University, Kochi, Japan.  Professor Rumiko Kikuchi Vice-President for International Collaboration, Kochi University, Hiroshi Niino Specially appointed Professor, Coordinator for International Relations and Associate Professor Kanako Korenaga Faculty of Education, Professor Mari Kataoka, Faculty of Nursing Department of Medicine, Associate Professor Fumika Nishijima Faculty of Humanities and Economics were in charge of the Symposium with the theme:  ‘Welfare society in actual conditions and challenges’.

 The main focus of the day was the presentation by Margret Lepp professor, from The University of Gothenburg; Welfare society and actual conditions and challenges in Sweden” and  by Joost Degenaar, Director center of Expertise Healthy Ageing, from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands, Welfare society: actual conditions and challenges in the Netherlands and Europe.

 The audience took part in a discussion and learning that followed to compare the three states: Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands in terms of social welfare, because it directly reflects their government budget, taxation, politics, and people’s traditional values. It was hoped that this networking benefits the three universities through exchange of students and professors.

Hiroshi Niino, Lars Svensson, Joost Degenaar, Kanako Korenaga
Kahoko Yasumitsu-Lovell (translater), Mari Kataoka, Margret Lepp and Rumiko Kikuchi.