Education and Research Results
Event Record
Participation Report: RENKEI "Just Transitions to a Net Zero World" Workshop (May 6–9, 2025)
From May 6 to 9, 2025, three SPRING students from our university participated in the "RENKEI Just Transitions to a Net Zero World Workshop," organized by RENKEI (Japan-UK Research and Education Network for Knowledge Economy Initiatives).
This workshop served as a platform for early-career researchers from RENKEI member universities in Japan and the UK to build international networks and initiate new collaborative research projects. Participants were divided into groups based on key societal challenges and worked together to develop joint research proposals by integrating their respective disciplinary knowledge and experiences. On the final day, each group delivered a 10-minute presentation in a mock grant review session to showcase their proposals.
As part of the proposal development process, a seminar titled "Inter-disciplinary Collaborations for Unique Solutions" was held. This session provided valuable insights into the principles of effective interdisciplinary collaboration, common challenges in such research, and strategies for overcoming them. Through lectures and discussions, participants gained new perspectives that differed from their usual research approaches.
The proposals developed during the workshop are now being refined for submission to various funding schemes that support Japan–UK collaborative research. These efforts are expected to lead to sustained international partnerships and the launch of new research initiatives.
Participant Reflections:
- "In my regular research, I often struggle to connect my work to broader societal issues. Through dialogue with researchers from diverse fields, I was able to recognize how my research is relevant to societal needs. I was also deeply inspired by the attitudes, mindsets, and confidence of fellow researchers, which went beyond academic expertise."
- "Participating in RENKEI allowed me to move beyond disciplinary boundaries and explore the sociotechnical dimensions of climate adaptation. The collaborative model fostered through theme-based sandpits highlighted the importance of inclusive design in climate research. I gained a clearer understanding of potential funding opportunities, improved my proposal writing skills, and built a network with peers from various regions and disciplines."
