The Division of Graduate Studies has been implementing the KU-STAR (Kyoto University Short-Term Academic Research) Program since last year. For this second iteration of the program hosting students from Australia, 10 students are participating and engaging in research in their respective laboratories for approximately 1.5 months.

Experiencing Cutting-Edge Analytical Technology and Social Implementation

On January 30, 2026, KU-STAR Program students visited Shimadzu Corporation as per the Comprehensive Collaborative Agreement that the University and the company signed in 2022.

Following the company introduction, the students visited the Science Plaza. This facility showcases representative products from Shimadzu’s diverse portfolio, including analytical and measuring instruments, aircraft equipment, and industrial machinery supplied to various industries worldwide. The exhibits demonstrated how these technologies are applied across different industrial sectors, allowing students to see firsthand how cutting-edge science supports global society.

The tour continued to “KYOLABS,” a hub for co-creation and collaborative R&D. The students learned about joint research projects on food safety with the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), as well as pioneering blood analysis for early dementia detection. These real-world examples of industry-academia collaboration illustrated how high-level science directly contributes to improving Quality of Life (QOL).

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Dialogue with Global Professionals: Sustainability and Careers

Following the facility tour, the students participated in an interactive session with Shimadzu staff.

Recognizing the students’ strong interest in environmental issues, Ms. Aya Maeda, Manager of the Global Environmental Management Department delivered a presentation on Shimadzu’s “Environmental Management.” She outlined the company’s global strategies, including its commitment to carbon neutrality and biodiversity, showing how a world-class corporation addresses these critical challenges.

Following this, Ms. Kia from the Corporate Strategy Planning Department’s Sustainability Management Unit shared her career journey as an international professional in Japan. This session was particularly resonant for the Australian students, who engaged in a lively exchange of ideas regarding career development within Japanese corporations.

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Voices from the Participants

“It was a great experience and gave a nice overview of the world-class companies Kyoto has. The sharing from the staff—including Maeda-san and Kia-san, their foreign staff—was really helpful. Their technology was fun to experience firsthand.”　— Gemma, RMIT University

“It was very insightful to see a wide range of Shimadzu’s analytical instruments that are directly relevant to the food and agriculture industry. Seeing these tools in action outside the lab was a highlight.”　— Zahrah, Monash University

“As I have had the opportunity to use instruments from various brands, what struck me about the newer Shimadzu instruments was the emphasis on carbon neutrality and sustainability. I also thought that the automated systems in the research facility were very impressive.” — Aidan, The University of Melbourne