The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) conducted an ex-post evaluation of the Inter-University Exchange Project (selected in FY2020; Support for the Formation of Collaborative Programs with African Universities). In this evaluation, Hokkaido University's selected program, "International Veterinary and Conservation Medicine Education Program: Building upon generations of collaboration between the University of Zambia and Hokkaido University for the future of Africa-Japan relations (IVCMEP)" (FY2020-FY2024), was awarded the highest possible rating of "S," becoming the only one among the eight programs evaluated to receive this top rating.
The evaluation recognized that the program provides invaluable opportunities for Hokkaido University students to be dispatched to Zambia, where they gain hands-on experience in conservation medicine under conditions involving infectious diseases and environmental pollution that they would not encounter in Japan. At the same time, students from the University of Zambia are accepted into Hokkaido University and provided with training in cutting-edge conservation medicine.
In addition, the program has established multiple, overlapping channels for continuous exchange between the two universities-such as past participants supporting students dispatched in subsequent years-thereby realizing bidirectional and cyclical human resource development. Through this program, Hokkaido University accepted 91 students from the University of Zambia and dispatched 87 of its own students.
Furthermore, Hokkaido University has applied for and been selected under the FY2025 Inter-University Exchange Project (Support for the Formation of Inter-University Exchange with Universities in the Global South), Type II: Africa, with the program "Global Nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa: Shaping the Future of Well-being with One Health." The University will continue to foster globally competent human resources capable of active international engagement and to strengthen the global reach of university education.
