The Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) Presidents Forum 2025 was successfully held on April 18 at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) in Japan, as part of the AUA Summit 2025. This forum with three different panel sessions aimed to provide a global platform for university leaders to address regional, national, and global challenges via fostering stronger collaboration among AUA member universities.
In the opening remark, Prof. Teruo Fujii, President of UTokyo, welcomed all the delegates to UTokyo and the Summit. He expressed high expectations for the forum. “I hope today’s dialogues will contribute in a significant way to the advancement of knowledge, the cultivation of the new generation of global citizens, and the betterment of the entire community and planet,” said Fujii.
The forum comprised three sessions that provide university leaders with a platform to discuss challenges and share innovative strategies in order to drive growth, integration, and collaboration across borders. The first session “Promise and Risk of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education” was moderated by Prof. Ema Arisa from UTokyo, convening panelists including Prof. Li Luming, President of Tsinghua University; Prof. Teruo Fujii, President of UTokyo; Prof. Waqar Ahmad, President of Nazarbayev University; Prof. Jae W. Lee, Vice President of Seoul National University; Prof. Mohsen Sherif, Acting Provost of UAE University; and Prof. Tin Maung Tun, Rector of University of Yangon. They explored AI’s role in teaching, research, and campus ecosystems, and introduced universities’ implementations such as AI-integrated curricula, localized language models, ethical frameworks, and interdisciplinary collaboration to foster responsible AI development.
The second session, moderated by Prof. Kameyama Yasuko, was themed “Ten Years of SDGs: Universities’ Role in Achievements and Challenges”. Prof. Lim Yvonne Ai Lian, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaya; Prof. H.D. Karunaratne, Vice Chancellor of University of Colombo; Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay; Prof. Lum Sau Kim, Associate Vice President of National University of Singapore; and Prof. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University together discussed the way to integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into campus operations from economic, societal and environmental aspects.
The third session on the topic of “From Campus to Startup: How Universities Drive Innovation and Entrepreneurship” was moderated by Prof. Kagami Shigeo from UTokyo. Prof. Tim Cheng, Vice President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Prof. Dong Zhiyong, Vice President of Peking University; Prof. Milind Atrey, Deputy Director of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay; and Dr. Mezyad Alterkawi, President of the Global Engagement Office at King Saud University, attended this session. Panelists together highlighted how universities can cultivate ecosystems that not only foster the creation of startups but also support their growth and sustainability. They also discussed successful examples, best practices for fostering an innovative culture, and the role of academic programs and on-campus incubators in supporting budding entrepreneurs.
Prof. Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice President of UTokyo, delivered the closing remark, commenting that the three topics of this forum represent key agendas in today’s world that universities must address to nurture the next generation of leaders. She expressed her expectation that "through joint efforts and unity in the Asian region, we can build a shared academic space where students can not only develop their knowledge but also engage in meaningful exchanges which across borders, culture and disciplines". Hayashi also emphasized the need to strengthen international cooperation among institutions, noting that its significance lies not only in academic collaboration but also in the moral imperative to collectively tackle the world’s most complex challenges.
