Finland’s North Karelia Bio Forest Economy Deleg­a­tion Tours Akita Prefec­tural Univer­sity and Its Insti­tute of Wood Technology

Academic and research exchanges and collab­or­a­tions begin to blossom between Finland (Univer­sity of Eastern Finland and Natural Resources Insti­tute Finland) and Japan (Akita Prefec­tural Univer­sity, Akita Inter­na­tional Univer­sity and Akita Univer­sity of Art).

By Naomi Moriyama

On March 24, 2025, Professor Katsu Takata, Leader of COI-NEXT SOUZOU NO MORI Project and Director of Insti­tute of Wood Techno­logy, guided UEF’s professors and scient­ists, LUKE’s scient­ists, and Business Joensuu’s and Regional Council of North Karelia’s repres­ent­at­ives through a day of in-depth tours and discus­sions at:

  • Akita Prefec­tural University
  • University’s Insti­tute of Wood Technology

Akita Prefec­tural University

Dr. Hiroo Fukuda, President, Akita Prefec­tural University
Akita Prefec­tural Univer­sity Campus
Audit­orium
Forest Science Department
Library Wooden Interior
“Yes We Can” end-to-end process of wooden architecture
Indoor walkway connecting two build­ings; a mechanism for cold winter months
Akita Prefec­tural Univer­sity Campus
Akita Prefec­tural Univer­sity Campus

Insti­tute of Wood Technology

A cross section of a 253-year-old Akita Cedar inside the foyer of Insti­tute of Wood Techno­logy (IWT)
IWT Showroom: A wooden bench
Professor Daisuke Ando welcoming the North Karelia delegation
Fire preven­tion technology
IWT Lounge and Library with Gorgeous Wooden Interior
IWT Open Office Area
IWT Skylight
IWT Open Office Area to Lounge
IWT Lounge
IWT Lab
IWT Lab
IWT Fire Lab
IWT Fire Lab
Tested Wood Pieces for Burning Resistance
IWT Wall Burning Unit
IWT Lab
Dr. Firas Hawasly guiding the North Karelia delegation

Photos Naomi Moriyama  写真 森山奈保美

Akita’s COI-Next Souzou no Mori Project: Co-Creating Well-Being through Forest Resources.

Led by Akita’s three public univer­sities, harnessing forest resources for research-driven innov­a­tion and human capital devel­op­ment, revital­izing industry and economy, pursuing co-creating well-being
in the local community. https://en.akita-souzounomori.com/

Forest Joensuu is the triple-helix model of Forest Bioeconomy in North Karelia, Finland.

The BIOSYS North Karelia Inter­na­tional Growth Ecosystem is run by Natural Resources Insti­tute Finland / Luonnon­varakeskus as a project lead, the Regional Council of North Karelia Pohjois-Karjalan maakun­t­aliitto, Univer­sity of Eastern Finland and MKN Itä-Suomi | Rural Women´s Advisory Centre (RWAC) of Eastern Finland. The project is funded by Renewing and Competent Finland 2021–2027, EU Regional and Struc­tural Policy Programme’s Just Trans­ition Fund – JTF, and Regional Council of North Karelia.

Project Profile in Finnish
プロジェクト概要日本語　
Project Profile in English
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For more inform­a­tion, please contact Naomi Moriyama [email protected]