Date: July 30, 2016 13:30-17:00
Venue: 4th floor of Research Building No.2, Kyoto University
This first Kick-Off meeting was organized on a grand scale with more than 50 researchers from different teams.
In the beginning, the project leader, Motoji Matsuda (Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University), explained the background of the “African Potentials” project and confirmed the validity of the first phase of the project. Professor Matsuda then declared this project aims to elucidate modality of knowledge in Africa by seeking solutions to various African challenges not limited to the conflicts. In addition, there was a brief on the project’s major activities, including Africa Forum, support for research dispatch, and publication of outcomes.
Next, Itaru Ohta (The Center for African Area Studies, Kyoto University), who served as the project leader for the first phase, gave an account on the past research project, research output, and research network gained and developed in the last five years. Professor Ohta expressed his expectation on the project’s further development with a basis on the first phase.
Lastly, Shuichi Oyama, Chief of the Project Secretariat, made housekeeping announcements on the Secretariat’s structure, communication methods, timeline for the future events, budget, and publication through website.
Team meetings (15:00–17:00) by the seven research teams were held after the plenary meeting.
Misa Hirano-Nomoto
