On 14–16 May, a delegation from Yamaguchi, Japan, visited Tartu and the University of Tartu to learn from the University of Tartu's experience for the establishment of the soon-to-be-founded health technologies innovation complex at Yamaguchi University. Opportunities for cooperation on health technology development and student exchanges were also discussed.
On Tuesday, the delegation visited the Delta Centre to get acquainted with the work of its research teams and research-intensive businesses. Professor Jaak Vilo gave the guests an overview of the data science and machine learning company STACC. Triinu Lööve, Pre-Incubation Lead at the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, spoke about UniTartu Ventures' novel intellectual property investment logic and how the university supports business creation. Research-based entrepreneurship activities were presented by Tartu Science Park.
On Wednesday, the delegation visited Tartu University Hospital and met with its management as well as with Mait Metspalu, Director of the Institute of Genomics. Afterwards, closer cooperation was discussed with Rector Toomas Asser and the Japanese delegation expressed their wish to learn from the success of the Delta Centre.
On Thursday, 16 May, they met with representatives from Tartu City Government and its Department of Business Development, before heading to the university's main building to talk to representatives from the International Cooperation and Protocol Office about opportunities to engage in study and research mobility.
The delegation included representatives from Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi University, and the local healthcare company Seirankai Social Welfare Corporation. A delegation from Yamaguchi also visited Tartu in 2022. As a result of long preparatory work, a visit to Tartu is also planned for next year, with the participation of the mayor of Yamaguchi, the rector of Yamaguchi University and the head of the Institute of Medicine.