On November 17, Okayama University, in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), hosted a reception at the United Nations Office at Geneva (Palais des Nations) to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the “Young Female Scientist Programme in Japan: Joint Research and Training Course for Young Female Researchers from Developing Countries.”

The reception was held in coordination with UNCTAD during the intersessional panel meeting of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) 2025–2026, a high-level United Nations meeting. The event brought together representatives from United Nations agencies, permanent missions, academic institutions, and international organizations, fostering active exchanges on the programme’s achievements and future prospects.

Remarks were delivered by Mr. Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD; H.E. Ambassador Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Acting Chair of the CSTD; H.E. Mr. José Valencia, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in Geneva; Ms. Ritu Agarwal, Member of the CSTD Gender Advisory Board and Johns Hopkins University; and H.E. Ambassador Katsuro Nagai, Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva.

Vice President Prof. Atsufumi Yokoi (Global Engagement), UNESCO Chairholder at Okayama University, delivered the opening address. He emphasized that empowering women in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and that universities must serve not only as institutions of knowledge creation but also as action tanks that practice sustainability, ethics, and international understanding.

Since its launch in 2020, the programme has welcomed outstanding young female researchers from Africa and Southeast Asia. This fiscal year, the programme expanded to include Latin America and Caribbean, welcoming new participants from Ecuador, Guatemala, and Peru. The initiative has now grown into an international programme involving 32 researchers from 12 countries. Furthermore, the programme has generated international ripple effects, including the establishment of a related women researcher support initiative by UNCTAD and the Government of Thailand.

During the reception, it was announced that a programme alumni network would be launched to support continued exchange and collaboration among programme participants and stakeholders. Through mentoring, joint research, and knowledge sharing, this network aims to foster a global community of next-generation women scientists. The establishment of such a network is expected to contribute not only to the advancement of participants’ research activities and institutional exchange with Okayama University, but also to the sustainability and further development of the programme itself.

While in Geneva, Vice President Prof. Yokoi also paid a courtesy visit to the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva, where he briefed H. E. Ambassador Nagai on the activities of the Global Engagement Center and Okayama University’s collaboration with international institutions, including UNCTAD. The visit provided an opportunity for meaningful dialogue on future avenues of cooperation.

Okayama University will continue to strengthen international partnerships, promote the development of women leaders in STI, and advance initiatives aimed at building an inclusive and sustainable society.