The Department of Education (DE) held the 6th Australia-Japan High Level Policy Dialogue on Education on Friday 8 July 2022 in Canberra.
For both countries, this was the first face-to-face engagement with any education partner since the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting the importance of the bilateral education partnership, 14 Japanese delegates travelled to Australia for the meeting including representatives from Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. Other Japanese participants joined online, including representatives from Japan's Cabinet Office.
Karen Sandercock, First Assistant Secretary, International Division DE, led the Australian delegation which included sector representation from Universities Australia, Group of Eight, Innovative Research Universities and the Australia Japan Business Cooperation Committee, as well as colleagues from across the department and government more broadly. The dialogue was co-hosted by Ms Naoko Okamura, Director General for International Affairs MEXT. Discussions were held on post-COVID priorities, research collaboration and commercialisation, research integrity and opportunities for future engagement, particularly considering our closer strategic alignment under the QUAD and other national security issues.
A joint summary of the dialogue was agreed and signed by Ms Sandercock and Ms Okamura on the day.
Representatives from the Australian Department of Education, and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology at the 6th High Level Policy Dialogue in Canberra, Australia.