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AcademyNewsDepartmentsFaculty of ArchitectureEKA and Sanjo University in Japan Signed a Cooperation Agreement

EKA and Sanjo University in Japan Signed a Cooperation Agreement

Photo by Ruth-Helene Melioranski
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EKA Japan foto Andres Lõo
Photos by Ruth-Helene Melioranski and Andres Lõo
On February 26, the rectorate of the Estonian Academy of Arts, led by rector Mart Kalm and rector-elect Hilkka Hiiop, met at the Estonian Academy of Arts with a delegation from the Japanese Sanjo University, led by the university’s President Dr. Ahmed Shahriar. Professor Wada Hiroshi also participated in the meeting. Future cooperation opportunities were discussed and a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed, which provides for various types of cooperation, including in the key of curriculum development, as well as the exchange of lecturers and students. The Estonian Academy of Arts considers it very important that during the bilateral exchange, learning mobility can take place in both directions, thus creating equal opportunities for all parties. The establishment of the partnership was significantly contributed to by the former professor of product design at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Japanese designer Masayo Ave, who mediated the emergence of the cooperation idea and contacts. Already in November 2024, EKA professors Kärt Ojavee and Juss Heinsalu visited Japan and met with the rector and representatives of external relations of Sanjo University. The focus of the visit was on collaboration between research and creative activities and internship opportunities for EKA students in companies in the Tsubame-Sanjo region. Under the guidance of Masayo Ave, EKA representatives also got to know the unique semi-industrial and craft factories and studios in the Tsubame-Sanjo region, whose products range from traditional metalwork to cutting-edge technological solutions – for example, the metal back covers of Apple iPods are hand-polished in this city. The city of Tsubame-Sanjo also hosts an annual festival called KOUBA, which was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2022. Sanjo City University is a unique technical university operating in Niigata Prefecture, which opened in 2021 in the heart of one of Japan’s most renowned craft regions – Tsubame-Sanjo. As a local government university, Sanjo works closely with the surrounding industrial region and focuses on training a new generation of “creative technologists” – students are given both engineering and technology management education to combine the region’s centuries-old skills with innovative solutions. The Tsubame-Sanjo region is known for its rich metalworking tradition: today, there are over 3,300 small workshops operating there, from individual blacksmith workshops to factories and design laboratories with hundreds of employees. Products created by companies in the region follow the principles of good design – simplicity, functionality, material awareness and durability, which is why the Tsubame-Sanjo object culture has become a benchmark of quality both in Japan and abroad. For EKA, the collaboration with Sanjo University opens the door to the rich world of Japanese craftsmanship. Partnerships in areas such as metal and blacksmithing and product design are particularly promising. Under the new agreement, EKA students and lecturers will have the opportunity to study and teach directly among Japanese masters and, conversely, bring Estonian contemporary art and design experience to Sanjo University students.
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Posted by Andres Lõo
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