【summary】
On October 7, 2025, President Koichi Node participated as a panelist at the 14th UTM University Presidents Forum (UTM-UPF 2025), held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

Having just assumed the presidency of Saga University on October 1, 2025, this forum marked President Node’s first appearance on the international stage in his new role. As the university embarks on a new chapter focused on advancing international education and research, President Node took the opportunity to actively engage with university leaders from Malaysia and around the world, presenting Saga University’s new vision with conviction.

Hosted by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), this international forum brings together university presidents from across the globe. The theme of this year’s event was “Elevating University Visibility – Amplifying Impact, Inspiring Excellence,” and featured vibrant discussions and exchanges of ideas among participants.

In his presentation, titled “Excellence of a Global University Pioneering the Age of Knowledge,” President Node introduced Saga University’s new vision. He highlighted the university’s strengths, including its cutting-edge research and societal contributions in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), the formation of a consortium with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and the ongoing preparations and future prospects for establishing a research hub in Malaysia. He emphasized that “Saga University will contribute to both local and global communities through education, research, and the development of human resources to address global challenges,” and expressed a strong commitment to further strengthening collaboration with domestic and international research institutions to accelerate knowledge creation and its implementation in society.

[Reference] UTM-UPF 2025 Overview

• Title: 14th UTM University Presidents Forum 2025
• Dates: October 7–8, 2025
• Venue: Persada Johor International Convention Centre (Johor Bahru, Malaysia)
• Host: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Panel Discussion at UTM University Presidents Forum 2025

President Node Delivering His Presentation

Receiving a Commemorative Gift from the UTM Vice-Chancellor

With Members of UTM’s OTEC Research Institute

Vice-Chancellor of UTM and Vice President Sakamoto of Saga University

Group Photo of Saga University Delegation

【contact】
　Office for International Planning
　　TEL: 0952-28-8166
　　 mail: kokusai@mail.admin.saga-u.ac.jp