The University of the Highlands and Islands has taken a significant step on the path to international partnership, welcoming the Consul General of Japan, Mr Katsutoshi Takeda, to UHI House in Inverness.
Mr Takeda was joined by Deputy Consul General Ms Minori Ishii on Thursday 3 July, as part of a visit focused on building closer ties between Japan and the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire.
The conversation around the table stretched from education and research to business, culture and economic growth, with shared enthusiasm for future collaborations already taking shape.
There was a clear desire on both sides to explore how Japanese companies could find a home in the north of Scotland, and how students and staff across the UHI network might benefit from global connections that feel both meaningful and lasting.
For Principal and Vice-Chancellor Vicki Nairn, the visit marked more than just polite diplomacy, it was a moment that reflected the university’s growing confidence and ambition on the international stage.
“We are proud to strengthen our collaboration between the regions we serve in Scotland and Japan,” she said, “creating new opportunities for our students, staff and communities.”
With its deep roots in local place and its eyes firmly set on the future, UHI is determined to bring innovation, enterprise and internationalism together in a way that serves the people of the Highlands and Islands.
The Consul General echoed that sense of shared purpose, describing the relationship with UHI as one of real value and promise.
He spoke warmly of a future shaped by cooperation in research, education and cultural understanding, and signalled Japan’s intent to stay close to the conversation.
Further visits and initiatives are already in the pipeline, with both sides keen to turn introductions into partnerships and plans into action.
For a university that spans some of the most rural and remarkable parts of Scotland, it’s yet another sign that UHI’s place in the world is growing, not despite its geography, but because of it.
