Colleges of the Fenway Establish New Relationship with The Consortium of Universities, Kyoto, Japan

(September 10, 2009) – Last month, the Colleges of the Fenway (COF) and The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto, Japan, signed a mutual agreement aimed at developing research and academic exchange opportunities between the two higher education collectives. With a new charge to enhance higher education quality among its institutions and a $3,000,000 grant from the Ministry of Culture and Science, the Kyoto consortium plans to collaborate with the Colleges of the Fenway on a visiting scholars program, joint research projects, dual degree programs, student exchanges, and teaching and administrative staff exchanges.

The Colleges of the Fenway consortium includes Emmanuel College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Simmons College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Wheelock College, with 14,400 students combined. The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto has fifty universities, colleges, and junior colleges with 169,000 students, as well as four business organizations, over 20 businesses, and the City of Kyoto as members.

"This agreement represents an important step in our ongoing efforts to promote a global perspective among the Colleges of the Fenway," said Charles S. Monahan, chair of the Colleges of the Fenway board and president of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. "We recognize that our graduates will need an understanding of international issues in order to succeed in the 21st century."

The Colleges of the Fenway consortium was approached in January 2009, about developing a relationship with The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto. Ron Provost, president of the Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture originally proposed the idea on behalf of the Kyoto consortium and the two groups may seek further assistance from Showa as the partnership develops.

The ceremonial signing took place at the President's gallery at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Charles S. Monahan, chair of the COF board and president of MCPHS signed on behalf of the Colleges of the Fenway, President Eiji Hatta signed on behalf of The Consortium of Universities of Kyoto, and President Ronald H. Provost signed on behalf of Showa. Among the many distinguished guests were Mr. Daisaku Kadokawa, mayor of Kyoto, who is visiting Boston to attend the signing of the new agreement and to mark the fiftieth anniversary year of the Boston and Kyoto sister city relationship, and Mr. Hisashi Nakatomi, deputy consul general in Boston.

The new agreement will be overseen by Claire Ramsbottom, executive director of the Colleges of the Fenway, and Mr. Akira Nishimura, the secretary-general of The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto.

About Colleges of the Fenway
Colleges of the Fenway is a collaborative effort of six neighboring Boston-based colleges in the Fenway area. This collaboration was created to add value to student academic and social life while seeking innovative methods of investing in new services and containing the costs of higher education. Collectively, the colleges represent more than 11,400 undergraduate students, comprising 16.2% of the total Boston population of undergraduates attending four-year colleges, more than 700 full-time faculty and 2,300 course offerings.

About the Consortium of Universities in Kyoto
The Consortium of Universities in Kyoto contributes to the development of a closer community by disseminating research results, conducting information exchanges and creating innovative systems for lifelong learning. The ultimate aim of the Consortium is not only to improve the quality of education in Kyoto, but also to make productive contributions to the academic research and higher education throughout Japan. The Headquarter, a 7-story building next to Kyoto Station built by the city for the consortium, houses an art gallery, tea house, multi-media lab, classrooms and offices.

About the Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture
Showa Boston is a study-abroad campus for Showa Women's University school system (K-PhD) in Tokyo, Japan. The campus opened in 1988 offering English language and American culture programs to English majors. Now, twenty years later, it runs programs for elementary school children to seniors, and provides English language programs as well as specialized content-based programs in areas such as psychology, nutrition, education, museum sciences, volunteerism and business.