On the occasion of the visit of two professors from EPFL, Prof. Adrian Ionescu, Dean of the School of Engineering  and Prof. Nako Nakatsuka from the Laboratory of Chemical Nanotechnology (CHEMINA), an exchange session was organized to strengthen ties and explore new avenues for trilateral collaboration between Switzerland, Japan, and France. 

Focusing on nano- and micro-electromechanical systems, the event highlighted a highly interdisciplinary field at the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and materials science. It provided a platform to deepen scientific dialogue, identify synergies, and promote joint initiatives. 

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In his welcome address, Ambassador Roger Dubach underscored Switzerland’s strong commitment to international cooperation in science and research. As a global leader in innovation, Switzerland prioritizes openness and collaboration, resulting in more than two-thirds of publications to be the fruit of international efforts and around half of the professors at Swiss higher education institutions coming from abroad. He also highlighted milestones in bilateral relations with Japan such as the 2023 MoC on innovation between the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)  as well as last year’s MoC on Quantum Science, Technology and Innovation between SERI and Japan’s Cabinet Office. Most recently, a joint roadmap towards closer partnership on innovation co-signed by SERI and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). 

Looking ahead, Switzerland’s reassociation to the EU’s Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development as of 2025 reinforces its role as a key partner in Europe’s research and innovation landscape. Switzerland has long been a highly successful participant in these programmes. In parallel, Japan has recently concluded its negotiations and became an associated country with retroactive participation starting 1 January 2026. These developments open new opportunities for Swiss and Japanese institutions to collaborate more closely within the same framework and further strengthen international research partnerships. 

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The evening continued with a series of presentations introducing respective research areas, strategic priorities, and concrete ideas for collaboration. Speakers included Prof. Masahiro Nomura and Dr. Nicolas Clément, Co-directors of LIMMS; Prof. Adrian Ionescu; Prof. Nako Nakatsuka; and Dr. Akira Fujiwara, Senior Distinguished Scientist at NTT BRL.  

The session concluded with an interactive exchange, bringing together perspectives from academia, industry, and government. Opening the discussion, Dr. Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo, emphasized that interdisciplinarity is key to longevity. Dr. Katsuya Oguri, Vice President of NTT BRL, and Prof. Hiroshi Toshiyoshi, Director General of the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo, highlighted the prospects for future collaboration and also underscored the importance of continuous dialogue on intellectual property in a way that supports, rather than constrains, research creativity. Contributions from researchers, including Dr. Aya Tanaka (NTT BRL) and Prof. Yoshiho Ikeuchi (University of Tokyo), further illustrated concrete overlaps with the work of Prof. Nako Nakatsuka, pointing to potential directions for future joint research. 

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