Keio University and the International University of Rabat (UIR) successfully concluded an eight-day academic exchange under the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)-funded Sakura Science Exchange Program. The initiative brought together seven students and one professor from the Higher School of Architecture at the International University of Rabat (UIR) for an intensive learning experience at Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance at the Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) in Tokyo.
The exchange focused on resilience science, disaster risk management, and post-disaster reconstruction, with particular attention to Japan’s advanced approaches to earthquake preparedness, urban resilience, and recovery strategies. The program was especially timely in light of the growing global urgency surrounding disaster risk management and post-disaster response, which today extend beyond seismic events to include floods, inundations, and a broad range of natural hazards increasingly intensified by climate change. Through a combination of lectures, workshops, fieldwork, and professional visits, participants explored how interdisciplinary research, technology, and design can respond to complex and evolving risk environments.
This program is the result of a long-standing academic collaboration between Dr. Aqil Cheddadi (Keio University SFC) and Dr. Safiya El Ghmari (Higher School of Architecture, UIR). It represents the culmination of more than one year of preparation, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening academic exchange and applied research between Japan and Morocco.
During their stay, students attended high-level lectures on disaster risk management, policy frameworks, and community-based reconstruction, as well as urban design studios addressing resilience in both historical and contemporary Japanese contexts. Particular emphasis was placed on the role of parametric design and artificial intelligence tools in advancing self-building strategies and collaborative design processes.
As an integral part of the academic program, participating students were required to develop and deliver analytical presentations reflecting on their learnings and the best practices observed in Japan. These analyses addressed themes such as risk governance, resilient urban form, construction technologies, and post-disaster architectural responses, encouraging critical reflection and knowledge transfer by situating Japanese experiences within Moroccan and broader Global South contexts.
A highlight of the program was a visit to a leading Japanese construction firm’s Technical Research Center, where participants were introduced to cutting-edge seismic response technologies. Students also visited Shigeru Ban Architects, gaining insight into humanitarian architecture, emergency shelters, and post-disaster housing solutions.
One of the most significant moments of the exchange was the collaboration with Keio University’s Professor Hiroto Kobayashi and his team at Veneer House Inc. Students engaged directly in hands-on modeling and design workshops, contributing to the development of new architectural prototypes. These models are intended for development and implementation in Al Haouz, Morocco, as part of a post-earthquake reconstruction project currently overseen by Professor Kobayashi’s team.
By combining academic instruction, applied research, and real-world engagement, the Sakura Science Exchange Program at Keio University offered participants a unique opportunity to experience Japan’s integrated approach to resilience, while reinforcing transnational collaboration and long-term knowledge exchange.
This exchange marks an important milestone in the growing partnership between Keio University and the International University of Rabat and lays the foundation for future joint initiatives in architectural education, research, and socially engaged design.
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