Located in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Shakespeare Institute is an internationally acclaimed center for Shakespeare studies, possessing 60,000 related documents in their collection. The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, on the other hand, holds 255,000 volumes in their archives and supports researchers and doctoral students focusing on Shakespeare. The museum is named after Professor Shoyo Tsubouchi, a pioneer in modern Japanese literature and theatre, also known for translating Shakespeare’s complete works into Japanese.<\/p>\n
![\"1\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/04\/1.jpg\")
The signing ceremony for partnership agreement: pictured above, from left, are Professor Norimasa Morita, Vice President for International Affairs, Waseda University; Professor Minako Okamuro, Director Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum; Professor Adam Tickell, Provost and Vice-Principal, University of Birmingham; and Professor Tim Softley, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer, University of Birmingham<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"2\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/04\/2.jpg\")
Professor Hiromi Fuyuki, Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences,explains Waseda’s Shakespeare research at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon<\/p><\/div>\n
Comments during the signing ceremony<\/h3>\n
University of Birmingham Provost Professor Adam Tickell said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UK is one of Japan\u2019s top research partners. It is important for both the University of Birmingham and our country to develop closer engagement with our counterparts in Japan, especially in areas of shared research strength.
\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted that we have secured this collaboration with Waseda University. There is much common ground between us, particularly as the world\u2019s attention focuses on our region and Shakespeare in 2016, and I look forward to other areas of joint research being developed.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWaseda University\u2018s Vice President for International Affairs, Norimasa Morita, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very much looking forward to expanding our research collaboration with the University of Birmingham, starting with a select number of academic areas and later developing other exciting strategic research partnerships.
\n\u201cIn particular, I am very excited about the future activities that can be explored through a collaboration between the Shakespeare Institute and the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, which brings together expertise not only in traditional Shakespeare studies but also studies of the Bard in the context of world literature.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nBeyond collaboration on Shakespeare, the agreement also sees joint research into a wide range of other research areas, including robotics, linguistics, and sport & exercise science. Both universities also their contribution to a collaborative fund, which will encourage close working between academics across the common research areas which have been identified.<\/p>\n
Waseda delegates and representatives from the University of Birmingham<\/p><\/div>\n
Notes to editors<\/h5>\n
1. Waseda University already has partnerships with over 700 institutions in 86 different countries. Based in Tokyo, it is one of Japan’s most prestigious private universities. It currently hosts 5,000 international students from 100 countries, the highest number in Japan. In accordance with Waseda Vision 150<\/a>, a mid-term plan to be completed by Waseda’s 150th anniversary in 2032, Waseda is making efforts to have all of its students study abroad and increase the number of classes taught in English.<\/ol>\n
2. The University of Birmingham<\/a>is ranked amongst the world\u2019s top 100 institutions, with its work bringing people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers and teachers and more than 5,000 international students from over 150 countries.<\/ol>\n
![\"3\u6539\"](\"http:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/04\/0cd453bab3336d061d4850a5d24f7540.png\")