To commence our collaboration with International Council on Environmental Economics and Development (ICEED) in AI policy research, the AI Centre welcomed a delegation from Japan and senior advisers of ICEED on 21 September 2023 as part of their tour in the United Kingdom (UK).
Accredited to the United Nations and the Governing Body of the UN Environment Programme, ICEED’s vision is to improve the economic, environmental, and social conditions of developed and developing countries. It focuses on mitigating climate change and modelling of economic growth for performance and sustainability, in support of the global shift towards a sustainable and regenerative economy. It engages with government and creates linkage to stakeholders for sustainable development and climate change mitigation. It initiates global public and private partnerships including blended finance and investments, and supports the application of Nature-based solutions.
One of the Deputy Directors of the AI Centre led the welcoming of the delegation and presented an overview of the AI Centre’s mission and work, including its research and educational programmes. This was followed by an introduction of the strategic alliance’s work by the Strategic Alliance Director of the Department of Computer Science. We also discussed various topics relating to AI safety, upcoming AI summit on AI safety, and prospective AI related research programmes.
During the visit, we introduced the history of the Chōshū Five to the delegation and recommended the UCL Japanese Garden for their itinerary. The Chōshū Five are Japanese young men who secretly left Japan to London, which fortuitously led them eventually to be the first Japanese to study at a UK university. They played leading revolutionary roles in modernising Japan upon their return. In 2015, UCL celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Chōshū Five and Satsuma 19 students since their first arrival at UCL. We envisage continuing to continue the close ties we have forged with Japan for research collaborations and knowledge exchange.
