黑料传送门

Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation will be provided throughout the symposium.

at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), 黑料传送门, is pleased to host a public symposium featuring Dr. Daniel Diermeier, Chancellor of Vanderbilt University, titled:

National Security in an Age of Economic and Technological Competition:
The Changing Role of Universities and the Future of Innovation

As geopolitical competition intensifies and advances in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum science, and other critical and emerging technologies reshape the international landscape, national security increasingly extends beyond traditional defense to encompass economic security, technological competitiveness, resilient supply chains, information integrity, and the security of research and innovation. These changes are also raising a more fundamental question: what role should universities play in addressing the strategic challenges of the twenty-first century?

Vanderbilt University offers a particularly notable response to this challenge. Under Chancellor Diermeier's leadership, the university established the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security in 2024, appointing former NSA Director and U.S. Cyber Command Commander General Paul Nakasone as its founding director. In only two years, Vanderbilt has rapidly expanded its national security education, research, and policy engagement, combining expertise in international affairs with engineering, computing, data science, and emerging technologies. Its approach seeks to bridge academia and practice and to bring together universities, government, industry, and other stakeholders to address security challenges that increasingly cut across traditional disciplinary and institutional boundaries.

At the same time, Chancellor Diermeier has argued that universities themselves must adapt to a changing social and economic environment. A political scientist and management scholar whose work has examined political institutions, business and politics, and crisis and reputation management, he has been a prominent advocate of restoring public trust in universities through greater clarity of institutional purpose, while preserving the speed of innovation needed to respond to urgent global challenges. His broader strategy at Vanderbilt has included new forms of cross-sector collaboration and a "locational portfolio" of campuses linked to major centers of technology, finance, and innovation. These initiatives raise important questions about how universities can remain open and globally connected while safeguarding research, rebuilding trust with society, and contributing more directly to national competitiveness and security.

Through a dialogue between Chancellor Diermeier and Akira Igata of RCAST, this symposium will examine what Vanderbilt's experience may offer for Japan. The discussion will consider how universities can contribute to economic and national security, how open research and international collaboration can be reconciled with growing research-security concerns, and how new partnerships among academia, government, industry, and civil society can accelerate innovation while maintaining public trust. It will also explore opportunities for deeper U.S.–Japan cooperation in research, education, emerging technologies, and the development of the institutions and talent needed to navigate an era of sustained economic and technological competition.

Dr. Daniel Diermeier is Chancellor of Vanderbilt University, a position he has held since 2020. An internationally renowned political scientist and management scholar, he has led an ambitious program of expansion at Vanderbilt, including the establishment of the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security. A prominent voice on the role of higher education, Dr. Diermeier has advocated for universities to embrace institutional neutrality, excellence, and civil discourse, and has argued that universities are essential engines of innovation that strengthen national security, competitiveness, and economic prosperity. In addition to his role as chancellor, he is University Distinguished Professor in the Owen Graduate School of Management and Distinguished University Professor of Political Science, and previously held leadership roles at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Kellogg School of Management, and the University of Chicago, where he served as dean of the Harris School of Public Policy.

The discussion will be moderated by Akira Igata (Project Lecturer, RCAST, University of Tokyo).

This symposium will be conducted in English (Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation provided).

Notes for participants
- For security reasons, no dangerous materials or food/beverages are allowed inside the venue. Please follow staff instructions during the event.
- Please present your valid photo ID (e.g., student ID or driver’s license) at the reception desk on the day of the event. For security reasons, participants who do not provide complete and accurate information regarding their identity, affiliation, and position may not be admitted.