Cooperation continued during the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted physical meetings between Finland and Japan, but the activities of the HANAKO network did not stop. Cooperation was actively maintained through online connections, webinars, and remote meetings.

At the core of the network remained a shared goal: to develop education, strengthen links with working life, and support international mobility of students and staff.

Restarting cooperation in 2023

In spring 2023, a webinar was organised to reactivate cooperation.

The webinar held on April 12, 2023 brought together Finnish and Japanese partners to discuss the continuation, needs, and future opportunities of collaboration.

The programme included:

• an introduction to the network and partner presentations

• experiences from student and staff exchanges

• reflections on cooperation and its development

• discussion on future needs

The webinar served as an important “restart”, reinforcing a shared direction and motivation after the pandemic.

Hybrid phase – seminar on 8 December 2023

In December 2023, a HANAKO seminar was organised in Helsinki, combining on-site and remote participation.

Participants included representatives of Finnish institutions attending on-site and Japanese partners joining online.

The programme addressed:

• the development and current state of the network

• outcomes of recent delegations

• experiences from student exchanges

• new cooperation ideas and plans for 2024

The event demonstrated that the cooperation had remained active and was ready to transition back to physical meetings.

Key message

After the pandemic, the HANAKO network did not merely continue its activities but strengthened them.

The continuity of cooperation was based on:

• long-term relationships

• mutual trust

• active communication, even during exceptional circumstances

The activities in 2023 clearly showed that the network remained active and committed to further development.