From October 2025 to January 2026, the Faculty of Agriculture at Shinshu University conducted a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program with its partner institution, the University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg (HFR) in Germany. This program was held in collaboration with Iwate University and Kagoshima University, with the invaluable support of Prof. Hein and Prof. Schurr from HFR.

The theme for this year was "Forest Disturbances," with each university delivering two presentations. Shinshu University focused on two major events: "Deep-seated Landslides" caused by the Noto Earthquake and the "Large-scale Avalanche" in the Southern Alps in 2017. Based on interviews with faculty members, senior students, and alumni specializing in these fields, our students identified core issues and proposed potential solutions.

The presentations highlighted several challenges, such as the heterogeneity of successional series due to the sheer scale of the events and the difficulty of forest regeneration following high-intensity disturbances. The students also proposed the necessity of adopting landscape-based and ecological engineering approaches.

These forestry issues are often linked to climate change and represent challenges on a global scale. Although presenting in English was a new challenge for many, the students produced high-quality work through rigorous practice. Furthermore, active participation during Q&A sessions fostered meaningful international communication.

This collaborative program with HFR has now entered its fifth year of successful partnership. As a significant number of students also participate in the Summer School at the same university, we look forward to even deeper academic exchange in the future.

You can also find their coverage of this topic on HFR 's webpage.

Group Photo of All Participants

Participants from HFR

Presentation Scene