UBE attends the French Week ‘Dijon-Burgundy’ organised in Kumamoto
From 22 to 29 October 2025, Vincent Thomas, President of Université Bourgogne Europe, travelled to Japan to represent the university at the Dijon-Burgundy French Week organised by the Prefecture of Kumamoto.
Vincent Thomas, President of Université Bourgogne Europe, Grégory Wegmann, Vice-President in charge of European and International Policy at UBE, and Amel Nafti, Director of ENSAD Dijon, joined the Dijon delegation composed of representatives of Dijon Métropole in the presence of Denis Hameau, Deputy Mayor of Dijon in charge of higher education, Lydie Pfander-Meny, Deputy Mayor of Dijon in charge of international relations, GIP Bourgogne Vigne et Vin represented by Florian Humbert, Director of Pôle Bourgogne Vigne et Vin, and Vitagora represented by Christophe Breuillet, Director of Vitagora, for the French Week ‘Dijon-Bourgogne’ organised by the Prefecture of Kumamoto from 22 to 29 October.
A particularly rich programme made it possible, in just one week, to strengthen UBE’s academic relations with Kumamoto University, Sojo University and NARO, the Japanese equivalent of INRAE, as well as to bring together the scientific perspectives of Japanese and French teams on common themes.
Highlights of the week included:
The purpose of this agreement is to develop exchanges between teaching and research staff, researchers, BIATSS staff and students, as well as to share research resources and publications in all fields covered by the two institutions.
Under the terms of this agreement, UBE and Kumamoto University undertake to promote exchanges between their communities.
This agreement provides for the mutual exchange of students and their conditions of reception at the host institution, within the framework of a general MoU between UBE and Sojo University
This week showcased the Dijon region in the fields of culture, gastronomy, higher education and research, in the presence of Blanche Loiseau, renowned chef and representative of the Bernard Loiseau group.
During this symposium, three leading figures from the Burgundy food, wine and vineyard ecosystem gave presentations:
- Fabrice Neiers, university professor and researcher at the ICB laboratory, on the microbiota of the mouth and its role in the perception of food aromas
- Florian Humbert on the main characteristics of Burgundy vines and wines and the dynamics of the Burgundy model, which is undergoing renewal in order to meet current challenges
- Christophe Breuillet on the future of collaboration between Burgundy and Kumamoto Prefecture on food and agrotechnology
Visit and inauguration under the patronage of Governor Kimura, highlighting the cultural heritage of the capital of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and its gastronomy
Professor Fabrice Neiers gave a presentation on taste and food in the heart of Kumamoto City, where daily events were held.
Conference by the editors-in-chief of the Japanese publishing house International Research Centre for Manga Studies at Kumamoto University, echoing the activities of the CPTC laboratory at UBE
Vitagora celebrated the fifth anniversary of the opening of its first international office in Kumamoto, marking five years of collaboration and exchange between France and Japan.
Beyond this very busy programme, this trip to Kumamoto was an opportunity to build a relationship of trust with our Japanese partners, opening the door to broader scientific collaborations in the future and student exchanges with a view to increasing our mutual appeal.
A huge thank you to our Japanese colleagues for their warm welcome and their willingness to build new scientific, educational and cultural bridges between Dijon and Kumamoto!