University of Glasgow Connect

Building on legacy to reinvigorate links with the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo’s School of Engineering was founded in 1873 by University of Glasgow alumnus Professor Henry Dyer, pioneer of modern engineering and technical education. Recent events have renewed the longstanding historic ties between the University of Glasgow (UofG) and the University of Tokyo (UTokyo). Today, our partnership continues to grow in strength and significance.

A testament to this enduring partnership is the Henry Dyer Symposium, an event that serves as a platform for sustained academic exchange and to share recent innovative engineering research. The symposium reflects the shared vision of both institutions: to address global challenges through collaborative research excellence.

Milestones in the Glasgow-Tokyo partnership

Building on the Henry Dyer Symposium held in Glasgow in 2019, a University of Glasgow delegation visited Tokyo in 2024 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of UTokyo’s School of Engineering. The visit was a catalyst for new collaborative symposia, research proposals in quantum technologies and semiconductors, and the renewal of our institutional Memorandum of Understanding.

In May 2025, the University of Glasgow welcomed a delegation from the University of Tokyo for another Henry Dyer Symposium. The highly successful one-day research event showcased the pioneering engineering research at both institutions.

The symposium was organised by Dr Adam McKenzie of the University of Glasgow, whose talk focused on the legacy of Henry Dyer and the enduring UofG-UTokyo connection. The wider historical and cultural ties between Scotland and Japan were also celebrated through a presentation by Dr Saeko Yazaki from the School of Critical Studies at the University of Glasgow, and the attendance of Mr Masataka Abe, Consul of Culture at the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh.

A partnership of historic depth and future promise

Plans are now under discussion for continuing the Henry Dyer Symposium as a regular event, with the location rotating between Glasgow and Tokyo, aimed at enabling sustained collaboration between the two universities, and Scotland and Japan more widely.

A new Memorandum of Understanding between our two institutions, has paved the way for further sustained collaboration and research exchange in the future. From student and staff mobility to joint funding bids, to industry collaboration, particularly in cutting-edge areas such as photonics, quantum science, and semiconductors and beyond, are all identified as priority sectors by both the UK and Japan.

Professor Kostas Kontis, Dean for Global Engagement (East Asia), University of Glasgow, said: “The partnership between the University of Glasgow and the University of Tokyo is one of historic depth and future promise. Rooted in the pioneering legacy of Henry Dyer, our collaboration today spans advanced research, innovation, and academic exchange.

“This symposium reaffirms our shared commitment to tackling global challenges through engineering excellence and meaningful international engagement.”

Legacy of pioneering UofG alumnus Professor Henry Dyer (1848-1918)

The University of Glasgow’s Dr Adam McKenzie has worked to highlight the legacy of Henry Dyer during the 150th anniversary School of Engineering celebrations at the University of Tokyo, as well as at the 2025 symposium in Glasgow.

About Professor Henry Dyer

Professor Henry Dyer (1848-1918) played a pivotal role in reforming engineering education in Japan, and his visionary approach helped drive the country’s rapid industrial modernisation.

Dyer graduated from UofG with a BSc in Engineering in 1873, having studied under William Rankine and William Thomson, Lord Kelvin. In the same year, he was appointed as founding Principal and Professor of Civil Engineering at the Imperial College of Engineering (ICE) in Tokyo, at Rankine’s personal recommendation. At ICE, Dyer led a group of eight British academics, who made up the College’s first professorial staff, in driving sweeping reforms of technical education in the country, producing a new generation of Japanese engineers.

Professor Dyer pioneered a revolutionary approach to engineering education, which helped to drive the modernisation of Japanese industry in the following decades. Dyer’s philosophy, which placed equal importance on theoretical and practical learning, is now the foundation for all modern engineering education globally, and he is celebrated in Japan for both this and his contribution to building the modern Japanese state.

This shared legacy has reinitiated conversations around international recognition of Dyer’s achievements and impact and provided a catalyst for developing the values he exemplified—global thinking, practical application, and a belief that education is the engine for progress—or strengthening the relationship between UofG and UTokyo.