A 1988 University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa agreement with an Okinawan university was reaffirmed by both schools in January 2020.
Campus leaders from UH Mānoa and University of the Ryukyus met to re-sign an agreement between the sister schools. It encourages continued faculty and staff collaboration, student exchange programs and the exchange of academic materials and publications.
There have been several highlights over the past 32 years, most notably, the establishment of the UH Mānoa Center for Okinawan Studies in 2008, which focuses on Okinawa-related issues and research interests. The University of the Ryukyus also honored UH with a pair of Shisa (traditional lion dog guardian) statues, which were installed on Maile Way next to Hamilton Library.
UH Mānoa has sent 13 students to the University of the Ryukyus and 25 students have come to UH Mānoa from Okinawa to study. Currently, UH Mānoa has one University of the Ryukyus student studying this year, who is taking classes in the School of Travel Industry Management. Mānoa International Exchange plans to nominate a student for an exchange in the academic year 2020–2021.
- Related UH News story: Okinawan university and UH celebrate 30 year partnership, October 15, 2018
—By Marc Arakaki
