The JU Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs, Prof. Andrzej Mania went to Japan on the invitation of the Tokyo Foundation and took part in the meeting of the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF). The conference, held on 8 - 11 December 2014 was also attended by Dr hab. Radosław Rybkowski.

The meeting focused on issues related to the administration of funds that since 1987 have been awarded by the Nippon Foundation to member institutions of SYLFF network from all over the world.

The participants accepted the proposal to organize the SYLFF Fellows conference, aimed at bringing the scholarship recipients closer together. About 15 thousand MA and PhD students of humanities and social studies have already taken part in the programme, including 261 people from the Jagiellonian University. 

After the conference, Prof. Andrzej Mania met with the authorities of Waseda University, including Prof. Norimasa Morita, Ph.D. (Vice- President for International Affairs), Prof. Kazuo Kuroda, Ph.D. (Dean of International Affairs), Mitsunori Marutani  (Administrative Director) oraz Akihito Niiho (International Office). The details concerning the student exchange and research collaboration with the Jagiellonian University were discussed at the meeting.

The Jagiellonian University has been a member of the SYLFF Network since 1992 and is among the best administrators of the fund. The Jagiellonian University SYLFF Steering Committee is chaired by Prof. Andrzej Mania.