University signs Memorandum of Understanding with Tokyo University of the Arts and National Center for Art Research, Japan
International partnership to foster interdisciplinary research collaborations and knowledge exchange
ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½, through Creative Manchester, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the “" at (TUA) — commonly known as the ART-based Platform for Co-creation — and the (NCAR), part of the National Museum of Art, Japan.
This notable three-way partnership is centred on creative health and will help to foster a deeper academic and cultural exchange between Japan and the UK in this area of research. It will form the basis for future research collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Greater Manchester (GM) is recognised as a national and world reference for creative health. Building on a long history of arts and health work, GM launched its Creative Health Strategy in 2022, with ambitions for GM to become the world’s first Creative Health City Region. The GM Creative Health Place Partnership continues to support the development and delivery of creative health activity across Greater Manchester.
As part of this MoU, the three partners (UoM, the ART-based Platform for Co-creation, and NCAR), will work collaboratively with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) GM Place Partnership, to strengthen international research collaborations.
The agreement will be formally signed in Tokyo on 23 May 2026, following the , at The National Art Center, Tokyo, where colleagues from ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ will present on creative health initiatives in Greater Manchester.
Whilst in Tokyo, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ and GMCA colleagues have been invited to speak at the , alongside academics from TUA and NCAR.
This special partnership with TUA and NCAR will drive forward research excellence in interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange, in the key area of creative health. The meeting in Tokyo next month will lay the foundations for this partnership, which will help us to accelerate the exchange of ideas and co-creation of solutions over the years to come.
Through the ART-based Platform for Co-creation at Tokyo University of the Arts, we conduct research on how the arts can contribute to addressing unwanted isolation and loneliness, and to fostering a society that supports both mental and physical wellbeing. We are delighted to establish this three-party agreement, and to share knowledge and insights toward this common goal.
This partnership creates an important opportunity to connect research, cultural practice, and communities in the field of creative health. By bringing together universities, museums, cultural institutions, and local government, we hope to develop new interdisciplinary approaches that link culture, health, and society, and to deepen international dialogue between Japan and the UK.
ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ is proud to work collaboratively with a number of renowned teaching institutions across the globe, with several partners located in Asia including Manchester-Chinese University of Hong Kong, Manchester-Ashoka University, Manchester O.P. Jindal Global University, Manchester-IISC Bangalore and Manchester-Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
The University collaborates with other institutions around the world at a faculty level through impactful MoUs, ensuring colleagues can collaborate with global peers in their field and access the resources they need to co-create cutting-edge research.
The Faculty of Humanities was a founding member of the Global Humanities Alliance, a partnership that includes the University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, University of Nairobi, Ashoka University, Mahidol University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½.
ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university – ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings – with a diverse community of more than 44,300 students, 12,800 colleagues and 585,000 alumni.