On October 21, 2021, Asian Satellite Campuses Institute (ASCI) held the Online Entrance Ceremony for two new students of Transnational Doctoral Programs for Leading Professionals in Asian Countries, who have been successfully admitted to the Graduate School of Medicine. They are Dr. Souphaphone Sadettan, Director of International Relation Division, Cabinet of Ministry of Health, Lao PDR, and Dr. Zuura Dolonbaeva, Head of the Program Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Health and Social Development, Kyrgyz Republic. 
 
The ceremony started with the opening remarks by Prof. Kazuhito Kawakita, Vice President of Nagoya University. He mentioned the international activities of Nagoya University, such as Global 30 International and Joint Degree Programs, and ASCI. He welcomed the new PhD students.

H.E. Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health, Lao PDR, congratulated their admission with a video. He himself is a graduate of Transnational Doctoral Programs for Leading Professionals in Asian Countries in 2018. He deeply appreciated this course. H.E. Dr. Djangaziev Bakyt, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development, Kyrgyz Republic, celebrated their admission, emphasizing the importance of the network between Kyrgyz Republic and Japan through the programs like this. Professor Akira Yamauchi, Director of ASCI, addressed the achievements and current activities of ASCI, providing the whole view of ASCI.

Professor Kenji Kadomatsu, Dean of Graduate School of Medicine, explained that this successful PhD program is eligible for only the graduates of Young Leaders’ Program. He introduced that eight high-rank officers including H.E. Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith from this PhD course of Graduate School of Medicine are contributing to their mother country after the graduation.  

Dr. Souphaphone Sadettan and Dr. Zuura Dolonbaeva expressed their gratitude to this program and expressed their wish.

After a photo session, the ceremony was concluded by Prof. Eiko Yamamoto, Department of Healthcare Administration, who has the responsibility to both Young Leaders’ Program and this PhD course at Graduate School of Medicine. This ceremony symbolized their good start in the PhD course.