Principal Denise Lievesley launches Alumni Chapter in Japan at Tokyo reception

Green Templeton College Principal Denise Lievesley hosted a reception for alumni, friends and supporters in Tokyo as part of the University of Oxford’s Meeting Minds in Asia Alumni Weekend.

The evening reception, held at the spectacular Happo-En, took place on Friday 22 March, welcoming former students, fellows from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and other college friends.

Addressing the attendees, Denise said: “I am delighted to be back in Tokyo and to see so many of you here this evening: not only alumni, but also a number of current students and friends of Green Templeton.

“Having spent most of my childhood in this region it is lovely to come back home.  I welcome the fact that we have alumni from Green and Templeton Colleges as well as from the merged Green Templeton, and that there are several alumni of the Reuters Institute, too.

“We hope that you will all deepen your connections with the college this evening and over the months ahead. In order to strengthen the Green Templeton network in this region I am so pleased to announce the launch of a Chapter in Japan.”

The Green Templeton College Alumni Chapter in Japan will be led by Nathan Ramler. A group has been created on Facebook for the Japan Chapter for anyone wishing to join.

The Chapter’s purpose is to bring together alumni who have shared the Green, Templeton or Green Templeton experience, and provide networking opportunities and events throughout the year. The Chapter will also keep its members informed of news and developments from college, and discuss how they might be able to support current students in preparation for, and during, their time at Green Templeton.

Meeting Minds in Asia began on Friday 22 March with college and departmental reunions arranged for the evening, following a day of organised walking tours open to attendees.

The Meeting Minds Conference took place at the Toranomon Hills Forum on Saturday, where Denise chaired a panel called The Science Behind Living Longer.

The panel participants were Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health, and Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology, both from the University of Oxford, who discussed Oxford research that is helping to develop further understanding about how and why life expectancy varies around the world.

Denise attended a celebration dinner at the Happo-en on Saturday evening, where alumni and their guests joined the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor to mark another successful alumni weekend.

The next Meeting Minds Alumni Weekend will be held in Oxford in September 2019. Green Templeton College will be taking part and details will be announced in due course.