On Thursday, June 4, a delegation led by Michael Blyth, British Consul General in Osaka, visited Suzaku Campus. The visit was arranged to encourage members of the Ritsumeikan University Track and Field Team who were scheduled to participate in the 3rd FT Nikkei UK Ekiden in the United Kingdom on June 12. In addition to Consul General Blyth, representatives from ASICS Japan, which supports the UK Ekiden, also attended. Representing Ritsumeikan were President Yoshio Nakatani, Vice President Sayaka Ogawa, members of the Track and Field Team, students preparing to study abroad in the UK, and students who had previously studied there.

The UK Ekiden, which was established in June 2024 to commemorate the 100th running of the Hakone Ekiden, aims to further strengthen UK–Japan relations while promoting ekiden relay racing culture in the United Kingdom. Ritsumeikan has participated in the university category as a guest team since the second event in 2025, and it won the race in its debut appearance.

The first part of the program featured a send-off ceremony for the athletes competing in this year's UK Ekiden. Speaking on behalf of the team, long-distance captain Yura Arata (4th year, College of Sport and Health Science), expressed appreciation for the visit and reflected on lessons learned from last year's race. He also shared the team's aspirations, stating, "We hope to communicate the appeal of ekiden to students in the UK."

Consul General Blyth encouraged the athletes, saying, "In addition to experiencing an overseas race, I hope you will enjoy the invaluable opportunity to interact with your fellow students." President Nakatani expressed his gratitude for the visit and told the athletes, "Competition is important, but I also hope this race will serve as an opportunity for cultural exchange."
During the gathering, Kojiro Yabuta (4th year, College of Sport and Health Science) presented Consul General Blyth with the Track and Field Team's 100th anniversary commemorative T-shirt and a relay sash. The session concluded with a commemorative photo in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

The second part of the visit featured a discussion between Consul General Blyth and Ritsumeikan students who were scheduled to study abroad in the UK and those who had previously studied there. They exchanged views on UK–Japan relations, higher education, and future prospects for the international community. Consul General Blyth asked each student in turn about their motivations for studying abroad—and, for those who had returned, what they had learned in the UK—and the students spoke about their personal experiences and future goals.
The students expressed a range of interests such as wanting to pursue research at a British graduate school and gaining a deeper understanding of UK–Japan cooperation in advanced technologies and industrial strategy. In response, Consul General Blyth told them about scholarship programs and internship opportunities, making the discussion a valuable occasion for students to think about their futures.

Under its R2030 Academy Vision, Ritsumeikan is committed to creating new knowledge and value through engagement with the international community while advancing global education and research. Going forward, we will continue to strengthen cooperation with overseas partner schools and expand opportunities for international exchange as we work to cultivate global talent.