The theme for the 2025 Osaka Expo is 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives’, focused on saving, empowering and connecting lives. The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will be hosting a one-day event on the future of human wellbeing at the Dutch Pavilion in Osaka on Thursday, October 2nd.
The event will encourage a global conversation on creating a society based on wellbeing, which is an idea that connects strongly with Japan’s Society 5.0 vision–a super-smart society focusing on human wellbeing in socio-tech progress–and the Netherlands’ focus on maximising human potential through wellbeing.
The full-day event will bring together experts from various fields, policymakers, social entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to explore sustainable and scalable solutions for major global challenges. Through keynotes, pitches, interactive workshops, interactive exhibits, and a panel discussion, supported by digital tools, the event will produce valuable the basis for blueprints for new forms of collaborations and create new international partnerships.
VU Amsterdam at the Osaka World Expo 2025
Are you joining us in Japan?
It is already possible to sign up as an attendee
Programme October 2nd, 2025
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Morning programme
09:00 – 09.30 | Welcome and registration
09:30 – 09:45 | Welcome and opening remarks
- Welcome address on 'Building a society based on wellbeing' by Prof. dr. Meike Bartels, University Research Chair Professor in Genetics and Wellbeing at the faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences of VU Amsterdam.
- Opening remarks by Prof. dr. Jeroen Geurts, Rector Magnificus, VU Amsterdam.
09:45 – 10:30 | Pitches: Interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration on Dutch and Japanese perspectives on building a society based on wellbeing
Moderated by dr. Sandra Hasanefendic, Breakthrough Tech Innovation, VU Amsterdam
10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee break
11:00 – 11:20 | Keynote speaker
11:20 - 12:00 | Lessons learned: Recap from morning sessions
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Afternoon programme
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch break: Networking opportunity between attendees and speakers
13:00 – 14:30 | Interactive exhibit and demonstration of 'A society based on wellbeing'
14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee break
15:00 – 16.00 | Panel discussion on 'The future of wellbeing', moderated by Prof. dr. Bart Bossink, Science, Business and Innovation / Breakthrough Tech Innovation, VU Amsterdam
16:00 – 16:20 | Closing keynote by Prof. dr. Jeroen Geurts: Whole-of-society bridges for a society based on wellbeing via science equity and science diplomacy
16:20 – 16:30 | Closing remarks by Prof. dr. Meike Bartels: Summary and reflection on the day's insights and outlining future collaborative steps
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Networking reception
17:00 – 18:00 | Networking Reception (dinner will be served): Opportunity to engage with researchers, industry experts, and policymakers from the Netherlands and Japan for collaboration in health and wellbeing initiatives and next steps.
Profiles of speakers from VU Amsterdam
Organising committee
This event has been made possible by several colleagues from the International Relations Office and the University Library of VU Amsterdam.
Gagan Kaur
Project Leader for South and East Asia, VU-Japan Coordinator and VU-USRN coordinator
Maya Allister
Project Leader
Contact information
If you have any questions or suggestions about this initiative, please reach out to the organising committee.