IIT Hyderabad as a hub for Japan-India people-to-people exchanges
Hyderabad, 22 October 2024: IIT Hyderabad JAPAN ACADEMIC DAY 2024, held on October 21-22 in collaboration with JICA, successfully concluded as a part of Japan Month 2024, designated by the Embassy of Japan in India. A total of 72 participants from 15 universities and 6 organizations from Japan participated, including representatives from the Embassy of Japan, JICA, and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The event was honoured by the presence of Chief Guest Dr. HASHIMOTO Kazuhito, President of JST, Guest of Honor Mr. ARIYOSHI Takashi, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan and Mr. TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative of the JICA India Office. Twenty booths were set up on the IITH campus for students to learn more about universities, higher education, research opportunities, and scholarship information in Japan. Students, faculty members, and others also engaged in discussions with Japanese professors and representatives from universities about opportunities such as joint supervision, internships, industrial collaboration, and joint proposal writing.
Prof. BS Murty, Director of IITH spoke on this occasion, stating “IITH has a strong bilateral relationship with Japan since 2008. I am a strong believer that collaborations bring synergy for the mutual growth. Together, we can create wonders. I thank the Japan Embassy and Japanese Universities and organizations for coming forward to enhance collaboration and strengthen ties between IITH and Japan through education and research”.
Mr. Ariyoshi Takashi, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to hold Japan Academic Day at IITH and said “This wonderful event will be the start of a new joint research between IITH and Japan, as well as an opportunity for IITH students to studying in Japan. I recognize that one of the barriers to study in Japan is learning Japanese, but there are an increasing number of universities in Japan where you can obtain a degree in English only. In addition, Japanese research institutions have unique and world-leading technology, and there is a great potential for collaboration with IITH”. Highlighting the critical need for international cooperation in addressing global challenges like climate change and infectious diseases, Mr. Ariyoshi noted recent scientific achievements, such as India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission and Japan’s SLIM mission. He underscored the significance of human resource exchange to enhance India-Japan collaboration in science and technology. On this occasion, Mr. Ariyoshi introduced two people-to-people exchange initiatives being undertaken by the Embassy of Japan. First, there is the scholarship for government-sponsored students called “MEXT Scholarship”. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) provides Scholarships for students who wish to pursue a Masters or Doctoral Degree at a Japanese university. Second, the Embassy is currently accepting applications for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. It invites young people from overseas to contribute to foreign language education and international exchange work at Japanese local governments and educational institutions.
Mr. TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India, stated, “I believe that one of JICA’s most important missions is to deepen the multi-layered human exchange between India and Japan. India offers many attractions for Japan, including a huge market with a large number of young and talented individuals, excellent digital infrastructure and technology, and one of the world’s leading start-up ecosystems. Conversely, Japan possesses many qualities that are essential for India’s development, such as excellent research facilities, advanced technology, valuable knowledge, and a hardworking and meticulous work ethic etc. JICA aims to be a catalyst for Japan and India to leverage their strengths, complement each other’s weaknesses, and build many mutually beneficial relationships together.”
Participating Institutes from Japan included Gifu University, Hiroshima University, Hokkaido University, Kanazawa University, Kumamoto University, Kyoto University, Nagoya University, Nara Women’s University, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Ochanomizu University, Shibaura Institute of Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo City University, University of Tsukuba, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan Society for the promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), Embassy of Japan in India, JICA, Mobility and Behaviour Innovation Forum, Tech Japan.
The success of event highlights the shared commitment of IITH, JICA and Japan to enhance collaboration and strengthen ties between India and Japan, with IIT Hyderabad serving as the platform for India-Japan collaboration.
About JICA’s cooperation with IITH
The history of the India-Japan cooperation for IITH traces back to 2007. India requested support from Japan in establishing new IIT in Hyderabad, which subsequently became a commitment between Hon’ble Prime Ministers of India and Japan. JICA provided the loan amounting to JPY 23,035 million (around INR 1,500 crores) through two ODA loan projects signed on 28th January 2014 between the Government of Japan and Government of India to support construction of campus facilities and procurement of research equipment, which contributed to the set-up of around 21 buildings at IITH. 6 buildings of IITH were designed by the Japanese architects from the University of Tokyo under JICA’s technical cooperation project.
In addition, JICA and IITH are working together to establish Japan Desk for promoting mutual interactions, promoting joint research projects of IITH with Japanese academia and industries, and facilitating people to people exchanges by providing scholarship for study in Japan, under the ongoing technical cooperation project, FRIENDSHIP (Future Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad to Enhance Network Development with Scholarship).
About JICA
Established, by a specific law, as an incorporated administrative institution under the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aims to contribute to the promotion of international cooperation, as a sole Japanese governmental agency in charge of ODA implementation. JICA is the world’s largest bilateral donor agency. JICA works as a bridge between Japan and emerging countries, and provides assistance in forms of loan, grant and technical cooperation so that the emerging countries can strengthen their capabilities.
