JICA Group Training

JICA Group Training aims to foster human resources in developing countries. JICA invites promising administrators, engineers, and researchers, and provides necessary knowledge and skills to the trainees.

There are several JICA training courses, and JICA Group Training is categorized as to help trainees to learn how to solve subjects common in developing countries.

Program Introduction

Toyohashi University of Technology (Toyohashi Tech) is located in the area where automobile industries have been developed and the related companies form the cluster.

Taking advantage of this location, we have designed and implemented the JICA group training course "Coordinator Training for Tertiary Education-Industry-Government Linkage to Develop Automobile Supporting Industry" for three years since fiscal year 2007.

On the basis of the experience and the achievements in the antecedent training program, we started a new JICA group training course called "Coordinator Training for Tertiary Education-Industry-Government (T-I-G) Link to Develop Local Industry Sector" in fiscal year 2010.

This new training program is designed to complete in three years, aiming to foster human resources who engage in the development of local industry sectors, not only automobile industries.

Program Objective

This training course aims to foster human resources as T-I-G linkage coordinators effectively and efficiently so that T-I-G linkage in developing countries will be promoted based upon basic knowledge and abilities concerned.

Period for Training

• FY2012: From September 30 (Sun) to November 10 (Sat) .

The numbers of trainees in countries

• FY2012: 2 (Indonesia) , 1 (Kenya) , 2 (Laos) , 1 (Lesotho) , 1 (Mexico) , 2 (Philippines) , 1 (Thailand) .

Course Contents in FY2012

Main Activities

Presentation of T-I-G activities in trainees' countries and institutions

Before coming to Japan, participants identified current conditions of T-I-G cooperation at his/her organization and summarized this information into reports referred to as "Inception report."

On the first day of the training, each participant made a presentation of Inception report in order to explain current conditions and problems concerning T-I-G linkage to lecturers of this course.

Lectures on T-I-G Linkage

To acquire and understand the concept of T-I-G linkage, the following lectures were conducted by experts in the field.

• Introduction of T-I-G Cooperation
  • Mr. Takeshi Murakami, Chiba University

• Introduction of U-I cooperation in Toyohashi University of Technology
  • Mr. Yoshihiko Ishida, Toyohashi Tech

• UIG Partnership of today
  • Ms. Chie Sato, Biztech Inc.

• UIG partnership, regional industry, and regional development (Case of Toyohashi)
  • Ms. Chie Sato, Biztech Inc.

As part of lectures on T-I-G linkage, participants visited Science Create Co. Ltd. for further understanding of U-I-G activities in Toyohashi-city.

Lectures on UIG linkage, region, society, and coordination there

Lectures on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Lectures of following subjects were delivered by Prof. Hiroshi Kato, Nihon University.

• International trends on IP
• IP policy by government
• IP strategy by company
• IP strategy by university
• IP management for UIG linkage
• IP management for local industry

Lectures for Industrial Needs Analysis Method and Industrial Needs and University Seeds Matching Method

The lectures are focused on technology transfer, coordination abilities to identify industrial needs and match university seeds, and further understanding of role of UIG coordinator through best practices of UIG linkage.

The lectures were conducted by Mr. Takeshi Murakami, Chiba University.

Practice of NEEDS-SEEDS Matching

Preparation for Company Visits

The participants collected data of companies(sales, profit, research budget, and products) through internet and companies' brochures.

NEEDS Survey at Companies

The participants visited two companies, Honda Electronics Co., Ltd. and BYNAS CO., LTD.

They discussed technical challenges of these two companies as well as visiting production lines in their plants.

NEEDS-SEEDS Matching

After the companies visit, the participants tried to find the most appropriate professors at Toyohashi Tech who had expertise and research experiences for companies' needs by using Toyohashi Tech academic staff database.

Then, the participants had a consultation with seeds professors in order to find the best solution to solve issues and challenges of companies.

Through the consultation, the participants organized ideas to solve companies' issues and formulated proposals for two companies.

Research Proposal to Companies

The participants made presentation to companies highlighting the solutions to their technical challenges.

The companies highly appreciated the proposals made by the participants.

Through these activities, the participants were able to understand systematic method of University-Industry cooperation that could be applied to universities in their countries.

U-I Linkage Success Story in Developing Countries -Report from University of Moratuwa using experience of this course-

In this session, Prof. Rahula Anura Attalage from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, introduced the project "Functional Enhancement of Faculty of Engineering in Developing Countries through University-Industry Cooperation" in MEXT International Cooperation Initiative Program which was conducted by ICCEED from 2007 till 2009.

He explained about the process and framework for accelerating U-I-G linkage activities. After the explanation by Prof. Attalage, the discussion was made among the participants, Prof. Attalage and other lecturers.

This session was very useful for the participants to formulate action plans.

Action Plan Presentation and Closing Ceremony

At the end of the training, the participants formulated and presented action plans for strengthening T-I-G Linkage in their respective countries and institutions.

After the action plan presentation, the participants received certificates at the closing ceremony.