IGNITE (Institute for Global Network Innovation in Technology Education) held the 1st IGNITE seminar on 24^th July, 2017 with 26 participants composed of academics, administrative staffs and college students.

IGNITE invited Dr. Nobuko Kayashima, Deputy Director of JICA Research Institute. She delivered a lecture about "Research on Universities Initiatives for participation to Japan's Official Development Assistance Projects through introduction of case studies of Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT) , "based on her doctor thesis.

The lecture showed TUT's decision making methods and participation process to ODA projects from a historical angle by the analysis of bibliographic surveys and interviews to academic staffs concerned. It also presented what kinds of merits and impacts have been provided to TUT and its academic staffs by the participation in ODA projects.

Dr. Kayashima's comparative research of TUT and other Universities gave attendants of seminar more clear and unique features of TUT's involvement in International Cooperation. Attendants and Dr. Kayashima exchanged their opinions about how to utilize the ODA projects as facilitator for globalization of universities.