International Strategy

International Cooperation

Kyushu University is actively engaged in international cooperation for developing countries in cooperation with development assistance organizations such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

1. Strategic Cooperation Agreement

In June 2005, Kyushu University signed a cooperation agreement with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in the field of overseas economic cooperation, and in November 2006, it signed a memorandum of understanding on partnership with the Kyushu International Center of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Based on these, in September 2010, JICA president (then Dr. Sadako Ogata) and the President of Kyushu University (then Dr. Setsuo Arikawa) signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which has been renewed twice since then.

The purpose of this agreement is not only for improving the quality of international cooperation projects, but also making international contributions, and contributing to academic research and education development in Kyushu University.

Through the framework based on this agreement, it is expected to contribute to solving global issues by utilizing JICA’s practical experiences in development fields as well as Kyushu University’s theoretical and practical knowledge accumulated as institutions of research and education.

2. Technical Cooperation Projects

Kyushu University participates in various technical cooperation projects under Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) in developing countries. There are several modalities of technical cooperation, such as (i) dispatching Japanese experts to developing countries to disseminate necessary technologies and knowledge to partner country government officials and engineers (“Dispatch of Experts”), and (ii) inviting competent personnel responsible for development of respective fields and sectors in developing countries, to join training programs in Japan and to provide knowledge and technologies needed in their home countries (“Acceptance of Training Participants”). “Technical Cooperation Projects”, which optimally combine the “Dispatch of Experts,” “Acceptance of Training Participants” and/or provision of equipment are the core operations of technical cooperation under Japan’s ODA. For details, please refer to the following link.

Technical Cooperation Projects

The major “Technical Cooperation Projects” in which Kyushu University has participated are as follows.

(1) Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology(E-JUST)

Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) is a governmental Egyptian university built in partnership with Japan in New Borg El-Arab City in Alexandria for postgraduate and undergraduate programs. It is a mutual cooperation between the Egyptian and Japanese governments for the purpose of having a long standing partnership between the two countries to promote human development in the region and worldwide. Collaborating in growing, and developing educational partnerships with Egyptian and Japanese universities, E-JUST is unique for its advanced academic specializations that enhance the exposure of its students to a spectrum of best academic and research experiences.

Kyushu University, as an Executive Steering Member of Japanese E-JUST Supporting University Committee (JSUC) comprised by 13 universities, has strongly supported to promote the E-JUST Project by assisting education and research activities of the Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE), Department of Electric Power Engineering (EPE) and Department of Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering (CPE), through dispatching Japanese professors, acceptance of Egyptian faculties, conducting joint research activities, introduction of double-degree program and so on. Furthermore, Kyusyu University established the Center for Japan-Egypt Cooperation in Science and Technology (E-JUST Center) on its campus in 2010 for supporting E-Just Project.

About E-JUST Center

For details about E-JUST, please refer to the following links.

E-JUST web-site
E-JUST Project

(2) Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology(MJIIT)

Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) is an academic institution established under Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to introduce Japanese-style engineering education. Based on an agreement between Japan and Malaysia in April 2010, the Institute opened in September 2011. The objectives of the project were to provide the Institute with materials and create an educational curriculum for a Japanese-style engineering education, and to develop human resources with the practical, state-of-the-art technological research and development capacity that is needed in industry. Thereby, it aimed to contribute to economic and social development in Malaysia with strengthened international competitiveness.

Kyushu University supported MJIIT project to establish Department of Mechanical Precision Engineering and laboratory of electronic microscope. In particular, for the commencement of laboratory of electronic microscope, Kyushu University dispatched professors specialized in this field for assisting in selection of necessary equipment, guidance on operation and maintenance, and research methods using electronic microscope. As a result, the laboratory has been developed and is now utilized not only by researchers of MJIIT but also among private companies in Malaysia.

For details about MJIIT, please refer to the following links.

MJIIT website

(3) The Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network Project(AUN/SEED-Net)

The Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network (SEED-Net) Project was officially established as an autonomous sub-network of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) in April 2001. The AUN/SEED-Net project aimed at promoting human resources development in engineering in ASEAN for the region’s sustainable economic development. The Network consists of 26 leading institutions from 10 ASEAN countries and 14 leading Japanese Supporting Universities. Currently, the project in Phase 4 (2018-2023) is being implemented.

Kyushu University, as one of the members of Japanese Supporting University Committee (JSUC), has supported the AUN/SEED-Net project for more than 20 years, through dispatching Japanese faculties as mission members or short-term experts, acceptance of academic staff of the ASEAN member universities for short-term or long-term training in Japan and so on. The academic network among member universities in ASEAN and Japan, based on such long-term cooperation, has largely contributed to promotion of international collaborative research and education activities in Kyushu University.

For details about AUN/SEED-Net, please refer to the following links.

AUN/SEED-Net website
AUN/SEED-Net Project

3. Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)

SATREPS is a Japanese government program that promotes international joint research. The program is structured as a collaboration between the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), which provides competitive research funds for science and technology projects, and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), which provides competitive research funds for medical research and development, and JICA, which provides development assistance (ODA). Based on the needs of developing countries, the program aims to address global issues and lead to research outcomes of practical benefit to both local and global society.

For details about SATREPS, please refer to the following link.

About SATREPS

The major SATREPS projects in which Kyushu University has participated are as follows.

4. JICA Partnership Program

The JICA Partnership Program (JPP) is a technical cooperation program implemented by JICA to contribute to the social and economic development of developing countries at the grass-roots level in collaboration with NGOs, universities, local governments, and public corporations.

For details about the JICA Partnership Program, please refer to the following link.

JICA Partnership Program

The major JICA Partnership Program in which Kyushu University has participated are as follows.

5. ODA Scholarship Program

Kyushu University has accepted many international students from developing countries under scholarship programs supported by Japan’s official development assistance (ODA).
The following are the major scholarship programs by Japan’s ODA.

(1) Major scholarship programs under Technical Cooperation

(2) Major scholarship program under Grant Aid scheme

(3) Number of scholars

The number of scholars that have been accepted in Kyushu University under these scholarship programs is shown in the following table.
(Unit: person)

JFY(*) Technical Cooperation JDS
2015 44 20
2016 37 22
2017 66 18
2018 56 20
2019 72 27

(*)Japanese Fiscal Year
Note: Those newly entered the university in each JFY are counted for the respective number of scholars.

6. Other Activities

(1) JICA Training in Japan (Knowledge Co-Creation Program)

JICA Training in Japan, which was renamed to “JICA’s Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP)” in 2015, is one of the technical cooperation that JICA carries out in Japan. The KCCP has offered training courses in various issues to developing countries based on their needs and requests. Invited participants are expected to bring back the knowledge and skills that they obtained through the program so that it will eventually contribute for the social and economic development of their own countries. The programs cover various issues such as hospital management, local government administration, traditional agricultural technique, advances scientific technology and so on.

For details about JICA’s Knowledge Co-Creation Program, please refer to the following link.

JICA’s Knowledge Co-Creation Program

Kyushu University conducted“International Group Training Course on Geothermal Energy”in 1970 and since then it has implemented JICA training programs in the field of geothermal energy for around 50 years. The recent implemented program is as follows:

Intensive Training for Geothermal Resource Engineers (JFY2019 – JFY2021)

(2) Training Program for Nikkei Communities

There are currently more than 3.6 million Japanese emigrants and their descendants (Nikkei) living around the world making important contributions in many fields in each country and their presence plays a key role as a partner and as an intermediary between Japan and the countries where Nikkei reside.
JICA training program for Nikkei communities aims at supporting nation building in their respective countries and promoting cross-border, people-to-people exchanges. In 2018, the scope of eligible participants, heretofore limited to Nikkei, was expanded to include people who are expected to play a leading role in linking Japan with Nikkei communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For details about training program for Nikkei communities, please refer to the following link.

Training program for Nikkei communities

Kyushu University has conducted training programs for Nikkei communities in medical and health care fields, mainly at the Kyushu University hospital. The most recent Nikkei training programs conducted are as follows.