JAYSES 2012: Expanding the horizons of young Asian scientists and engineers with a visit to the Philippines

An opportunity for a picture in front of Honda Philippines, Inc.

Tokyo Tech's Mariko Tanaka asking a question to Prof. Pulumbarit (University of the Philippines), at the Intellectual Property Office.

Many international friendships were created during the study visit.

This year's JAYSES (Japan-Asia Young Scientist and Engineer Study Visit) took students from Tokyo Tech and other universities in Asia to Manila, in the Philippines. The program has been organized by Tokyo Institute of Technology since 2007 and offers students an opportunity to learn about different aspects of a country's science, industry, education and governance, while forming friendships and networks across Asia.

The theme of JAYSES 2012 was "From Asia to the World"-- a topic that was the at the center of discussions between. This year there were 15 participants from Tokyo Tech, nine from the Philippines (De La Salle University, University of the Philippines Diliman), five from Indonesia (Institute of Technology Bandung, University of Indonesia), and six from Thailand (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi).

As with last year, the Japanese students had pre-visit sessions, including an introduction to the country and a safety briefing. This year's sessions were even more active than 2011, with the students meeting regularly to study and present their discussions. Throughout the ten-days in Manila, all the students learnt about different aspects of the Philippines, and reflected on their own countries and their place in South East Asia and the wider Asian region.

After visiting Filipino companies, Japanese companies located in the Philippines, JICA projects, universities and government departments related to education and intellectual property, the students gave group presentations on a topic of their choice, reflecting their most significant concerns, after gaining first-hand knowledge of the country. They discussed education, sustainable societies, technology and innovation, working ethics and environments, and the importance of countries putting aside differences and uniting together in Asia.

The visit to the Philippines ended with students receiving a certificate of participation, many photographs, and tearful farewells. JAYSES yet again proved that a relatively short study visit can be deeply significant to all participates--opening eyes and expanding international experiences.

Further information:http://www.jayses.ipo.titech.ac.jp/2012/top_e.html