It's Japan calling at IIT Hyderabad

For the year 2016, JICA announced 10 PhD scholarships to students who wish to take up research in the areas of science, technology and engineering in Japan

Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IITH) is fast making Japan a favourite destination for its students. The institute has a collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and under the JICA-Friendship project, aims to enhance and broaden the scope of education and research.

IITH expects the Japanese expertise will help its students work in advanced laboratories in Japan and thereafter get jobs in Japanese companies.

"Japanese companies are keen on hiring Indian students. Working in collaboration with the universities there increases students' chances for landing a good placement at these companies," says IITH Dean, Academics, Prof Faiz Ahmed Khan.

There are over 1,200 Japanese companies in India as of October, 2014, in the areas of automobiles, electronics and heavy machinery, according to the University of Tokyo India Office.

The governments of both India and Japan had entered into a pact in 2008 for collaborating in the development of IIT at Hyderabad in specific areas of research and in construction of buildings. JICA is providing financial support of Rs 1,336 crore to the institute including for development of a research centre, technology incubation park and an international convention centre on its 576- acre campus that is coming up near Hyderabad in Medak district of Telangana.

Last year, JICA provided scholarship to 10 IITH students to pursue research at various Japanese universities. For the year 2016 too, it has announced 10 PhD scholarships to students who wish to take up research in the areas of science, technology and engineering at nine leading universities of Japan, including University of Tokyo.

"This scholarship project will enhance research network between higher education institutions, industrial clusters of Japan and IITH, whereby both can work towards educational and research excellence," says Khan. Till now, 37 students from IITH have availed themselves of the scholarship. The programme started with scholarship to six students in 2012 for Master's/PhD at a Japanese university.

Hiroshi Yoshino, director - University of Tokyo, India office, says, "Only 25 per cent of the young Japanese population is interested in science," indicating Japan's preference towards Indian students.

The scholarship entails a monthly allowance of 145,000 yen (nearly Rs 80,000) excluding admission and tuition fees among others, for those pursing higher studies at University of Tokyo. Yoshino says this is sufficient for a student as the cost of education is much less in Japan when compared with the UK and US.

On Wednesday, a one-day academic fair on the IITH campus highlighted opportunities for research and study at various Japanese universities. Faculty from Japanese university shared with students the scope for applied research and study at their universities.