Abu Dhabi-UAE: 22 January, 2014 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, and the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) today signed an agreement, setting the collaborations for the annual internship program.
The agreement was signed by Ms. Masako Kishimoto, Vice-President of JICE, and Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2014 that is organized in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. H.E. Nasser Ahmed Alsowaidi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, His Excellency Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economic, Trade and Industry of Japan, and His Excellency Yoshihiko Kamo, Ambassador of Japan in the UAE, were present on the occasion.
The agreement further enhances the collaborative relationship between Masdar Institute and JICE to implement the annual internship program together. JICE will provide orientation in Japanese culture and language, while final presentations by students will be conducted in Abu Dhabi. Also from this year, academic faculty will be assigned to work with industries on the internship objectives for each student in each segment. This will enable students to work on those industries relevant to their research areas and the outcome will be directly beneficial to their research work at Masdar Institute.
Ms Masako Kimoto, Vice President of JICE said: “The agreement with Masdar Institute further strengthens our existing collaboration arrangements. We have already worked together to lead human resource development efforts through the internship program. We hope the agreement will make the program even more relevant to Masdar Institute’s students and help them develop new capabilities.”
Dr Fred Moavenzadeh said: “The agreement is an outcome of successful partnership with JICE on student internship for two years. By sending the students to Japan where the industry has more technology-intensive companies, we are offering the right exposure to our students. This will encourage them to learn from pioneering innovators and streamline their research thesis to make it more relevant to their focus areas.”
According to the agreement, Japanese industries will work with faculty and receive students’ applications for interview and final selection. The coming year is also expected to have more than one application for each internship position and the selection will be conducted by the industries/companies.
Masdar Institute and JICE have already been cooperating on summer-based internships for the past two years. The program is also supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The first internship program stretched from 27 May-9 August in 2012, while the second annual program ran from 18 May-19 July 2013. A total of five UAE national graduates participated in the first year, while seven took part in the second year’s internship program.
There have already been other collaborations in human development. Toyota Motor Corporation, winner of the 2010 Zayed Future Energy Prize, established the Masdar Institute-Toyota Scholarship in 2011. The scholarship is designed to promote opportunities for students to work on projects in the area of technologies for sustainable development. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to a first year student in any one of Masdar Institute’s MSc programs. In addition to the usual Masdar Institute benefits, the scholarship recipient is provided with a special two-week ‘Japan Experience’ arranged by the Toyota Motor Corporation.
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.
Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
