The opening ceremony of the “Project of Enhancement of Engineering Higher Education in Myanmar” at which six national Japanese universities (Chiba, Niigata, Kanazawa, Okayama, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto), along with Kyoto University, participated as the supporting universities was held at Yangon Institute of Technology, Myanmar on October 4.
The project which is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to nurture engineers who will contribute to the industrial development and the infrastructure of Myanmar by supporting the improvement of educational content and teaching methods, providing research guidance by dispatching Japanese faculties in Myanmar, and further supporting short-term training in Japan and the acquisition of PhD degrees by Myanmar faculty members.

The participants of the ceremony were presidents and vice presidents of seven Japanese universities, the Minister of Science and Technology of Myanmar, presidents and vice presidents as well as faculties and some students of Yangon and Mandalay University (approx. 250 people).

The President of Nagasaki University, Shigeru Katamine gave an inspiring speech on behalf of the six Japanese universities, “We hope to contribute to the strengthening of research capacity and education of Yangon and Mandalay Technological University through rallying the competence of excellent faculties who flourish in the various fields of science and technology.”
From the afternoon, a commemorative lecture was held by two Japanese academic staff (Professor Kurokawa of Nagasaki University, Professor Nonami of Chiba University) which attracted a large number of faculty and students who were keen to gain further knowledge and skill in the Japanese engineering field.