On January 17 2018, Hiroshima University signed an MOU with 6 institutions from India including the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) about “JAPAN-INDIA International Linkage Degree Program for Developing Innovators Transforming Advanced Technology to Social Goals”.

The signing ceremony was held at the International Conference Center Hiroshima (Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi) with approximately 70 people including Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ray, Director of Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur (IIEST-S) and other university representatives in attendance. In his opening remarks, HU president Mitsuo Ochi said that he hopes that HU and partner institutions from India will share and develop new knowledge and technologies together, thus making our growing partnership an engine for sustainable growth in this globalized world. Following the opening　remarks, Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, and other special guests delivered an address.

After representatives from each of the participating institutions joined together in a signing ceremony, the kick-off symposium entitled “Globalization of Education, Science and Research: The University Experience” was held, where they enthusiastically discussed their future education and research exchanges, based on the common issues faced by both countries, as well as the contents of their MOU.

This program was adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for the 2017 Inter-University Exchange Project (Re-Inventing Japan Project). Over the next 5 years, to develop innovators who will form a bridge between Japan and India, we will be offering three new interdisciplinary fields: “Smart Infrastructure Development”, “New Energy”, and “Environmental Sustainability”, all of which will encompass the common issues faced by Japan and India, while simultaneously proceeding with the mutual educational and academic exchange by exchanging a number of undergraduate and graduate students from both countries.