As challenges faced by developing countries have become even more difficult and complicated, partnerships with universities are indispensable for proceeding with international cooperation initiatives because of their extensive and advanced knowledge. JICA promotes partnerships with universities through various approaches. These range from the participation of universities in JICA's research projects and studies on international cooperation and in technical cooperation projects in developing countries to the acceptance of students from these countries.

In recent years, JICA has been stepping up such partnerships to accept more foreign students. JICA hopes that JICA scholars* who have studied in Japan will become leaders in their homelands and, by extension, help to maintain and strengthen friendly relations between Japan and their countries over the medium and long term. In fiscal 2020, arrangements were made for 89 Japanese universities to accept JICA scholars in their masters and doctoral courses. JICA has already concluded a cooperation agreement or memorandum of understanding with 38 of these universities to strengthen and promote partnerships.

In fiscal 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for JICA scholars to come to Japan as scheduled. Following consultations with the Japanese government, however, 1,211 JICA scholars were allowed to enter Japan from the fall of 2020. Of them, 571 have already come to Japan. JICA strives to prevent infections by conducting statutory and government-ordained health monitoring of these students immediately after they have arrived at a Japanese airport.

JICA Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP)

Sharing Japan's modernization experience and lessons learned from its development cooperation

JICA Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP) offers JICA scholars the opportunity to learn about Japan's modernization and development experiences, which differ from those of Europe and the United States, and its wisdom as a country that provided cooperation toward the progress of developing countries after World War II. Under JICA-DSP, JICA scholars take two kinds of programs: (1) the common program offered by JICA on Understanding the Japanese Development Experience and Understanding Japanese Local History and Development; and (2) Development Studies Programs Offered by Various Universities, a set of class subjects offered by each recipient university. Through these two kinds of programs, JICA scholars learn about Japanese expertise and experience and put them to good use for the development of their countries back home, thus generating a virtuous cycle.

Japan is the first country that has modernized from a non-Western background to establish a free, democratic, prosperous, and peace-loving nation based on the rule of law, without losing much of its tradition and identity. At the same time, Japan has extensive experience of development cooperation through ODA toward Asian and other countries, most of which have achieved remarkable socioeconomic progress. JICA-DSP shares both Japan's modernization experience and lessons learned from the process of its development cooperation with future leaders from partner countries who will lead the progress of their countries.

JICA Program for Japanese Studies (JICA Chair)

Expanding JICA-DSP abroad

In order to offer partner countries the opportunities to learn about Japan's modernization and development cooperation experiences, JICA started the JICA Program for Japanese Studies (JICA Chair) in fiscal 2020 in collaboration with leading universities in these countries. The JICA Chair supports these universities in establishing courses or programs of Japanese studies that explore such experiences through delving into Japanese history and culture, which lie behind the experiences.

The JICA Chair is made up of two parts: (1) Short Intensive Lectures, which involve, among other things, dispatching lecturers from Japan and offering “Seven Chapters on Japanese Modernization,” a video teaching material coproduced by JICA and the Open University of Japan; and (2) The JICA Chair of Japanese Studies, which also entails conducting joint research activities and providing research and education opportunities in Japan for young researchers. Partner countries can select or combine relevant tools according to their needs and the availability of resources.

JICA scholars visiting the Kasumigaura City Museum of History in Ibaraki Prefecture as part of the programs titled Understanding the Japanese Development Experience and Understanding Japanese Local History and Development. JICA accepts foreign students in many research clusters whose networks are a valuable asset for both Japan and their countries. It is hoped that after studying in Japan, these students will play a significant role as leaders with a great affinity toward and knowledge of Japan in their respective fields after their return, fostering a long-lasting bilateral relationship between each respective country and Japan.

Modeled after a course on Japan studies at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil

The JICA Chair originated from JICA's cooperation with the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil. In December 2018, JICA concluded a memorandum with USP and established the Fujita-Ninomiya Chair, which conducts research on Japan's modernization and development experiences. This program led to the establishment of a course on Japan's modernization and development experiences at the Faculty of Law and a graduate school of USP. This course involves lectures, discussions, and research on a wide range of topics, including developments in Japanese law as well as international comparative studies. The course is sponsored by many supporters, including Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

In fiscal 2020, USP and Meiji University co-organized an intensive series of 10 lectures as an extension of this course. Going forward, JICA plans to invite young researchers and students at USP to Japan.

Short intensive lectures on Japan studies in collaboration with the University of Jordan

During fiscal 2020, with the gracious support of Her Royal Highness Princess Raiyah of Jordan, short intensive lectures were presented at the University of Jordan under the JICA Chair. These lectures were given by, among other lecturers, Dr. Kitaoka Shinichi, President of JICA, and Dr. Itami Hiroyuki, President of International University of Japan. Participants actively exchanged views based on “Seven Chapters on Japanese Modernization.” Princess Raiyah noted that during modernization, Japan had retained its own unique culture and value system while incorporating ideas and technologies from outside the country, indicating that Jordan could effectively use these facts as a reference in her country's further development.

JICA will continue to promote the JICA Chair as part of its efforts to develop future leaders of developing countries and increase the number of such leaders with a great affinity toward and knowledge of Japan.

*JICA scholars here refer to participants from developing countries who are enrolled in degree programs at Japanese universities under certain frameworks, including technical cooperation; the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS), a Grant; and the Scholarship for Japanese Emigrants and Their Descendants in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For more details on the JICA Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP) and the JICA Chair, visithttps://www.jica.go.jp/dsp-chair/english/index.html.