Masdar Institute and Japan International Cooperation Centre set collaboration framework for annual internship in Japan

Abu Dhabi: Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the Japan International Cooperation Centre (JICE) yesterday signed an agreement, setting the collaborations for the annual internship programme. The agreement was signed by Masako Kishimoto, Vice-President of JICE, and Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2014 that is organised 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. Nasser Ahmed Alsowaidi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economic, Trade and Industry of Japan, and 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. 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. - Emirates News Agency, WAM