Global Students’ Idea Factory 2025 Outline

Overview of the Global Students’ Idea Factory 2025

The Global Students’ Idea Factory aims to bring together graduate students from diverse backgrounds to tackle social issues with a global perspective through research and collaboration. It targets approximately 10 participants each from three groups: international and domestic students studying in Japanese universities, and graduate students from overseas institutions. Application is open to students from any academic field, and participants will be selected based on the originality of their submitted research ideas and its potential impact on social issues, screened by the selection committee.

This project is supported by JICA and the Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle (S&TDC). 

Posters will also be displayed at universities, and several online information sessions will be held to engage prospective participants.

The program begins with an in-person workshop, where students will present their ideas, experience teamwork in an interdisciplinary context with global colleagues, and collaborate to translate their research ideas into a concrete project proposal.

The program culminates in a final event with presentations and an award ceremony, involving key stakeholders.

Schedule

1. Call for application
 ⅰ. Application deadline31 January (23:59 JST) 2025
 ⅱ. Selection of participantFebruary 2025
2. In-person WorkshopMarch 2025 (two days)
We will provide details directly to participants.
3. Global Workshop (online)April – June 2025
4. Final PresentationAugust 2025

*All dates and times are Japan Standard Time.

Venue

In-person WorkshopJICA Ogata Research Institute Conference Center (Tokyo)
Final PresentationHybrid
(In-person venue: Considering as a side event of the TICAD 2025 in Yokohama (TBD))

Participation fees

None

Note: The host (JAAS) will pay for transportation and accommodation for attending the venue in Japan. The route for calculating transportation expenses shall be determined by the host.

Selection of participants

20 applicants will be selected based on a document screening process (10 Domestic graduate students and 10 international graduate students). Although applicants will be selected solely on the basis of ideas proposed, consideration will be given to the diversity of participants.

-Screening criteria-

  • Attractiveness and interest of research ideas to address social issues with a global perspective
  • Clear description of the links between the proposed research idea and the targeted social issue
  • Enthusiasm for teamwork in an interdisciplinary context with global colleagues

Note: The selection of participants will be made by the Selection Committee by consensus based on the assessment criteria and the evaluations of the individual jury members.

Awards (Final Presentation)

JAAS will award prizes to the team with outstanding final presentations, including the JAAS Award and the Cooperating Organization Award.

-Currently planned awards and supplementary awards-

  • JAAS Award(Certificate and trophy)
  • Cooperating Organization Award (Certificate)

-Screening criteria-

  • Attractiveness and interest of the project proposal
  • Originality of the research idea
  • Enthusiasm
  • Potential of the project and its future development
  • Team work

In-person workshop

In-person workshop will be held at a training facility in JICA Ogata Research Institute Conference Center (Tokyo) in March 2025 (detailed dates will be provided later on the web site). 

The aim of this workshop is to incubate project proposals to address social issues by mobilizing students’ research ideas, identifying 5-6 specific challenges, and forming a team for each challenge. Students are invited to work in teams to develop an initial idea/proposal that addresses social issues with a global perspective, make a presentation of the proposal, and consider the way forward to the final presentation.

In addition, participants will deepen their team building skills and knowledge through interactions with JICA and other supporting organizations. 

Please look forward to interacting with enthusiastic domestic and international students!

Global Workshop (online)

After the in-person workshop, we will propose two online meetings to further improve the initial project proposal within your team. For this phase, an additional cohort of 10 international students abroad will join the teams.

Final Presentation

In August 2025 (detailed dates will be provided later on the web site), final presentations on the research proposal, research plans, and future prospects will be made at a venue in Tokyo. Oral presentations will be made by each team.

Host



Cooperating Organization



Supporting Organization

Donation



Download

Global Students’ Idea Factory 2025 Application Guidelines (PDF)