India-Japan Study Centre

IIM Bangalore inaugurated the India-Japan Study Centre on campus, on 14th September ’17 to promote collaborative research between partnering Japanese institutes, industry and IIMB. The Chair of this Centre will be Professor D Krishna Sundar.

H.E. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India, and Mr. Takayuki Kitagawa, the Consul General of Japan in Bangalore, led a delegation to IIMB today to understand the goals of the newly launched India-Japan Study Centre and interact with the faculty body of the premier management school. Prof. Krishna Sundar, Chairperson, India-Japan Study Centre, gave the Ambassador and his team an overview of the India-Japan Study Centre.

“At a macro level, there are complementarities between India and Japan in the sphere of economic development. We have a lot to learn from Japan on infrastructure and technology management, and we can offer them insights on the start-up culture,” said Prof. G. Raghuram, Director, IIMB.

The relationship between India and Japan has bloomed in the last decade, with Japan making mega investments in India. Bilateral trade has doubled, which is a clear indication of the two countries’ growing interest in each other. In addition, Japan has announced a special financial package for Japanese companies wanting to invest in India for Make-in-India-related projects. India has also made a commitment to initiate some special benefits to attract investments in infrastructure and industrial townships set up by Japan in India. The Japanese Official Development Assistance supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors. With the signing of the MoU on civil nuclear energy, both the countries have exhibited that their cooperation goes beyond trade into strategically important areas.

The mission of the centre would be to promote understanding of Japan in India and India in Japan through research, teaching and policy outreach efforts.

Research

Strengthening ongoing individual faculty and institutional level collaborative research projects including faculty exchange, initiating new and focused areas of research and case studies for both Japan and India. Organizing international conferences, workshops and periodic seminars that would bring leading Japan specialists to the India-Japan Study Centre. These would be in domains such as business environment, government policies, innovation, project management, sourcing, technology transfer, development and management, sustainability, intellectual property rights, and understanding of local culture and business practices. The sectoral focus would be on infrastructure including energy and transportation, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Student Programmes

Dual degree programmes with Hitotsubashi University and other universities, customized electives and immersion programmes for exchange students of the partnering universities.

Executive Programmes

For Indian and Japanese policy makers, executives and entrepreneurs with partnering Japanese institutes to be offered in Japan and India. Apart from management topics, the focus would include languages and cultural immersion.

(L-R: H.E. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India & Mr. Takayuki Kitagawa, Consul General of Japan in Bangalore, at IIM Bangalore; Prof. Krishna Sundar, Chairperson, India-Japan Study Centre, gave the Ambassador and his team an overview of the India-Japan Study Centre; Prof. G. Raghuram, Director, IIMB, launched the Centre’s web pages)