June 06, 2016
May 17, 2016 (Japan time 18 days), we inaugurated the University of Aizu Silicon Valley offices in Mountain View, California. (See photo)
The opening ceremony was held in the free and open atmosphere, reflecting features of the hacker dojo ", i.e. place of meeting-up and place of creation of ideas", venture entrepreneurs and innovators having a membership in hacker-dojo gathered together, and attendees from the University of Aizu introduced the approach of the university, and asked the cooperation and assist for the students to be dispatched to the site in summer training program. Then, information and opinions about the research and development environment were exchanged in the hacker dojo. (See photo)
The University is going to make good use of the office. In addition to the implementation of the overseas training programs and distance lectures from Silicon Valley to the University of Aizu, exchange and cooperation between the UoA and Universities in Silicon Valley area will be enhanced in the future.
A local Japanese engineer has been invited to be the manager of the office, who will give instructions/ guidance to the students of summer training program, collect information related to the education, and dissemination of UoA research achievement, etc.
Dr. Ryuichi Oka, the President of UoA said his impression on the ceremony:
"It is great significant to open the office for education and training in the place where state-of-the-art technology and human resources gather, since our university is working on the development of human resources that can be active in the international community. It's sure to be a new step towards further growth of the University. "
Since January of this year, we have set up a preparatory office for opening University of Aizu base in silicon valley in "hacker dojo", where investors, entrepreneurs, and researchers are working for various projects and discussing ideas.
In September last year, a training program was conducted for a period of 2 weeks in this hacker dojo. Four university students and one graduate participated in this training program. The participants developed prototypes which combines software and hardware related to IoT (Internet of Things). They also showed their prototypes in a meet up meeting. In addition, they also visited the Stanford University, some famous companies, and start-up and investment companies. Based on this experience, we plan to dispatch 10 students this year. The Super Global Promotion Office will continue to support the future activities, such that students learn actually making products in the areas of the world's most advanced ICT industry, and show the research results to this areas.
