The Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) Abu Dhabi Office proudly announces the successful culmination of its summer internship program. Thirteen Emirati students recently completed internships at seven esteemed Japanese companies and a university. Coordinated by JICE, these internships were designed to develop Emirati talent in the fields of chemical, electrical, mechanical, engineering, petroleum engineering, and renewable energy.

The unique eight-week internships provided participants with work experience and research opportunities at Japan’s technological companies, along with cultural immersion. The interns also underwent Japanese language classes.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, JICE has been implementing the Internship Program for Emirati university students since 2012. The 2023 program aimed to expand its scale by accommodating more interns and hosting companies while diversifying its contents.

In its 12th year, the internship program has hosted over 100 Emirati students to date. This year’s cohort included 13 students from institutions like Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU), Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), and Zayed University (ZU). Internship experiences varied: entirely in Japan, in the UAE, or a combination program with four weeks in Japan and four weeks in the UAE.

Hosting Japanese organizations included Daikin Middle East and Africa FZE, HORIBA, Ltd., INPEX CORPORATION, JFE Steel Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation, Takenaka Seisakusho Co., Ltd., and Yokogawa UAE Industry – Sole Proprietorship LLC.

The program’s goal was to benefit participants and establish industry-academia collaboration under the UAE-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative. The program started with online introductory courses, including basic Japanese language skills and business etiquette. After the internships, students are preparing for a final reporting session on August 9th, where they’ll present their research and experiences. The certificate of completion for the program will be awarded during the event.

Mr. Tokuya Kanamori, Managing Director of JICE Abu Dhabi Office, praised the program’s success, hoping to develop human expertise and ties between the two countries.