Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) collaborated with the Department of Japanese Studies from the University of Dhaka to organize the 4th JICA Chair Lecture titled ‘Educational Development in Modernization of Japan.’ The event was recently held at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, University of Dhaka.
Dr. KAYASHIMA Nobuko, Senior Research Advisor of JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development, delivered the keynote speech. At the outset, she highlighted the historical development of the Japanese education system and explained the competitiveness of education worldwide. From the Edo period to the Meiji restoration to the present times, she explained how Japan’s government emphasized the increase of primary to tertiary education. The speaker also outlined how foreign teachers, mainly from Europe and America, had been brought to educate the Japanese. In addition, she emphasized the benefits of the government’s initiative of sending their bright students abroad to receive education and how these people later contributed to the development and modernization of Japan. She stressed the need for quality education and sustainable development in any country while highlighting the localization of foreign knowledge.
The program was graced by Mr. Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, Honorable Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, as Chief Guest. He stressed the need to learn from Japanese educational development. He appreciated how Japan has emerged as a modernized country by developing its education by bringing globally renowned faculty members from Europe and the USA and sending Japanese students to other countries to utilize them in national development. He also outlined the recent initiatives that the current government took to develop education in the country from primary to tertiary.
Mr. ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, Chief Representative of the JICA Bangladesh Office, joined as a Special Guest. In his address, the Chief Representative of the JICA Bangladesh Office thanked all concerned, including the Department of Japanese Studies, for making the seminar a success and mentioned that the JICA Chair Seminar is just the beginning of its support to Bangladesh in graduating to the middle-income country.
Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam, Chairman, Associate Professor, Department of Japanese Studies, University of Dhaka, delivered the introductory remarks. He thanked all stakeholders, including JICA and research scholars, for their gracious participation.
The event was chaired by Professor Dr. A. S. M. Maksud Kamal, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Dhaka. In his concluding remarks, he stressed the vocational education of the country. He asked all the students to learn about technology to tackle global challenges and contribute to the country’s development. He congratulated the Department of Japanese Studies and JICA for organizing the seminar.
Department of Japanese Studies would like to be the hub of all Japanese endeavors in Bangladesh to strengthen bilateral relations, ultimately contributing to Bangladesh’s development. The seminar was moderated by Mr. Shiblee Noman, Assistant Professor of the Department of Japanese Studies, University of Dhaka. More than 500 academics, researchers, development professionals, and students have also attended the seminar.