Summer Internship Team of Five Future Leaders in Africa

We are pleased to provide an update from the “Scaleout Way Project.” In 2023, we once again welcomed summer interns and explored new possibilities in the context of international cooperation. This year’s internship included the participation of five graduate students from various African countries, including Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt, who are currently enrolled in Japanese universities. They actively engaged in our operations in the internship program.

While previous internships were primarily conducted online, we were fortunate to see a slight improvement in the prolonged pandemic situation. Consequently, this year’s internship was held in a hybrid format, combining both online and offline activities in Osaka and Yokohama over a span of two weeks.

Diverse internship Journey: a Step toward Collaboration for a Better International Society

Through interactions with the participating students, we had a valuable opportunity to immerse ourselves in the diverse cultures and situations of their respective countries. Some of their sessions were recorded and are available in the following videos. Our primary tasks revolved around discussions on the potential of new business ventures, detailed planning involving market research and technological investigations. Furthermore, we had the privilege of visiting a leading domestic company with advanced technology to solving various problems (special thanks to those who collaborated with us).

Meet Our Inspiring Interns: Personal Stories and Aspirations with the Introduction of Home Countries

Below are the introduction videos of the participants who appeared on the online live broadcast show, “Oggy Live Today”:

About the “Scaleout Way Project”

The “Scaleout Way Project” is dedicated to promoting collaboration between Japan and other countries for win-win situations, and in cooperation with JICA/JICE, provides internship opportunities in Japan for students from overseas studying in Japan to gain real business experience in Japan. It is also intended to create new business opportunities through human exchange in an enjoyable environment where Japanese can also learn more about overseas countries.

This internship builds upon the previous initiatives (since 2021) and continues to evolve. For example, a new design was created as a follow-up to the “Peace Door” image designed by a previous intern and used in the Oggy Live Today show.

Acknowledgment to the JICA/JICE Team

We have conducted the internship through hosting the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) program that assists international students. We highly appreciate the JICA/JICE members, especially Mori-san (middle left in the photo) from JICE (Japan International Cooperation Center, the contractor of the JICA program), who provided meticulous support from the preparation phase to the final presentation.

We are delighted to have had the chance to meet new friends, discover fresh ideas, and contribute to international cooperation efforts. We look forward to striving for concrete results in the future. Thank you all for your support.