From 16th to 24th January 2017, two students, Omar Shahjalal Shantonu (13321034) and Fairooz Zafar (13110033), from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of BRAC University participated in the JENESYS 2016 program in Japan. During this 9-day long program, the 15 students selected from Bangladesh as the Youth Ambassadors had the opportunity to visit two public universities: University of Utsunomiya and The University of Electro-Communications where they had first participated in a keynote speech that described about the on-going cutting edge researches in Japan and was followed by tours to their research laboratories to observe and to experience: Prosthetic arms, Biomedical Health Monitor (an ongoing project in collaboration with Samsung), Quad Copters and Futuristic Touch Sensitive Television Screens.
The following day the students were invited to the Tochigi Prefectural Government’s headquarter where they were greeted by a speech from the Director of the Tochigi Prefecture. In response to his speech, Omar Shahjalal Shantonu (BRACU), on behalf of the countries Bangladesh, Bhutan and India, delivered a reply speech and later concluded the program by initiating the exchange of token of appreciation between Ms. Tushita Chakma, Assistant Secretary- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bangladesh and Mr. Norio Suga, Director of International Revision- Tochigi Prefectural Government.
In the weekend, a visit to the KDDI OYAMA Data Center, Japan’s giant telecommunication operator, was arranged. Here, the students had the privilege to observe their Server room, Power station, Switching station and Disaster management schemes. Later in the evening, a visit to the NTT History Center of Technologies was also arranged where they had initially watched a documentary and then toured the facility that walked them through the technological advancement that Japan has achieved over the last 100 years.
On the final day of the program, a presentation session was held where ambassadors and representatives of the 7 SAARC nations: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka from their respective embassies in Japan were invited. Omar Shahjalal Shantonu (BRACU) was selected to represent Bangladesh and commence the presentation session along with his co-presenter Lhakpa Wangmo Thingh from Bhutan. Their presentation was highly acknowledged and appreciated by the ambassadors and the student members of the other SAARC countries.
After the presentation session, Mr. Sachiko Yamano, President Japan International Cooperation Center, awarded both Omar Shahjalal Shantonu and Fairooz Zafar with certificates in recognition to their participation in the JENESYS 2016 program.