Experts In Hyderabad Call For Stronger Academic Ties

HYDERABAD: Only about 1,600 Indian students are studying in Japan, speakers said at a seminar in Hyderabad on Monday, as they pushed for stronger academic and youth links between the two countries.The seminar, ‘Youth and Academia Powering India-Japan Relations’, was organised at St Ann’s College for Women as part of the 75th year of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Conversations moved between geopolitics, campus opportunities and lived experiences in Japan, giving students a grounded sense of what studying or working there actually involves. Sanjay Pulipaka, chairperson of Politeia Research Foundation, said the relationship between the two countries had moved beyond diplomacy into a strategic space. “India and Japan are, in many ways, altering the balance of power in Asia,” he said, pointing to cooperation in infrastructure and technology. He added that stronger student movement is necessary if this relationship is to deepen. “If we don’t understand our partners, how do we work with them in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment?” Masayuki Taga, diplomat and former consul-general of Japan, Visiting Professor at Gifu Women’s University and director of the Japan India Association, brought the focus back to the classroom and said students needed to move beyond memorising answers.“The focus is shifting not just on what answers you find, but on what questions you ask, and why,” he said. He urged students to build curiosity and read about cultures, recalling Rabindranath Tagore’s observation that the Japanese “do not waste their energy on pointless arguing” and value restraint. Details on study pathways came from professors of several universities like Kyoto University and Hiroshima University, both with high world rankings. Dr Sushil Raut of Hiroshima University, an Indian faculty member, said the institution already has a diverse international student base. “We have more than 2,000 international students from more than 100 countries,” he said. He spoke about programmes ranging from short-term exchanges to full degrees, and pointed to the MEXT fellowship. “You do not have to pay tuition fees. They also provide travel support and a scholarship,” he said, adding that living costs in Hiroshima are lower than in larger cities. Industry perspective came from M. Kishore, director at Satven, Hiroshima, who spoke about work culture and demand. “The beauty of the Japanese language is that the culture is integrated into it. If you learn the language, you learn the culture,” he said. He pointed to sectors such as healthcare, AI and automotive engineering as areas with demand and added, “If you learn the language well, your job is safe till retirement in Japan.”



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