Nine UAE National Masdar Institute Students Complete Six-Week JICE Internship in Japan

Five Japanese Corporations Provided Clean Technology Study and Immersion for JICE Internship Program Members

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 17 July, 2015 – The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced that nine UAE national students have completed the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) annual six-week internship program in Japan.

The annual JICE summer internship program for Masdar Institute students is intended to provide advanced learning opportunities in the latest research and development in the field of clean technologies. The program also aims to offer the interns a closer understanding of the social and work culture in Japan, one of the world’s most technologically innovative countries.

Masako Kishimoto, Vice President, JICE, said, “Students from Masdar Institute displayed enthusiasm to learn advanced technologies during their stay here in Japan. We are delighted that our earnest efforts at JICE continue to contribute towards human development in the UAE, while strengthening ties between the two countries.”

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said “The collaboration with JICE for the internship program aims to develop talented youth who have the right capabilities to contribute towards the UAE’s economic progress. We thank the government and private organizations in Japan that have helped the nine Emirati students to learn about clean smart technologies in a professional environment.”

Sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI), the program is organized by JICE. A total of five Japanese corporations – including Chiyoda Corporation, JGC Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, and Yokogawa Electric Corporation – collaborated with JICE to offer the internship to the nine students.

The first stage of the internship began in Abu Dhabi on 12 April with an orientation lecture and Japanese language lessons. A pre-departure orientation held in Abu Dhabi on 23 April helped prepare the group for a meaningful cultural immersion during their six-week field internship in Japan.  The actual internship experience took place in Japan from 17 May to 26 June.

Students learned about the latest technologies and interacted with professionals in the corporate sector. Chemical Engineering student Mohamed Al Ghailani interned with JGC Corporation along with Noora Abdulrahman, a student in the Engineering Systems and Management Program. Two Engineering Systems and Management students Mouza M. Al Kaabi and Hessa Ali Al-Ali interned with the Yokogawa Electric Corporation, while Electrical Power and Engineering student Mohammed A. AlShehhi and Ammar Said Abdullah Al Raisi interned with Chiyoda Corporation. Computing and Information Science student Aishah Al Yammahi, and Mechanical Engineering student Abdulla AlShehhi, interned with Mitsubishi Heavy, while Electrical Power Engineering student Ahmad Nasser interned with Mitsubishi Electric.

At Yokogawa Electric, Al Kaabi learnt about the utilization of cutting edge automation technology used in manufacturing measurement devices. Her training covered the Japanese electrical engineering and software company’s own software and coding language such as Centum – an integrated production control system, and ADSuit. Both are used for distributed control systems.
 
Al Kaabi said “Being exposed to the advanced manufacturing methods at Yokogawa Electric Corporation factory taught me the true value of optimization. Additionally, the attention to detail that remains a great asset of the Japanese way of work, inspired me to seek greater quality in my investigations and tests.”
 
Alshehhi focused on photovoltaics (PV) plants design and layout during his internship with Chiyoda. In addition, the visit offered him an opportunity to learn about technologies such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), floating LNG (FLNG), superconductivity, concentrated solar power (CSP), and SPERA Hydrogen – a large-scale hydrogen storage and transportation system.
 
AlShehhi said, “Through the knowledge I have gained, I will aim to increase my country’s reliance on renewable energy, especially CSP and PV systems, since the country has high Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI). Also, I will contribute to making decisions on the right type of PV systems suitable for the country and estimate the power generation for the next 10-20 years. But individually, I learnt a lot more about punctuality, being independent, need for adequate planning, team-work and communications skills during my visit to Japan.”

Ammar Al Raisi, who also interned at Chiyoda, said that the internship offered him a rich experience not only with regards to technologies but even culture. He added that the internship has expanded his knowledge and expertise especially in renewable energy fields, while helping him to stretch the options for pursuing new areas for his PhD.

Abdulrahman interned with JGC Corporation, where she learned more about the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies and energy saving techniques for more sustainable living.

Abdulrahman said “The most unforgettable day in Japan was the site visit to Kitakyushu Smart Community. This is a ‘Smart City’ project in Japan that targets four major cities with varying populations, geographical and industrial backgrounds to reduce their emissions through a number of policies and technologies. Despite the air pollution and water contamination created by the big industries, they were able to transform the city into a sustainable one. A most notable aspect of this city is ‘demand response,’ which estimates the next day’s power supply and demand.”