NEWS

On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, Professor Masanori FUJITA (College of International Management) hosted the final presentation session for the Semiconductor Global Business Management Talent Development Program.

As Japan works to strengthen its semiconductor industry, cultivating advanced engineers is essential—but equally important is developing business leaders with global perspectives and strong management skills. Leveraging APU’s strength in multicultural learning, and despite not having science or engineering departments, the university launched this original program in 2025 to nurture talent from Kyushu capable of contributing to the global semiconductor business.
The program ran from July through September in collaboration with 16 companies and organizations, primarily in Oita Prefecture, and attracted around 20 undergraduate and graduate students. Participants gained practical insights into supply chains, business strategies, and the realities of the fast-evolving semiconductor industry through lectures by leading experts and site visits to local companies.

At the final presentation session, students formed four groups and presented proposals based on the topic of “The Future of Silicon Island Kyushu in the Global Arena.” Their ideas reflected diverse perspectives, including the importance of early education and outreach to deepen understanding of semiconductors among young students; the role of cultural and community engagement in supporting industrial development such as factory attraction; and strategies for advancing from established areas of strong demand into cutting-edge technologies. In the discussion that followed, students and invited guests exchanged candid views on working in the semiconductor industry. The guests highlighted the value of cross-sector collaboration and innovative thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries and expressed high expectations for the flexible, global mindset that APU cultivates in its students.

Implemented as an extracurricular program under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)’s “Multicultural Campus Project Towards Social Impact”, the program was carried out in collaboration with industry, local communities, and academia, representing a significant step toward nurturing the next generation of leaders in Japan’s semiconductor industry.