f o rt he

PACI FI C

Leader Development Program for a Sustainable Future

Japan International Cooperation Agency

The SDGs Global Leader Program
The Paciﬁc Island countries (PICs), which are connected to

Educational Assistance for Development of State

Japan by the Paciﬁc Ocean, share much in common in terms(Paciﬁc-LEADS). This decision was made in recognition of theof how they organize their societies and their customs. These

importance of training the young people who will carry out

commonalities are believed to originate with people-to-people

vital roles in their countries' futures in terms of mitigating andexchanges dating back long ago.

overcoming the vulnerabilities of PICs and their region.

Since the Meiji Era (1868-1912), many Japanese people

The leaders of the participating countries agreed to focus

have traveled to the islands as migrant laborers. Today, theon the following areas at PALM7: (1) disaster risk reduction;

people of Micronesia, which was once a Japanese mandate,(2) climate change; (3) the environment; (4) people-to-people

use an especially large amount of goods and words of

exchanges; (5) sustainable development; (6) oceans, maritime

Japanese origin. It is also said that over 20% of Micronesians

issues, and ﬁsheries; and (7) trade, investment, and tourism.

possess some Japanese ancestry.

During the 2016-2018 ﬁscal year, JICA accepted participants

By exchanging opinions with PICs about their issues, Japanfor Paciﬁc-LEADS in recognition of the importance of training❶ Pacific-LEADS
Acceptance period: FY2016-2018
Participants accepted: More than 100 in total over three years
To learn more about our past initiatives,
please visit the following website ▶
https://www.jica.go.jp/english/countries/oceania/Pacific-LEADS.html

01❷ SDGs Global Leader (Pacific)
Pacific-LEADS became SDGs Global Leader (Pacific)
out of the need for solutions to the increasingly
complex and sophisticated issues accompanying
economic growth, while also maintaining that growth ina sustainable and high-quality manner.

Graduate School

Program Overview

Graduate School

through this program.

training program for each country: Paciﬁc Leaders'③

University Master's/
Ph.D. Programs

Graduate School

Leader. To date, JICA continues accepting many participants

Government of Japan announced that it would initiate a new

Graduate School

Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM7), held in 2015, the②

Individual
Programs

Graduate School

were combined into a worldwide program: SDGs Global

Science andTechnology,
Innovation

Graduate Schoolﬁscal 2019, overseas study programs for individual regions

security and prosperity for the region. At the 7th Paciﬁc

SocialDevelopment

Graduate School

solutions to the various issues facing PICs, and pursued

Economics

Graduate School

people-to-people exchanges are an area of importance. Since

Politics, Law

Graduate School

Also at PALM8 in 2018, Japan and the PICs agreed that

At PALM, leaders have worked together to explore

Academic areas

Understanding the Japanese Development Experience

Graduate School

through diplomacy and strengthened their mutual bonds.

①
Common Program

Graduate Schoolﬁfth area of focus: (5) sustainable development.

JICA Development Studies Program

Graduate School

vulnerabilities of PICs and their region as it pertains to the

PALM, Japan and the PICs have made policy decisions

https://www.jica.go.jp/jica-dsp/english/index.html

Graduate School

countries' futures in terms of mitigating and overcoming theMeeting (PALM), a triennial summit held since 1997. ThroughFor more details on JICA Development Studies,
please visit the following website ▶

Graduate School

countries. A prime example is the Paciﬁc Islands Leaders

Development Experience”, an online/intensive program JICA oﬀers withpartner universities (Common Program). The other is “Development
Studies Programs Oﬀered by Various Universities” (Individual
Programs). Individual programs are managed within the master/Ph.D.
courses of each university to supplement its regular courses.

Graduate School

the young people who will carry out vital roles in their

In the JICA Development Studies Program (JICA-DSP), JICA
partners with Japanese universities that are working toward thesame goals. Talent from developing countries come to Japan for
education and research in specialized ﬁelds. They also learn
about Japan's modern development experience, which diﬀeredfrom that of Western countries, and about Japan's knowledge as adonor after World War II. These studies are conducted in English.
Thus, talent from the developing world gain a systematic
understanding of Japan that they can take back home and use to
make their country's development more eﬀective. SDGs Global
Leader is a course provided by JICA under the JICA-DSP for
encouraging cooperation for the sake of sustainable development
around the world.
JICA runs JICA-DSP as part of the government's oﬃcial
development assistance (ODA) for students (also called JICA
scholars) in academic degree programs at Japanese universities
who are training in Japan under the framework of JICA's humanresource development projects.
JICA-DSP consists of two programs. JICA scholars complete a
master's or Ph.D. program oﬀered by their university and also
complete one or both of the two JICA-DSP programs.
One of our main programs is “Understanding the Japanese

Graduate School

has continued to build close relationships with these

The JICA Development Studies Program& SDGs Global Leader

Message from the President
Japan is the ﬁrst country that has modernized from a
non-Western background to establish a free, democratic,
prosperous, and peace-loving nation based on the rule oflaw, without losing much of its tradition and identity. In
that sense, Japan could serve as one of the best examples
for developing countries to follow in their own
development. At the same time, Japan has extensive
experience with development cooperation through oﬃcial
development assistance (ODA) toward Asian countries,
most of which have achieved remarkable socio-economic
progress. By sharing Japanʼ s experiences and lessons
learned through its modernization and development
cooperation, Japan can lead development studies globallyand thereby contribute to sustainable development.
By deepening the understanding of Japan's
development history and experience through the JICA
Development Studies Program, I hope that theparticipants will use their knowledge to contribute totheir own countries' development. Furthermore, I greatly
expect that the participants who have studied in Japan
will play a signiﬁcant role as a leader back home and will
foster their countries' long-lasting relationships withJapan. Since PICs historically have close ties with Japan,
I hope the SDGs Global Leader program can build strong
bonds that extend to their younger generations in theregion as well as Japan.

President,
Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA)KITAOKA Shinichi02

Features of SDGs Global Leader

SDGs Global Leader Overview & Status
Research and learning at high-level Japanese universities

Countries are now required to develop sustainably and achieve high-quality growth while solving various development
issues that become increasingly complex and sophisticated due to economic growth. SDGs Global Leader develops skilled
talent who will contribute to policymaking and address issues in their countries. These issues concern administrative andpublic policy, as well as economic and ﬁscal policy, to promote development cooperation toward achieving the SDGs.
They also concern social development, such as education and health, as well as science and technology.

Applicants who seek to receive a master's degree or Ph.D. through SDGs Global Leader should apply to enter auniversity that has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the acceptance of participants with JICA.

1 Objectives

Strengths of SDGs Global Leader (Attentive Support)
Arrival orientation

Regular follow-up

Once participants arrive in Japan, they receive an orientationfrom JICA Headquarters and JICA Domestic oﬃces as part of
support to help them settle into their lives in Japan and deepen
their understanding of the course concept.

Through regular follow-up and monitoring, both JICA anduniversities closely support participantsʼ lives and studies in Japan.

Ideally within a year after arriving in Japan, JICA works withpartner universities to expose participants to the progress ofJapan's modernization and history of development. The scope goesbeyond the university framework.
In this program, participants study in English to gain a deeper
understanding of Japan's development experience in specialized ﬁelds.

1. To develop high-level human resources who would
contribute to appropriate policy decisions and theirimplementation for tackling political and developmental
issues in respective ﬁelds.
2. To establish and maintain positive mid- and long-term
relations between the target countries and Japan.

Special networking programs for
SDGs Global Leader participantsCommon Program：
Understanding the Japanese Development Experience2 Duration

A couple of times a year, JICA holds special programs andevents for SDGs Global Leader participants to strengthen networks
among the participants, JICA and universities.

3 Status*The bachelor's program is available for students from the Paciﬁc.

4 Requirements(Participants by region)
2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Southeast Asia

24

33

43

43

43

Paciﬁc

17

22

30

30

30

South Asia

7

7

5

5

5

Middle East and Europe

0

1

3

3

3

Central and East Asia

4

4

7

7

7

Africa

1

59

60

75

75

Latin and Caribbean

2

11

10

10

10

Follow-up program
After participants return to their home countries, JICA keeps intouch to maintain the network between participants and JICA. JICA
overseas oﬃces continue to assist participants in any self-started
projects (joint research and academic exchanges, etc.) to beundertaken by participants in their organizations as consulted byalumni. Information on JICA projects and events is also provided by
JICA among Paciﬁc-LEADS/SDGs Global Leader alumni.

In principle, 2 years for a masterʼs program and 3 years fora Ph.D. program (depending on the program oﬀered by theuniversity).

1. Junior or mid-level government oﬃcials, researchers,
private-sector professionals, etc. expected to help
formulate and/or implement policy for achieving the
Sustainable Developmental Goals.
2. Age: Under 40 as a general rule.
3. Educational Background: Completed secondary education(or other education program of at least 12 years induration) for the bachelor's degree program. Hold abachelorʼs degree for the masterʼs degree course and amasterʼs degree for the Ph.D. course as requisite
qualiﬁcations.
4. Language: Adequate English language proﬁciency tocomplete the programs.

*Figures from FY2021 to FY2023 are estimates.

Advantages of Studying in Japan
Understanding various sectors in Japan
An understanding of the needs of diﬀerent sectors of society is a requirement for solving the policy issues weface. Through the JICA Development Studies Program, SDGs Global Leader provides an opportunity to study Japan's
modern development experience, which diﬀered from that of Western countries, as well as to learn from Japan's
knowledge as a donor after World War II. This fosters a unique perspective from other study abroad programs.

Provision of internship opportunities
JICA provides opportunities for internships at governmental institutes, companies, and elsewhere to enrichparticipantsʼ academic and personal experiences during courses in addition to their university studies.
Understand strategy and administration at Japanese government agencies, local governments, research
institutes, companies, etc.
Obtain meaningful knowledge for addressing development issues in participants' home countries and regions
Build a network of contacts in Japanese industry, government, and academiaInternship success stories
Participants & practical studies
Addressing social issues
In an internship involving deeper practicalstudies through image analysis of drone
photographs, visits to sewage treatment
facilities, and sewer design, a participant
noticed the lack of water and sewage systems
outside urban areas in their home country.
After returning, the student decided to make awater resource management proposal to agovernment organization.

03

SerbiaAfrica49 Sub-SaharanAfrican countries

North Macedonia(Applicants from Africancountries should refer to“General Information for All
Applicants on A: Masterʼs
Degree and Internship
Program of African Business
Education Initiative for Youthand B: SDGs Global Leadership
Program FY2020”)

Georgia
Armenia

Middle Eastand Europe

TurkmenistanAzerbaijan

East andCentral Asia

Cutting-edge technological development
There was an internship at a laboratory where
members came from over 14 countries, and where morethan 70% of employees were from foreign countries.
Participants experienced cutting-edge technologicaldevelopment in a global company atmosphere where
English is the language used at work. The internship wasof mutual beneﬁt for both sides because theparticipants' research work was helpful to thelaboratory, which later hired some of the students.

Participants & industry-academia joint research
Developing skilled talent
At a company conducting joint research between
industry and academia, an internship oﬀered a curriculum
to study Japanese culture and customs, as well as 3D CAD
software techniques for producing models and drawingsand designing parts and machinery. Many from the company
said that the project was beneﬁcial to them because they
were impressed by the advanced skills and adaptability ofthe excellent participants, and that they found major
inspiration from these future leaders of industry.

Nepal

Bangladesh

South Asia

BhutanMyanmar
Laos

ThailandSri Lanka
Maldives

Participants & global companies

Eligible countries and regions

Tajikistan

Pakistan
Iran

Mongolia

Southeast Asia

Vietnam
Cambodia

Philippines

Malaysia
Indonesia

Federated Statesof Micronesia

Palau
Papua New Guinea

Timor Leste

Latin America
Bahamas
Haiti
Dominican Saint Christopher and Nevis
Jamaica
Antigua and Barbuda
Republic
BelizeDominica Federation
GuatemalaHonduras
Saint Lucia
El Salvador
Barbados
PanamaNicaraguaSaint Vincent
Grenadaand the Grenadines
Costa Rica
Columbia
Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago
Republic ofEcuadorRepublicof Suriname
GuyanaMexicoMarshall Islands

Nauru

Solomon Islands
Vanuatu

Kiribati

PaciﬁcTuvalu
Fiji
Tonga

Samoa

Cuba

Peru

Cook Islands

Bolivia

BrazilParaguay

Niue
Chile

UruguayArgentina

SDGs Global Leader 04

Nurturing the Younger Generation,
Who Will Play a Vital Role in the Country's Future

Shubha Shalini Singh● Country of origin : Fiji
● Agency/position : Teaching Assistant, SAGEONS - School of Agriculture,
Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences,
The University of the South Paciﬁc● School in Japan : Kagoshima University(Master's: United Graduate School / Class of 2022)

Participant Feedback

June Elizabeth Rofeta● Country of origin : Solomon Islands● Agency/position : Senior Desk Oﬃcer for Paciﬁc & Regional Organisations Branch,
Ministry of Foreign Aﬀairs & External Trade● School in Japan : Waseda University(Master's: Graduate School of Asia-Paciﬁc Studies / Class of 2021)

The focus of my master's thesis is Target 3.3 of SDG 3, "Good
Health and Well-being." Speciﬁcally, I'm investigating how we canplace the global issue of eradicating malaria within the context ofa single country in the Solomon Islands and other island countries.
Japan's universities oﬀer a high level of education, my classmates

One of the SDGs my research connects to SDG 14, "Life Below
Water," which is about sustainable ﬁsheries. The other is SDG 2, "Zero
Hunger," which is about ensuring food security. I am currently working
on research into Fiji's coastal ﬁshing with a socioecologicalapproach. In Fiji, coastal marine resources do not receive as muchcommercial attention in terms of exports to the degree that oﬀshoreﬁshing does, yet it is in dire need of management. In Japan, however,
the approach to developing coastal ﬁshing involved the evolution andrationalization of diﬀerent parts of organizations related toeverything from ﬁshing industry management to the regulation andsetting of marine product prices. I want to somehow apply thisJapanese knowledge to Fiji's coastal ﬁshing to promotesustainability. One of the SDGs my research connects to SDG 14, "Life
Below Water." While many classes went online due to the pandemic,
JICA paid very close attention to each one of us to provide a varietyof care and support, both for our physical and our mental health. I'm
reminded that joining SDGs Global Leader was a good choice.

come from a variety of specialties, and the professors are
well-versed in their areas of expertise and possess a wealth ofexperience, making this an attractive place to study. SDGs Global
Leader is of course an excellent program, and JICA provides

Alumni Researcher Feedback

Feedback from the Embassy in Tokyoattentive support. JICA arranges a variety of programs, includinginternships and seminars, so if you want to study in Japan, you
can expect plenty of support to develop your career as an expert
as you research, as well as support toward achieving your goals.

James Francis Myazoe II● Country of origin : Marshall Islands● Agency/position : Project Engineer, Ministry of Works, Infrastructures, and Utilities● School in Japan : Sophia University(Master's: Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies / Class of 2021)

My research topic is coastal measures to adapt to rising sea
levels on islands where the land is near sea level. My lifestyle asa researcher in Japan is very pleasant. I have easy access todiverse resources for not just education, but also daily living.
Furthermore, since SDGs Global Leader values the autonomy ofparticipants, I can study with greater independence. When I go
back to my country, I want to integrate the policies I learned
about in Japan with my country's policies. One of them is thecreation of a national building standards law to set building
standards in the Marshall Islands. I've learned about many
diﬀerent methodologies and laws concerning Japan's coastal
areas, so I'd like to apply them to my country's building standards
law. Right now, I'm treasuring each and every day here in Japan.
Being in Japan has been a valuable experience in my life.

Emmilia Vuli Tuiwawa● Country of origin : Fiji

● Agency/position : Monitoring and Evaluation Oﬃcer, Habitat for Humanity Fiji
● School in Japan : Nagoya University(Master's: Graduate School of International Development / Class of 2021)

05

SDGs Global Leader is an amazing program because it oﬀers evenpeople like me, who aren't government oﬃcials, just as much of an
opportunity to study abroad, if you're willing and have government
approval. In Japan, I wanted to conduct more research similar to
the work I carried out in Fiji. The topic of my research is on
validating what factors determine access to safe water particularly
in rural communities, which is directly linked to SDG 6, Target 6.1.
Even now during the pandemic, Japan has enabled students toachieve attainable goals by exploring ways we can study while
preventing the spread of the coronavirus and by adopting a varietyof alternative learning methods. Virtual tours have made a particular
impression on me. The program oﬀered information of very highquality by allowing me to visit places around Japan online. They
also let me engage in deep discussions with instructors about how
to use what I've learned in Japan to facilitate development andadvancement in my country and about my country's future.

Japan's Research Facilities andQuality of Expertise Are World-Class

Partnership for the Future

Paciﬁc-LEADS, 1st Class (Class of 2018)
Chief Meteorological Oﬃcer (Forecasting),
Solomon Islands Meteorological Service

Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of
the Federated States of Micronesia
to Japan in Tokyo

Edward MaruJohn Fritz

I joined Paciﬁc-LEADS (1st Batch) with a motivation in disaster risk
reduction. The Solomon Islands is located in a tropical cyclone-pronezone. In contributing to the countryʼs preparedness and mitigation ofsuch hazards, the need to understand the risks and characteristicsof tropical cyclones has driven my choice of cyclones as my research
topic. Speciﬁcally, my topic was “Statistical Analysis of Tropical
Cyclones in the Solomon Islands”. Another motivation for me wasJapanʼs world-class research facilities and the quality of theexpertise. Japan is one of the most developed countries. It was anopportunity to learn from the way the Japanese do things. Hardwork, kindness, respect, and honesty are characteristics attributed
to the Japanese.
The Paciﬁc ‒ LEADS program was immensely beneﬁcial to my current
job. It really enhanced my skills and knowledge. I sincerely thank mysupervisor Professor Kosuke Ito for his tremendous advice and help.
One result of my work is the development of a high-resolution
weather forecasting system customized for the Solomon Islands
under the guidance of my supervisor. The system began operation in
August 2020. The system can make a three-day forecast for groundwind speed, wind direction, and precipitation, updated once a day.
This provides citizens with weather forecasts and disaster
preparation information.
My days at the University of the Ryukyus were a golden
opportunity. I encourage my young colleagues to join SDGs Global
Leader program as it is an excellent opportunity to build their careers.

Japan and the PICs are connected by the sea, and they
have deep connections geographically, historically, andeconomically. Since the Meiji Era (1868-1912), many
Japanese people have crossed the sea as immigrants, andsome countries have been part of a mandate of Japan.
Economically, the Paciﬁc is also an important source ofresources for Japan. These include marine resources, iron,and natural gas. We catch ﬁsh, and Japan is the market.
Since we form a single economic sphere spanning the sea, it
is important that Japan, and our countries in the Paciﬁc,which possess very large exclusive economic zones,
cooperate to ensure regional peace and stability.
It is under these circumstances that Japan has taken
leadership and produced many results by convening the
Paciﬁc Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) once every three
years. This is something that should be very highly
commended. Some of the issues that our island countries
face include economic independence, stable societies, quality
healthcare, and responses to environmental problems. With
the cooperation of the Government of Japan, a countless
number of projects have been carried out through JICA andother organizations. Meanwhile, The Paciﬁc-LEADS training
program in Japan (now SDGs Global Leader) has yielded huge
results for developing human resources. Students from theFederated States of Micronesia have visited Japan to study
tourism and international relations, and I expect they will dogreat things back in their home country.
The PICs see Japan as an important leader and a partner.
To further strengthen that cooperative arrangement in the
future, I believe it is important for private citizens, not justthe government, to build greater connections on theindividual level.

SDGs Global Leader 06

Advantages for Universities Participatingin SDGs Global Leader

Feedback from Accepting Universities

Ensuring Quality Students
Over the three years between the 2016 and 2018

SDGs Global Leader Contributes to
Universities' Cultural Diversity

academic years, more than 100 students were accepted in
Paciﬁc-LEADS. This has been part JICA's contribution to

Ritsumeikan Asia Paciﬁc University seeks to create a consistently diverse academic
environment with students from over 100 countries and regions. Taking in students
from a variety of countries contributes to the student body's cultural diversity.
Instead of only learning about cultural diﬀerences between countries through books

developing professionals who are knowledgeable andand television, the students can experience the diﬀerences for themselves throughpositive about Japan. JICA will continue to ensure

their classmates from other countries. I believe creating such a campus is crucial. For

high-quality students through involvement in the SDGs Global
Leader selection process.

example, if students make friends with the students coming from PICs whose survival

Creating global human resources and supporting
their network

will learn to empathize with that sense of crisis. This forms the foundation foris threatened by rising sea levels accompanying climate change, then those students
understanding other cultures. Many of the international students in my classes oninternational politics go on to become diplomats. In the future, they may become

In response to increasingly complicated development issues

excellent diplomats handling Asian relations for PICs. In other words, because thein each country, and in order to achieve complex andProfessor Yoichiro Satoadvanced Sustainable Development Goals, there is a growing

Dean of the Graduate School of Asia Paciﬁc Studies,
Ritsumeikan Asia Paciﬁc University

need to develop high-level human resources. Theinternational students whom I teach build bridges between their countries and Japan,
I am happy to accept as many as we can from island countries. I also believe that
SDGs Global Leader continues to hold great promise.

Understanding the Japanese Development Experience program
created by JICA and cooperating universities takes advantageof the strengths of each university and contributes to theeducation and development of human resources from around

Students Broaden Perspectives
Through SDGs Global Leader

the world. Creation of an international campus environment
also promotes the globalization of Japanese universities.

countries face. Sharing the issues that other developing countries confront alsobroadens the perspectives of each international student. Furthermore, since PaciﬁcIslanders share opinions that are based on real-world experience, the exchange ofleaders of their countries creates opportunities to connect

ideas becomes more than armchair theory. Broadening students' knowledge this way

with local government oﬃcials and reliable local businesscreates a ﬁne opportunity to rethink one's ideas about the SDGs. Personally, I thinkpartners, build networks with universities and laboratories,that since both PICs and Japan have similar resources in the Paciﬁc Ocean, we have aand open up new ﬁelds of research.

Encourage
academic
exchanges withdiverse countries

Professor Tetsuo Umemura
Obtain informationneeded fordevelopment
solutions

Dr. Vo Ton Xuan of Vietnam, who has received the Ramon Magsaysay
Award for International Understanding, which is also known as the Nobel
prize of Asia, earned a Ph.D. in agriculture from Kyushu University in
1973. By learning about the trajectory of Japan's history anddevelopment, the laws and institutions behind it, and how producers
operate, Dr. Vo Ton Xuan says that he recognized the importance ofteaching producers techniques to boost rice crop yields, which is anobjective of his research into seed breeding, and connecting those
producers to markets.
By partnering with universities to share Japan's development
experience, as well as to deepen understanding through bothindustry-academia partnerships and activities such as onsite tours, SDGs
Global Leader can help international students grow in ways that connect
their home countries and Japan through international cooperation.

Build personal
networks

Understandstrategies andbusiness
administration
methods

Graduate School of International Development,
Nagoya University
Strengthen
capabilities on
the groundshared obligation to contemplate that ocean's sustainability. The interpersonal
interactions that Paciﬁc-LEADS and SDGs Global Leader create can be an impetus tomake that happen.

Advantages for
Participants

Global Contributions to Disaster
Management and Mitigation ThroughSDGs Global Leader

The subject of my research is predicting the track and intensity of typhoons withgreat accuracy. Through Paciﬁc-LEADS, my laboratory accepted Edward Maru, aparticipant from the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service, where cyclones and othernatural disasters are frequent. He is powerful and full of enthusiasm, and I really get
the sense that he wants to use what he's learned here to help his country. That
hunger had a positive eﬀect on the students around him. Mr. Maru had a hard timewith his studies at ﬁrst, but he worked hard and absorbed all sorts of knowledge. Aftergoing back home, I heard he's had the opportunity to share his knowledge about
cyclones and weather with younger coworkers at the Solomon Islands Meteorological
Service, as well as high school students. I'm happy he has opportunities to sharescientiﬁc knowledge with more people. Paciﬁc-LEADS (now SDGs Global Leader) is agreat program that allows talents like Mr. Maru to contribute to their countries'

Dr. Vo Ton Xuan in Mozambique when he was sent there by JICA as a Vietnamese expert

Sources: 1）Speech by Dr. Vo Ton Xuan to commemorate the 100th year of Kyushu University's Faculty of Agriculture on November 3, 2019;2）"Signiﬁcance and Issues of JICA Development Studies Program and International Graduate Programs for Universities," Hisako Nomura, Jiro Inamura07

who come from the PICs through Paciﬁc-LEADS or SDGs Global Leader study at ourexperience. Accepting them into our university shines a light on the issues that island

Maintaining relationships with students who could become

Obtain information
on students' homecountries; receive
ideas for new
projects andsolutionsinternational students, the majority of whom come from Asia and Africa. Participants
school. Many of them are civil servants or equivalent, so they have real-world

Potential from Relationships Enduring after
Returning Home

Advantages for
Universities
AcceptingStudents

About 80% of students in the Graduate School of International Development are

Associate Professor Kosuke Ito

Department of Physics and Earth Sciences,
Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus

development when they return home. It also creates a cycle that strengthens Japan's
relationships with other countries. This is incredibly signiﬁcant to my research because
it contributes to disaster management and mitigation in countries around the world.

08

SDGs Global Leader for the Paciﬁc [Eligibility]
An applicant must pass a universityʼs usual admission procedures, including examinations, toApplication Schedule (example)

enter the participant's desired bachelorʼs degree, masterʼs degree or Ph.D. program.
Application Guidelines

Application Starts

JICA

Send general information and university list

Applicants must apply through the procedures below.
For the sake of Oﬃcial Development Assistance, it is necessary for both the participantʼs government and the Government of Japan.

By the end of October

Responsibleorganizationin each country❶ Procedures and Required Documents for Application:
Each applicant is required to submit the “Application Documents” listed in (2) below to the JICA overseas oﬃce in charge of theapplicantsʼ country. Inquire with JICA Headquarters or an overseas oﬃce for the guideline and format.

Nomination and selection of candidates
Application documents submitted to JICA overseas oﬃce

https://www.jica.go.jp/jica-dsp/english/course/content/sdgs̲global̲leader.html*1❷ Application Documents

November - December1）Application materials check list (*1)2）JICA Application Form for Knowledge Co-Creation Program consists of: (*1)
Personal information
Educational background

JICA

Screening

Universities

Pre-matching

By the end of January

Notiﬁcation of pre-matching result

Work experience
Consent for the applicant to join this program from current employer/organization3）Application Form for SDGs Global Leader consists of: (*1)
Declaration of desired university or graduate school placement

Following year

Applicants

Preparing application for universities

Universities

Examination for each university (online interview etc.)

Research plan, name of desired academic advisor (only for graduate/postgraduate programs)
Career plan4）Graduation certiﬁcate/diploma* Oﬃcially certiﬁed copy of the original* Written in English or accompanied by an oﬃcial translation

January ‒ June(approximately)5）Academic transcript* Must contain all the grades earned at the university(For undergraduate programs, submit an academic transcript from high school/junior high school.)Acceptance of applicants* Oﬃcially certiﬁed copy of the original* Written in English or accompanied by an oﬃcial translation
6）Photocopy of English test certiﬁcate*2*2) Once applicants pass the ﬁrst screening by the JICA overseas oﬃce, they may request reimbursement of the application fee for IELTS/TOEFL.
Please contact a JICA overseas oﬃce.

June ‒ AugustApplicants who
pass examination

Preparation for study in Japan

7）A copy of your passport with a photo (to conﬁrm nationality, name, gender, and date of birth).
8）2 ID photos (4cm x 3cm; original and copy) pasted on the application form
9）Health certiﬁcate (to be submitted later*3)

Orientation by JICA overseas oﬃce

Based on the above documents, applicants are nominated and approved by each countryʼs government, and then selected by
JICA. After this procedure, pre-matching will be conducted at the proposed universities. Applicants will be informed of the
pre-matching results through JICA.
Please kindly note that an application may be halted due to a lack of required documents or a poor match between theAugust ‒ October

Applicants who
pass examination

Arrival in Japan
Orientation by JICA domestic oﬃce

accepting university and the research plan.
Pre-matching is for master's and Ph.D. programs only, not for bachelor's programs.
Applicants must apply according to each universityʼs application procedure after the screening.
If applicants withdraw their application after their oﬃcial application for to a university, they must send a letter to the universities.
*3) If applicants pass the examination, a health certiﬁcate in the JICA format will be required. Without the certiﬁcate, admission might be rejected.

09

Beginning of Term
*Schedule for the application and examination depends on each university.
*Schedule and program contents might be adjusted appropriately due to unforeseen circumstances.
*For more information, please consult with the JICA overseas oﬃce in your respective country.

10Level 8, Suva Central Building, Corner of Pratt Street and Renwick Road, Suva, FijiJICA Fiji Oﬃce

JICA/JOCVMarshall Islands Oﬃce●

JICA Private Mailbag, Suva, Fiji●

Tel : +(679)3302522●

Purview : Fiji, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga, Nauru, Niue, Vanuatu●

Fax : +(679)3302452

1st. Floor, P.I.I Complex, Delap Village Majuro Atoll, MH 96960 Republic of The Marshall Islands●

P. O. Box F, Majuro, MH 96960 Republic of The Marshall Islands●

Tel : +(692)625-5437●

Purview : Marshall Islands●

Fax : +(692)625-5439

2nd Floor Martin's Building Kaselehlie Street, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941, The Federated States of Micronesia

JICA Micronesia Oﬃce●

P.O. Box G, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941, The Federated States of Micronesia●

Tel : +(691)320-5350●

Purview : Federated States of Micronesia●

Fax : +(691)320-5360

George Ngirarsaol Commercial Building, Koror, Palau 96940

JICA Palau Oﬃce

JICA
Papua New Guinea Oﬃce●

P. O. Box 6047, Koror, Republic of Palau 96940●

Tel : +
（680）
488-5373●

Purview : Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands●

Fax : +(680)488-3656

2nd Floor, PWC Haus, Harbour City, Port Moresby, NCD, Papua New Guinea●

P. O. Box 1660, Port Moresby, N.C.D., Papua New Guinea●

Tel : +(675)321-2677●

Purview : Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands●

Fax : +(675)321-2679

Level 3, Building B, SNPF PLAZA, Beach Road, Savalalo, Apia Samoa

JICA Samoa Oﬃce

JICA
Solomon Islands Oﬃce●

P. O. Box 1625, Apia, Samoa●

Tel : +(685)22572●

Purview : Samoa●

Fax : +(685)22194

Ground Floor, ICSI Building, Mendana Ave, Honiara, Solomon Islands●

P. O. Box 2046, Honiara, Solomon Islands●

Tel : +(677)24170●

Purview : Solomon Islands

Level 3, National Reserve Bank of Tonga Building, Salote Road, Fasi-moe-Aﬁ, Nuku'alofa, Kingdom of Tonga

JICA Tonga Oﬃce●

P. O. Box 413, Nuku'alofa, Kingdom of Tonga●

Tel : +(676)23072●

Purview : Tonga●

Fax : +(676)23284

4th Floor, Air Vanuatu Building, Rue de Paris, Port Vila, Vanuatu

JICA
Vanuatu Oﬃce●

Private Mail Bag 9005, Port Vila, Vanuatu●

Tel : +(678)23546, 24254●

Purview : Vanuatu●

Fax : +(678)22818

Inquiries
1）Inquiries about program contents

2）Inquiries about the JICA Development Studies Program and procedures for accepting participants

Paciﬁc and Southeast Asia Division 6,
Southeast Asia and Paciﬁc Department,
Japan International Cooperation Agency

University Partnership Division,
Domestic Strategy and Partnership Department,
Japan International Cooperation Agency

Tel : +(81)3-5226-8971

Tel : +(81）3-5226-8734

Email : 1rtd6@jica.go.jp

Email : tatuc̲university@jica.go.jp