Forum Engineering Inc. runs a short-term academic exchange program called "Discover India," which invites Japanese university students and professors studying science and engineering to India and supports university exchanges between the two countries. This "Discover India" program have been created in collaboration with our Indian subsidiary, Cognavi India Private Limited and SRM Institute of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as SRM University), with the aim of allowing Japanese students and professors to experience the rapidly developing India. Since launched in August 2024, 27 students and eight professors from a total of five universities have traveled to India through this program.

SRM University, operated by SRM Global Consulting Private Limited, is a major private university with its main campus in Chennai, a large city facing the Bay of Bengal in southeastern India. Japanese students stay in the SRM University AP Campus which is located just north of Chennai in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a new campus equipped with a wide range of facilities, including educational facilities, student dormitories, and sports facilities, and is home to approximately 2,100 students.

Here is an example of the schedule of this program.

< Example of the schedule >

Day 1:	Flight from Narita International Airport to Bangalore, India.
Day 2:	Visit university, hold welcome meeting, attend workshop of Mechanical engineering
Day 3:	Attend Electrical and electronics engineering workshop, visit local companies
Day 4:	Research presentation, interaction with students studying Japanese, sightseeing
Day 5:	Stop by the shopping center and head home.
Day 6:	Return to Japan

The students stay in accommodations in the SRM University AP campus. They interact with students and professors from SRM University, give presentations on their research, visit local companies, and interact with students studying Japanese.
There are many students studying Japanese in India, and SRM University is no exception. During interactions with students, Indian students ask questions such as "What kind of image do Japanese people have of India?" as well as many questions from students hoping to find work in Japan, such as "What is the atmosphere like in Japanese companies?" and "Advice for job-hunting in Japan."

During the research presentation time, students present the research that they are working on daily and hold discussions. In India, students start their research in their freshman by collaborating with companies, and many students choose their research lab after considering the career they want to have in the future. In Japan, there are many laboratories that conduct basic research, but at SRM University, the research content is more likely to link to corporate profits, and the students seemed impressed by the fact that more practical research is being conducted.

Here are some impressions from students from Tokyo University of Science who participated in “Discover India”.

Student A:
"I was surprised by how many students said they want to find job in Japan. India has strengths in Computer science, and many people spoke of their enthusiasm to use those strengths to work in Japan, which inspired me as a job-hunting student. I was also reminded of the fact that overseas science students find employment by utilizing their majors, and that companies also value students with greater expertise. I felt that both Japanese companies and students need to change."

Student B:
"The Indian students seemed to be very ambitious and enthusiastic about their studies. I was also surprised at how quickly the Indian students learn the language. Even though it had only been two months since they had started studying, the Indian students were proactive in speaking Japanese, which was inspiring."

Student C:
"It was a very valuable opportunity to visit the research labs at a university overseas. I was especially happy to see first-hand the kind of space, atmosphere, and scale of equipment that overseas students use to conduct their research. I would like to utilize this experience in my own research activities."

Student D:
"In India, many students are interested in listening to our research, so I got the impression that they have a strong passion for studying. I also got the impression that they are thinking more concretely and deeply about their future than Japanese students."

This "Discover India" program is expected to have three more universities, 24 students and six professors participate by March 2025. Forum Engineering will continue to promote initiatives to connect Japanese and Indian universities and companies.