From March 16 to March 23, 2026, Shimane University conducted its first-ever Spring School, a short-term international training program for master’s and doctoral students, in Hyderabad, India. The program was hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) as part of the activities of the Japan-India Global Education and Research Center (JIGER).

A total of eight participants, six graduate students and two accompanying faculty/staff members took part in the program, engaging in advanced research training and international exchange to strengthen their academic and global competencies.
From the JIGER side, the delegation was led by Prof. Hemanth Noothalapati (Director, JIGER) together with Ms. Aya Asai (Coordinator, JIGER)

Group photo with all the participants

Meeting Prof. B.S. Murty, Director of IITH

Receiving Program Completion Certificaties from Prof. Tarun K Panda, Dean of International Relations at IITH

This Spring School was organized under the framework of the IIT Hyderabad – Shimane University Joint Center of Excellence (COE) and supported by:

• Japan-India Global Education and Research Center (JIGER), Shimane University
• SATHI Foundation – Centre for In-Situ and Correlative Microscopy (CISCoM), IITH

Japanese graduate students from Shimane University’s Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology and Graduate School of Medical Sciences participated, creating an interdisciplinary learning environment. students from other Indian institutions such as Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and SRM University, Andhra Pradesh (SRMAP) also participated in the joint spring school. This is primarily with the motivation to create IITH as an Indian hub for other institutions to connect and expand collaborations with Shimane university and other Japanese universities in the future.
During the visit, the students also had the opportunity to meet and interact with Prof. B. S. Murty, Director of IITH, and upon completion of the program, all participants received certificates of completion.
The program provided a valuable opportunity for students from different disciplines to collaborate and broaden their research perspectives.

Research Activities
From March 17 to March 20, students engaged in hands-on research using advanced analytical equipment and techniques at IITH, including:

• Bipyramid Seed synthesis and analysis 
• SEM data analysis 
• Confocal microscopy 
• FTIR spectroscopy 
• TEM 
• XPS 

The students also joined campus tours and participated in academic exchange sessions with IITH students, fostering discussions on potential international collaborative research.

International Exchange and Cultural Experience
In addition to research experience, Japanese students had joint activities with Indian students every evening such as sports, cultural and language exchanges. Interaction with the IITH students was highly active and meaningful, promoting both academic and cultural understanding. A city visit was also held on the last day of the program.

Enjoying Carrom

Finding Wally

Visit to the Statue of Equality

Souvenir Shopping

After returning to Japan, a presentation session was held on March 26, where participants shared their experiences and discussed future research possibilities.
Participants reported increased confidence in communicating in English, discovering opportunities for collaborative research, and gaining motivation to pursue future study abroad opportunities in India and other countries.

The Spring School program significantly contributed to strengthening students’ research skills, global awareness, and motivation for international collaboration. JIGER will continue to promote international programs that support the development of globally minded researchers.