Japan grants research scholarships to 11 Pakistani students
Staff Writer
Islamabad: The government of Japan this week awarded research scholarships for masters/doctorate degrees to 11 Pakistani students for the academic year 2023-25 aiming to provide them with an opportunity to pursue higher studies in their respective fields at prominent universities in Japan.
At a pre-departure orientation for the scholarship recipients, Pakistani alumnus of the Japanese universities shared their knowledge and experience of studying and living in Japan with the new scholarship grantees.
After the orientation session, Ito Takeshi, Charge d’Affaires at the embassy of Japan, hosted a reception at the ambassador’s residence to honour the members of MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan (MAAP) as well as to extend farewell to the fresh scholarship recipients.
Speaking at the reception, Ito Takeshi congratulated the fresh scholarship recipients upon their selection for the prestigious MEXT research scholarship and advised them to pursue their studies with utmost dedication. He termed the award of scholarships a good opportunity for the young scholars not only to acquire education but also to learn Japanese culture and traditions.
“I sincerely congratulate the young Pakistani recipients of Japan’s MEXT research scholarship which is funded by the government of Japan. You will embark on an educational and cultural journey to Japan. Be focused, return with strong knowledge and rich experiences, and become bridges of friendship between Japan and Pakistan” said the charge d’affaires.
The government of Japan’s MEXT research scholarships was launched in 1954. Since the first Pakistani student went to Japan on scholarship in 1963, a large number of students from across Pakistan have benefited from the scholarship and returned to Pakistan after obtaining their PhD/master’s degrees.
They are actively working in the academia, public and private sectors and have made significant contributions to the development of Pakistan in various fields as well as in strengthening friendly relationship between the two countries.
The government of Japan awards graduate and postgraduate fully-funded scholarships to Pakistani students every year as well as short-term scholarships and training courses round the year.
Undergraduate from National College of Arts in Architecture and after working as an urban designer for a year, Ana Waqar Khan applied for the MEXT scholarship for masters. She will be away for roughly three years studying at the University of Tokyo.
“Studying in Japan was my first choice. It’s a country with a rich culture and history as well as their unique language, which will be a learning curve for anyone who will be studying there,” said Khan.
Saqib Habib, deputy director in Wapda, will be heading to Japan for the second time after completing his masters a few years ago.
“Japan will always be my first choice. Japanese culture attracts me the most. It is a highly developed country,” said Habib.
What better country to study robotics than Tokyo University, said Ayesha Habib who works for National Radio Telecom Corporation (NRTC), Haripur, as a research and development engineer. Japan was her first choice to study for her masters.
Speech and language pathologist Rimsha Shakeel will be studying rehab sciences at Kobe University.
“I work with people who have speech disorders and treat them. We deal with children and adults alike. Speech impediment is a serious problem in Pakistan. It is quite prevalent. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not know about it and many others do not seek intervention. It is easily treatable. Japan has the technology that helps treat this disorder better,” said Shakeel.
