NEWGlobal Students' Idea Factory 2026 Held

Tokyo Electron (TEL) sponsors the Global Students' Idea Factory (Global Si-Fa), an international talent development program organized by the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Science (JAAS). The program brings together students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds to develop ideas addressing global social challenges. The 2026 program marked the second year of the global version of the Students' Idea Factory initiative.

This international program provides a three-stage learning experience consisting of a face-to-face boost camp, online collaborative activities, and a Final Presentation where participants present the outcomes of their work.

In 2026, a total of 24 graduate students participated, consisting of 9 Japanese students and 15 international students. Several participants joined online from overseas. Working in multicultural and interdisciplinary teams, the students explored five themes: Energy & Sustainability, Technology & AI, Health & Well-being, Community, Safety & Social Stability, and Agriculture & Food Systems.

Project Themes
Energy & Sustainability: University Energy Challenge
Technology & AI: Critical Thinking in the Age of AI
Health & Well-being: Building Handwashing Habits Through Behavioral Approaches
Community, Safety & Social Stability: Integrated Decision Support Platform for Disaster Recovery and Resilience
Agriculture & Food Systems: Smart Farming Support System for Smallholder Farmers in Rwanda


Awards
Projects were evaluated based on originality, social impact, feasibility, teamwork, presentation skills, and communication skills. The selection committee included Beverley Anne Yamamoto, former Vice President of the University of Osaka, together with experts from academia, international organizations, and industry.

JAAS Prize: Energy & Sustainability Team - University Energy Challenge
UNU Prize: Agriculture & Food Systems Team - Smart Farming Support System for Smallholder Farmers in Rwanda

All participants also received a Certificate of Participation from the Rector of the United Nations University.


Growth Through International Collaboration
Following the program, participants reported that they strengthened their ability to collaborate with people from different disciplines, expanded their global networks, gained broader perspectives on social challenges, and acquired valuable experience managing international projects through online collaboration.


Tokyo Electron will continue supporting opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to collaborate on solving social challenges and to develop the skills and perspectives needed by future global leaders.