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IAC News No.3,Sept.11,2012

Japan Society of Civil Engineers International Activities Center September 11, 2012 IAC News No. 3


Aiming to Strengthen JSCE’s Int’l Activities

Takuro Yamamoto,The 99th JSCE President

Why is IAC Set Up

Why have we formed IAC? This question has been discussed by the Board of Directors and International Strategy Committee many times; therefore, it should not be necessary to explain it here again. But, let me clarify the differences between the International Affairs Section and International Activities Center. Before discussing the differences, I want you to remember that any civil engineering society is the “society” which is a group of people sharing interests and information, but which is never an administrative body.  

In other words, the JSCE has little authority to initiate projects, but only functions as administrative support to committees. This is quite normal for the society because it is committee-oriented society and supported with its membershipfees. Accordingly, the society has to limit its action to, at best, submitting or publishing proposals and advice on the policy matters which the society solely cannot be deal with, but has to work with governmental offices and agencies.

Since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, several societies have made proposals and advice; however, almost all of them must not have been detailed to implement into practice. Making proposals is certainly important, but we tend to satisfy that and not to consider drawing detailed plans for the proposals, that is a problem.

There are numerous proposals and recommendations for strategies for a huge challenge “internationalization of civil engineering” made in and outside the society, which has had a series on that in its magazine. In the meantime, there has been no “control tower” which takes up that challenge which the industry, academia and government are facing. As a result, we have not acquired a strong leadership and systems to respond the needs for and to implement internationalization strategies and infrastructure export. In order to strengthen the strategies for the internationalization of civil engineering, we need to have the “control tower” which can bring together and lead the industry, academia and government across sector boundaries. Then, the JSCE, supported by those three sectors, can be the right one and work with them to face that challenge together. And, to fulfill that, JSCE has to strengthen the administrative assistant Int’l Affairs Section to be a section of action, Int’l Activities Center whose members, coming from within and outside the JSCE, will take initiative and act towards goals. Being aware of a serious shortage of both human and financial resources, we with the IAC will make a breakthrough to stimulate the internationalization of the civil engineering. Your kind support and assistance are appreciated.


International Student Network Group

Kohei Nagai,Associate Prof.Tokyo University,Int'l Student Network Group LeaderGoals and Activities

There are thousands of civil engineers overseas who have studied in universities, graduate schools, and institutes in Japan, and many of whom are working as administrators, consultants and engineers back home or in other countries. We have not built a system or network to re-connect with them so far. Also those who are studying in Japan has gained limited access to the information of Japanese civil engineering technologies via JSCE. In order to solve these challenging issues, Int’l Student Network Group is working to improve the conventional communication and supports to current and former International students in Japan: the Group is planning to build a network for former international students so that we would communicate and collaborate with them in technological and educational areas and professional practice.

Moreover, for current international students in Japan, the Group holds information exchange opportunities (e.g. Int’l Summer Symposium) and is planning career support systems for those who are interested in pursing their career in Japan. It is also planning the follow-up services for those students will be able to maintain their access to JSCE back home such as sending them the news of JSCE’s activities and events and providing a system that they can find and link with other int’l students by country and region. Utilizing this system, we will be able to support the civil engineering industry to expand its activities overseas as well. Furthermore, in cooperation with the International Sections, we will be creating a graduate reunion forum in that former international students will link with each other.

Building and maintaining the network require much time, constant care and attention, but are worthwhile challenges for us. The network will create beneficial effects on the development of communication and cooperation between Japanese and International students.


International Communication Group : Viet nam Group

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Deputy Minister of Construction, Vietnam Visited JSCE

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi of Ministry of Construction, Vietnam paid a visit to JSCE with 21 delegation members in Tuesday evening, July 31, 2021.  Mr. Ono the President, Dr. Ohnisi Executive Director, Prof. Morichi of GRIPSexchanged warm greetings with Mr. Nghi and had a friendly talk. 

Both parties agreed to continue a good relationship and to enhance the cooperation between JSCE and VFCEA, VASECT, VIBRA and other related societies.

Responding this agreement, JSCE is planning some joint activities with the above societies and will develop its communication in not just technical but cultural domain to contribute to the bi-lateral relationship.


A Message from Int’l Section

Mr. Diasuke Saito of the UK Section gave an exciting update. His paper on the design of Awa-Shirasagi Bridge” was published and a photo of the bridge was out on the cover of the prestigious magazine the Structural Engineers. It is be the fist time that a paper written by a Japanese engineer was published in the magazine’s 90 year- history. These achievements show not only his excellent study and discussion, but also the high remarks and recognition given for a Japanese civil engineer’s professional skills, abilities and achievement overseas. Mr. Saito will be discussing construction technologies in another issue of the magazine, and we would like to introduce his discussion in the IAC News. 

Like Mr. Saito, there are many Japanese engineers who are making significant success overseas, and we would like to offer them our heartfelt support, and also to create a supportive environment to assist them to further pursue their goals and expand their activities.

The Structural Engineer:

http://www.istructe.org/journal/volumes/volume-90/issues/issue-8;

http://www.istructe.org/journal/volumes/volume-90/issues/issue-8/articles/design-of-awa-shirasagi-ohashi-bridge


What’s Happening

Aug 28 & 29: The 1st JSCE-VASECT Infrastructure Symposium” in Hanoi

Sept 3~12:  2012JSCE Study Tour Grant program

Sept 3 & 4:  ACECC TC 16 on ITS The 1st Meeting@ Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok

Sept 5 & 6:  2012 JSCE Annual Meeting International Program: http://committees.jsce.or.jp/s_iad/node/49

Sept 5:      The 14th International Summer Symposium@ Nagoya University

Mid Sept:    EIT-JSCE Joint Seminar in Bangkok (Structural Engineering Committee)

Sept 27:     Int’l Construction Management Seminar:  http://committees.jsce.or.jp/kokusai/management2012

Oct 24~26:  2012 KSCE Annual Conference and Civil Exposition@Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea

Oct 26&27:  The 56th ECCE General Meeting @ Grand Villa Argentina Hotel in Croatia:  http://www.dubrovniksun.hr/prijave/ecce/

Oct 29&30: ICE-JSCE Joint Int’l Symposium (Committee of Infrastructure Planning and Management): http://www.jsce.or.jp/committee/ip/index.shtm


Updates

Aug 20-22:   6th CECAR in Jakarta, Aug  http://committees.jsce.or.jp/acecc/6thcecar

Concrete Committee Int’l Newsletter No. 29 (April 22, 2012) available on the JSCE website. http://www.jsce.or.jp/committee/concrete/e/newsletter/newsletter29/index.html

The JSCE magazine, mini-series “Can the construction industry become a Japan’ s major export industry?” (“Civil Engineering,” Vol. 93, No. 9, 2008) 


President’s Mumbling

Expectations for the international activities

International Activities Center launched in June 2012. I expect the international activities center to be always the representative of international activities of the JSCE. International activities center’s activities seem to be the interchange of JSCE and other country’s academic society. I expect the interchange to be practical and wide range. I hope the interchange cause the Japanese civil engineers’ international activities such as infrastructure constructions in foreign countries and cooperative research between Japanese and other countries’ researchers.

On July 31st, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Deputy Minister of Vietnam’s construction ministry and many experts visited the Japanese ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism’s office and JSCE’s office. At the end of August we will visit Vietnam to attend the 1st symposium between Vietnam’s academic society and JSCE.

I expect to promote an active international interchange of personnel in various sections such as industries, academics and ministries continuously.


Staff’s Mumbling

Time certainly flies away. I’m feeling that this one month is gone in a blink of an eye. Mr. Nghi’s visit to JSCE, Mr. Ono, Mr. Yamamoto and Prof. Morichi headed a delegation to Vietnam, 2012 JSCE Annual Meeting, Int’l Summer Symposium and int’l friend societies’ annual meetings…we’re having events one after another in this summer to autumn. I’m keenly feeling how precious and vital the support of the IAC leaders and members is in dealing with these events and appreciate them. Thank them indeed. There was the 1st ICC group meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I talked backward and forward…in a cold sweat. I looked so pathetic, I’m sure. The G leaders and members very kindly took over my speech. Thanks, thanks, and thank to them.  I know I will make more mistakes, troubles and confusion.  My apology first, and my deepest appreciation for your kind support and patience. (Y)


【Comments and Questions】 Please let us know of any comments, ideas and suggestions you have for improving this news. We look forward to hearing from you. JSCE IAC: iac-news@jsce.or.jp