Kakehashi Pilot Program
OIST Industry-Academia Educational Program Pilot
Kakehashi: PhD Career Pathways
About Kakehashi
Kakehashi, meaning “bridge” in Japanese, is a pilot program designed to connect academia, industry, and society through a collaborative education model.
By bringing together PhD students, industry mentors, and universities, the program fosters a shared understanding of the evolving role of doctoral talent and promotes sustainable, long-term collaboration across sectors.
Through leadership training, real-world case studies, and mentorship from industry professionals, Kakehashi serves as a catalyst for mindset transformation and capacity building, empowering participants to create meaningful impact beyond traditional academic pathways.
As a core component of the program, students will work in teams of 3 on a selected case study topic. With 4 topics offered, participation is capped at 12 students. Alongside this, a series of workshops will support the development of transferable skills essential for diverse career pathways.
What’s in for you?
Apply Your Research in Real Contexts
Work on industry-driven challenges and gain experience beyond academic research.
Develop Leadership & Communication Skills
Strengthen the skills needed to collaborate across disciplines and sectors.
Explore Career Pathways
Understand how your expertise can be applied in industry and society.
Build a Professional Network
Connect with mentors, professionals, and peers from diverse backgrounds.
PCD unit
Student will receive 8 PCD units.
Industry Partners & Case Study Themes
We will provide updates once the topics have been shared by the participating companies. We will notify you as soon as this information becomes available.
NIKON CORPORATION
Capacity: 3 students
Case Study Theme: Issues regarding methods for acquiring and analyzing large image data
Relevant Field/skill: Lab. Automation
Description: Lab automation continues to grow, and large volumes of digital microscopic images are acquired. Life science information will be obtained from analyzed large amounts of image.
Expected Outcome: We will discuss the challenges and methodologies to make it real.
Sanoh Industrial Co., Ltd.
Capacity: 3 students
Case Study Theme 1: Strategic Roadmap for the Future Hydrogen Society
Relevant Field/skill: General research skills
Description: Develop a comprehensive hydrogen roadmap covering production, storage, and transport to evaluate technical requirements, timelines, environmental impacts and cost structures.
Based on this, you are expected to propose a prioritized R&D strategy by critically analyzing discrepancies with existing national projects (e.g., NEDO), as your insights will directly inform our future technology development baseline.
Expected Outcome:
- A detailed technical and economic roadmap for the hydrogen supply chain, providing a robust, data-driven foundation for our corporate R&D strategy.
- High-level strategic insights that transcend standard AI-generated summaries, featuring your original scientific perspectives and critical evaluations of current national projects.
- Green, sustainable, and practical approach in materials, process, technology, and policy design to achieve sustainable and affordable hydorgen energy.
Case Study Theme 2: Requirements Definition and Implementation Framework for International PhD Talent Retention and Impact in Japanese Industry
Relevant Field/skill: Human Resource Management / R&D Management / Diversity & Inclusion
Description: Define the critical requirements that enable international PhD talent to effectively contribute and sustainably remain in Japanese companies, covering recruitment, role design, evaluation, career development, and organizational culture. Based on this analysis, you are expected to propose a concrete and implementable framework that bridges gaps between current corporate practices and the actual needs of highly specialized global PhD professionals.
Expected Outcome:
- A structured requirements framework that clearly identifies success factors and failure points for the utilization and retention of international PhD talent in Japanese companies.
- Practical and scalable implementation models that can be directly applied to corporate HR, R&D management, and onboarding systems, rather than abstract policy discussions.
- Actionable insights that strengthen corporate R&D capability and global competitiveness by fully leveraging internationally trained PhD talent while reducing early attrition and role mismatch risks.
Quantinuum
(Capacity: 3 students)
Case Study Theme and Description：Students will explore and research problems within their own fields that may have the potential to benefit from quantum computers over classical computers. The scope is not limited to specific domains; rather, it broadly covers the intersection between each student’s area of specialization and quantum computing, including AI, space development, drug discovery, CAE/CFD, quantum security, and quantum cryptography.
Relevant Field/skill:*Students from any field are welcome, as long as they are interested in exploring the potential of quantum technology through the lens of their own area of expertise.
Program Journey
Before the program starts
Program Information Session (April 20 from 15:00-16:00 at C700)
Please submit your questions in advance via the application form.
Application Deadline
Application Results Announced
Students must obtain approval to participate in Kakehashi pilot program from their PI by this date.
Travel Request Submission (Tokyo Kick-off)
Students must obtain approval to travel for the Kick-Off event (2-day business trip) from their PI by this date.
Program Phase
Kick-off Event (Tokyo)
Launch the program with a leadership workshop and meet your industry mentors.
Case Study Project (4 months)
Students will collaborate in small teams on real-world case studies, supported by dedicated mentorship from industry professionals at partner companies.
Professional Development Workshops
Participants will receive training in:
- Networking fundamentals*
- Team collaboration and project execution*
- Self-presentation and personal branding*
- Business Japanese
- Cross-cultural communication
*Mandatory sessions
Final Presentation
Present your project outcomes at the OIST Career Fair.
Optional Internship (This is subject to a successful match.)
Opportunity to continue with an industry internship based on matching.
Requirements & Eligibility
Eligibility
- Enrolled in PCD2
- Passed Thesis Proposal examination
- Complete the program by the end of the 4th year (Must not enter the fifth academic year as of November 2026.)
- No delay in academic progress
- Priority will be given to Leadership Industry Track students
Requirements
- Attend the program information session
- Receive PI approval to participate in the pilot program
- Available on June 24 to attend the Kick off event in Tokyo
- Attend Final Presentation at OIST Career Fair on Nov. 9 & 10
- Demonstrate continued commitment throughout the program.
Apply Now
Take the next step in your career journey.
Q&A
Q. Can students who are not in the Leadership Industry Track apply for this program?
A. Yes. Although priority is given to Leadership Industry Track students, applications are reviewed on a comprehensive basis, considering motivation and academic progress.