Media Release
Mangaluru, Sep 26: For engineering students at Nitte University, Japan is becoming more than an international destination. It is increasingly becoming a career pathway. This growing India-Japan connection will take centre stage on October 1, when His Excellency Nawata Hiroshi, Consul General of Japan in Bengaluru, visits the NMAM Institute of Technology, Nitte campus, as chief guest for the inauguration of the Centres of Excellence at the Nitte FutureSpace Building. The visit comes at a time when NMAMIT has been steadily building strong industry relationships with Japanese companies, creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience, work on industry-relevant projects and explore careers with Japanese organizations.
The event will bring together an impressive group of leaders from Japanese industry, technology and the corporate sector. The guests include Yutaka Shimomura, President and CEO, Takao Kogyo Co, Ltd, Japan; Mallikarjun B, General Manager, Autoliv India Pvt Ltd; Sumanth Padival, Head of India Operations, Wipfli India LLP; Jun Homma, Vice Consul of Japan in Bengaluru; Koki Kato, Director, Kobayashi Create India Pvt Ltd; Junichi Goya, Managing Director, TKE Co Ltd, Japan; and Yathiraj Kassel, Vice President, Wipro 3D.
The growing India-Japan engagement at Nitte has been supported by sustained dialogue with stakeholders in both countries. Prof Harikrishna Bhat Alevoor, Director of International Collaborations, Nitte University, has been engaging with key stakeholders in Karnataka and Japan to strengthen institutional partnerships and create wider opportunities for students through international industry and academic collaborations.
The institute currently has seven centres of excellence connected with companies including Nidec, TKE, Kobayashi Create, Kyoritsu Electric and VillDesign, with additional collaborations with WebOmega and Fujigiken in progress. The CoEs span areas including software development, 3D design and additive manufacturing, battery management systems, AI-based inspection systems, cybersecurity and mechanical and fixture design.
More importantly, the model is producing tangible outcomes for students. Nidec has hired more than 60 students through its engagement with NMAMIT. TKE has directly hired 38 students and enabled another 34 placements, while Kobayashi Create has hired more than 15 students, with students gaining experience through the CoE before moving to its Japanese operations. Kyoritsu Electric has also recruited graduates and interns for work involving battery management systems and AI-based inspection systems.
The scale of this ecosystem is reflected in NMAMIT’s Japanese placement record. As of August 2026, the institute has recorded 320+ placements with Japanese companies, involving 40 companies, with 115 placements recorded for the 2026 cohort.
For a student joining a BTech program at Nitte, this creates an opportunity to think beyond the conventional campus placement. A student can enter the institute, develop strong technical skills, work alongside industry through a Centre of Excellence and potentially take the next step towards a career in Japan.
The Consul General’s visit is therefore significant not only as a diplomatic engagement but also as a reflection of the growing relationship between NMAMIT and Japanese industry. As the institute continues to expand these collaborations, NMAMIT is emerging as a launchpad for engineering graduates who want to take their technical education into the global workplace, with Japan increasingly becoming part of that journey.