NGK Foundation for International Students

Foundation History

Purpose of Establishment

As globalization of the international society advances, Japan has encouraged various cultural exchanges to form a stronger friendship based on trust with other countries. Exchanging students not only develops human potential for home countries but also builds better relationships between home and host countries. The Ministry of Education supports these goals for the 21st century by being actively engaged in "The 100,000 Foreign Students Plan".

Currently around the globe there are over 1 million students studying abroad. Many of them are studying in the countries in Europe and the U.S. which can provide good conditions for the international students; the U.S. receives the largest number (450,000 students), followed by France with 140,000 and Germany with 120,000. Compared with these numbers, Japan has only received 50,000 so far and so requires rapid improvement of living and studying conditions for international students.

The NGK Foundation for International Students assists students from abroad to pursue their studies and become beneficial to the development of global society by providing them with accommodations and scholarships. In addition, we encourage interaction between international students and local citizens with the hope that thereby the international students will have better understanding and a favorable impression on Japan, becoming a bridge of friendship between their countries and Japan in the future. We hope that our activities will somehow contribute to the development of international society.

Background

One of the NGK's management policies is "Good Corporate Citizenship." This policy clarifies NGK's role as a beneficial corporate member of society and engages NGK in social contributions. Since April 1997, NGK has started to support students from abroad against the background of its history where NGK has developed by expanding its business worldwide.

Such support activities include renting some rooms at NGK's dormitory, offering scholarships and giving allowances to NGK's employees who became host families. Now, we support approximately 30 students per year and are planning to increase the number in the future. To enhance this support program, NGK will open in 1999 a dormitory exclusively for international students, called "NGK International House," as one of NGK's 80th memorial projects.

Taking into consideration that these support activities are a matter of public welfare and are to be continuous, NGK herein establishes an incorporated foundation, "NGK Foundation for International Students," which takes over NGK's support activities, so that these activities will take root in society.

Established on March 25, 1998
NGK Foundation for International Students
Founded by Masaharu Shibata, President and CEO, NGK Insulators, Ltd.