"Production-system Architect Leaders Program" of the Intelligent Production Technology Research & Development Center for Aerospace was certified as "Brush up Program for professional (BP)*" of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan. This program was created as "credit-earning certificate program for working adults" by the Center.

The "Production-system Architect Leaders Program" aims to foster young leaders and future executive candidates through the practical studies with the latest equipment and facilities. The program offers students opportunities to study the comprehensive and practical subjects through their attendance of lectures, joining discussions and participating in training. Consequently, they are expected to cultivate the capabilities in "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" era.

Each subject in the program is taught by university faculties familiar with academics, university faculties who have rich experiences in industries, and engineers in manufacturing at aerospace and automotive industries. Students can learn the knowledge and technologies concerning the latest manufacturing industries through subjects on business administration, cost, quality, and digital transformation (DX) in manufacturing industries. Among others, in "Advanced Lecture on Manufacturing Technology", students are required to study 50 hours out of the total studying hours of 72 hours and 30 minutes, and to attend lectures and practical training concerning manufacturing process design and control by operating the automated assembly equipment, operating robots, and programing for "Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)" to assemble an electric model airplane (the equipment is installed at the Intelligent Production Technology Research & Development Center for Aerospace). As a result, students are expected to master comprehensive basic skills for constructing production systems.

The following are the comments from the BP screeners who certified the "Production-system Architect Leaders Program":

- "The program is an all-inclusive educational program aiming for constructing production systems for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. In addition, digital transformation (DX) endeavors for manufacturing industries can meet the needs of our society.

- The program is designed to enhance engineer skills to construct production systems for small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. It is especially necessary for engineers working for small-sized enterprises to survive in a highly competitive business environment.

Please access to the website of Intelligent Production Technology Research & Development Center for Aerospace for the details of the program and for application.

*Brush up Program for professional of MEXT

Brush up Program for professional (BP) provides working adults opportunities to attend educational programs offered by university/graduate school/junior college/vocational high school whose major objective is to enhance their practical and professional skills applicable to their workplaces. Practical and professional programs that can meet the expectations of adults studying at universities, etc., and the needs of businesses can be certified as "Brush up Program for professional (BP)" by the Minister of MEXT. If programs are certified as "BP, " they are expected to 1) make study options for working adults easy to understand, 2) make educational programs offered by universities/colleges, etc. more attractive, 3) increase the level of understanding about the programs by private sector and encourage working adults to be reenrolled in universities/colleges, etc. in collaboration with the "Education and Training Grant System" of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.