Hitachi opens student applications for the 14th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative

Top four students to represent the Philippines in the forum to be held in Yangon, Myanmar in July 2017

Manila, the Philippines, 26 January 2017 – Hitachi Asia Ltd. today announced that the 14th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative (HYLI) is now open for applications to interested students attending six participating universities to represent the Philippines at the regional forum, to be held in Yangon, Myanmar from 10-13 July 2017.

Established by Hitachi, Ltd. in 1996, HYLI is a regional thought-leadership and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme which aims to identify Asia’s future leaders. At the initiative, four of the best and brightest university students from each participating country will meet to discuss current regional and global issues. They will also exchange views with the region’s prominent speakers representing governments, businesses and civil societies.

“For the past 20 years, HYLI has provided a platform for hundreds of talented, aspiring students to come together and be involved in creating the societies they wish to live in. Many of our alumni are now well-placed in academia, government and business industries, making real impact within communities through their HYLI experiences,” said Mr. Mitsuhiko Shimizu, General Manager of Hitachi Asia Ltd. Philippine Branch.

The theme for the 14th HYLI is “Challenges and Solution in ASEAN Urbanization”. During the HYLI week in Yangon, the students will have the opportunity to learn and engage with prominent leaders and individuals in the sector of urban planning and sustainable society in ASEAN region. In this forum, students can also expect intercultural exchange activities that will help build their networks and establish their future career.

Registration for the 14th HYLI programme is open from now until 31 January 2017. Application is open to students from the six participating universities, namely Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Mapua Institute of Technology, University of Santo Tomas, University of San Carlos, and University of the Philippines.

To qualify for the HYLI programme, students need to meet the following criteria:

1. Full-time undergraduate or graduate student at local universities affiliated with HYLI programme
2. Remain as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student until completion of HYLI programme in July 2017
3. Maintained a minimum CGPA / CAP / GPA of 3.0 out of 4 (or 3.5 out of 5)
4. Actively engaged in extra-curricular activities and / or community work
5. Have a keen interest in and be familiar with regional and global affairs
6. Fluent in English, both written and oral.
7. Commit to attending post-HYLI event in respective country to share lessons learned in HYLI with as many peers as possible
8. Thrive to spearhead realization of sustainable and inclusive society as a leader
9. Graduates of past HYLI programmes are not eligible to apply

Shortlisted students will be required to attend the interview with the Philippines Student Selection Panel in March 2017. The four university students chosen to represent the Philippines will join their counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan.

Interested students from the participating universities may request for an application form from the respective Student Affairs Office, or enquire for further information.