#Japan #Tokyo #STEM Education #Kosen GCON #SDGs goals

Welcome to the 4th Kosen Girls SDGs × Technology Contest!

The National Institute of Technology, Japan, based in Hachioji, Tokyo, in collaboration with the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, is excited to announce the upcoming 4th Kosen Girls SDGs × Technology Contest (GCON2025). This event aims to invigorate future researchers and engineers by encouraging student participants to reflect on how their studies and research align with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to solving social issues. The contest is designed to inspire more Japanese women to pursue careers in technology and research.

Contest Objective

The development of a diverse society is necessary for safeguarding human dignity and building a prosperous future across all sectors. One of the critical themes of the SDGs is gender equality and the empowerment of women. Goal 5 of the SDGs explicitly states the importance of achieving gender equality.

Despite this, the representation of women in STEM fields in Japan remains alarmingly low, especially in employment sectors such as universities and industries. It is crucial to enhance the number of women pursuing science and engineering in secondary and higher education. The GCON2025 contest aims to unify student teams, primarily comprising female students from Kosen (National Institutes of Technology), who will propose technical developments and solutions to social challenges based on their research and learning from an SDGs perspective. This initiative strives to foster growth in female tech professionals and researchers.

Eligibility

Teams of 2 to 5 students, primarily consisting of female students from national and private Kosen institutions, are invited to participate. Male students can join, but it is mandatory that the team leader be a female student, with females constituting more than half of the team.

Themes for Proposals

We are inviting various technological development and proposal ideas addressing social issues from an SDGs focus. These should be:

• - Based on research or learning conducted by Kosen students, contributing to solving social issues from an SDGs perspective.
• - Innovative, feasible and have the potential to create new markets and business opportunities.
• - Proposals that advance the participation of women in various sectors (e.g., femtech, femcare).
• - Suggestions that broaden the base of women researchers and engineers (e.g., STEAM education, formation of communities for female engineers and researchers).

Awards

• - Grand Prize: 1 team will receive a certificate, trophy, and additional prizes.
• - Excellence Prize: 2 teams will receive certificates, trophies, and additional prizes.
• - Various awards from sponsoring companies are also anticipated.

Contest Schedule

• - Entry Deadline: The first round of entries must be submitted by July 18. Following this, selected teams will participate in a refinement workshop before submitting the final entry by October 8.
• - Teams will undergo document assessments and interviews for selection, with the final presentations set for December 14 at the Ito Syonent Hall. The event will also be streamed live on the 'Nikkei Channel'.

Official Concept Movie

To further communicate the purpose of GCON2025, a concept movie has been produced and uploaded on YouTube. Tune in to explore the contest's vision for empowering female scientists and engineers in Japan. Access the video here: GCON2025 Concept Movie.

For more information about the GCON2025, check the official website at GCON Official Site.

Let’s work together towards realizing a diverse society through enhanced female participation in STEM fields!