News Releases

Hitachi Established Hitachi Myanmar Laboratory
at University of Information Technology, Yangon

Offer courses and IT platform to train highly skilled IT personnel

Yangon, Myanmar, December 14, 2015 --- Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, “Hitachi”) announced today that it has established Hitachi Myanmar Laboratory at the University of Information Technology, Yangon (UIT) (Rector: Saw Sanda Aye, Ph.D.) to develop Myanmar's next generation of IT leaders. In addition to sending engineers from Japan to offer IT courses for UIT professors and students, Hitachi will also donate the necessary IT platform such as servers for the courses.

Among the countries of Southeast Asia, Myanmar is maintaining high economic growth. In addition to investment in social infrastructure such as electricity, railroads, and communications, investment in other industries such as finance and tourism has also increased. As a result, the development of the country's IT infrastructure and skilled personnel to support these fields has become very important.
Myanmar's Ministry of Science and Technology focuses on the country's educational activities. In December 2012, the ministry designated the UIT as a Center of Excellence (COE) with the aim of developing skilled IT personnel who will be candidates for positions as government ministers and CIOs*1 in private companies.

*1

CIO: Chief information officer, an officer at a company who is responsible for that company's IT operations.

Since 2013, Hitachi has been offering training programs by companies, governments, and universities, inviting UIT professors chosen by the COE to Japan. The establishment of the laboratory is expected to accelerate development of IT personnel. For the next five years, Hitachi is planning to offer two-week courses for UIT professors and graduate school students four times a year as well as the necessary IT platform.
The first-year course covers operational management of IT systems and data centers, and provides students with opportunities for hands-on experience with IT equipment. For subsequent years, the goal of the courses is to develop personnel who can use IT to resolve various social issues. The courses teach approaches to the social innovation business that are a focus for Hitachi, including applications for IoT (Internet of Things)*2 and big data in the social infrastructure fields. Hitachi will expand the contents of the courses and educate graduate students, considering furthermore work with them in our local business.

*2

The Internet of Things is a concept where various objects are interconnected and able to communicate. This network of objects is recognized, monitored, and controlled by exchanging information over the internet.

The Hitachi Group has been contributing to Myanmar by developing the country's infrastructure and expanding its business in various fields. Hitachi's involvement started in 1958 when the company provided a hydro-electric power system. In recent times, Hitachi has received orders of a railroad signal system and a port EDI (electronic data interchange) system*3. Hitachi has also established a company for manufacture, sales, and services of power transmission and distribution equipment and a company for sales and services of elevators and escalators. In July 2015, Hitachi held the “Hitachi Social Innovation Forum 2015 in Myanmar” at the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw to introduce broad-based solutions for social innovation businesses as its very first event in Myanmar.

*3

Electronic processing system for application and approval of port operations (such as controlling the arrival and departure of ships). This project will be executed by using Grand Aid of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It's currently under the examination for the official approval.

Hitachi aims to undertake activities related to the social innovation business that combine infrastructure technology and advanced IT. This will be done while helping the people of Myanmar to develop and grow their society and economy through “collaborative creation” by resolving issues together.

Comments:

H.E Dr. Ba Shwe, Deputy Minister for Science and Technology

Hitachi is one of the world's most advanced technology companies. I am very glad that the Hitachi Myanmar Laboratory has been established at UIT. This is a big step that will support the development of IT personnel and economic growth in Myanmar.

Saw Sanda Aye, Ph.D., Rector of University of Information Technology, Yangon (UIT)

I am delighted at the establishment of the Hitachi Myanmar Laboratory at UIT. We are striving to be a global university, and I expect our graduates to become key persons working with Hitachi both in Myanmar and in other countries.

Yutaka Saito, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, Hitachi, Ltd.

I am very glad that we can contribute to developing the next generation of leaders in Myanmar by establishing the laboratory at UIT. We expect that the personnel who study at this laboratory will function as mediators between Myanmar and Japan, taking on central roles in the development of social infrastructure in Myanmar. I believe that this cooperative relationship will be very important for Hitachi and we are looking forward to working with these people.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.