BASF gives special lecture to MERIT program students from The University of Tokyo in Japan

• BASF as first non-Japanese company contributes to shaping future leaders
• Driving open innovation with advanced expertise and global perspective in Amagasaki

Tokyo, Japan – July 30, 2014 – BASF Japan has conducted a special lecture, “BASF’s Research and Development, and Careers”, at its Research and Development (R&D) Laboratory and Application Technology Center for Battery Materials in Amagasaki, Japan for 40 graduate students, as part of The University of Tokyo’s Materials Education Program for the Future Leaders in Research, Industry, and Technology (MERIT) graduate program. BASF Japan is the first non-Japanese company to offer a MERIT special lecture.

MERIT is an education program run in collaboration with nine departments at The University of Tokyo, administered by three schools – the Graduate School of Engineering, the Graduate School of Science and the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. Every year, 40 students are chosen from 600 master's students. The program is very specialized and designed to shape students into leaders with holistic perspectives and strong communication skills, allowing them ultimately to work in leadership roles in industrial, academic, and governmental sectors throughout the world. It was selected as a Program for Leading Graduate Schools, an initiative launched in 2011 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

“ BASF is committed to bringing innovations from Japan to Asia Pacific and the world. When it comes to innovation, our next generation plays a key role. We believes that it is our responsibility to nurture and groom future talent by providing the right platform. As such, BASF is proud and pleased to have the opportunity to work with academic circles in Japan to support the development of young researchers and future leaders. BASF Japan helps to bring innovations from Japan to the world.” said Dr. Joerg-Christian Steck, Representative Director & President of BASF Japan.

BASF Japan’s Battery Materials Laboratory in Amagasaki 　 opened in 2013 and is the group’s first combined basic research, development and customer support facility in the Asia Pacific region. It focuses on the development of electrolyte and electrode materials in high performance lithium-ion batteries as part of BASF’s global R&D network. The special lecture was a result of the unique chemistry between BASF’s strategy for innovation and MERIT program’s vision. BASF is committed to creating innovations based on chemistry for a sustainable future in Asia, for Asia and the world while the MERIT program aims to enable graduates to develop “advanced expertise and ability to adopt a globally attuned perspective to consider a broad range of science and technology, driving open innovation in industrial, academic, and governmental fields”.                                                                                     

About the MERIT Program

The Materials Education Program for the Future Leaders in Research, Industry, and Technology is a graduate program at The University of Tokyo operated through collaboration among a number of departments: Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, Materials Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Chemical System Engineering, and Chemistry and Biotechnology at the Graduate School of Engineering; Physics and Chemistry at the Graduate School of Science; and Advanced Materials Science at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. The Program has been designed to produce doctoral graduates capable of making significant contributions to the sustainable development of society. Program graduates will have strong expertise rooted in their experience of advanced materials science research, and will be able to adopt a holistic approach and flexibility in working across disciplines. They will also have the capacity to apply their knowledge creatively and constructively, and demonstrate breadth of perspective and an appropriately ethical stance. http://www.ap.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/merit/en/index.html

About BASF Japan

BASF started doing business in Japan in 1888.  Activities cover f our business segments including chemicals, performance products , functional materials & solutions and agricultural solutions. The main production sites are in Chigasaki (admixtures for concrete, construction materials ) , Kitatone (personal care ingredients), Isohara (plastic additives), Totsuka (coatings) and Yokkaichi (thermoplastic polyurethanes and polymer dispersions) .   BASF maintains a strong research and development presence in Japan including the Yokohama Innovation Center (engineering plastics) and the Research and Development Laboratory and Application Technology Center for Battery Materials in Amagasaki. In 201 3 , BASF employed 1,301 employees in Japan, and achieved sales of € 1.51 billion to customers in Japan.  For further information please visit:  www.japan.basf.com