Shimadzu Corporation has launched the Shimadzu PhD scholarship for Professional Advancement through Research and Knowledge (SPARK) program, starting in the fiscal year 2024, which supports employees who want to balance their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) coursework with their regular duties. The program supports degree acquisition of PhD aspirants whose research area matches the company's business strategy and their planned research theme at the academic institution they choose to enroll.

So far, our company has collaborated with Osaka University to support the acquisition of doctoral degrees for our engineers and researchers, as well as to hire Osaka University graduate students for our master's program (Doctoral Preparatory Program) and dispatch them to participate in joint research at our company as part of the REACH project.
SPARK targets Shimadzu employees who have passed the internal screening process and allows them to freely choose the university they want to enroll in. The company bears the tuition fees and aims to foster human resources to lead joint research with universities and to acquire knowledge related to advanced research at universities. Our employees engaged in research and product development are currently enrolled in the PhD program at Kyoto University and Kyoto Institute of Technology using this program. Shimadzu Corporation has set the promotion of high-level specialist human resource development program as one of its midterm management plan goals. We aim to create and acquire human resources who lead innovation for solving social issues, in collaboration with diverse partners.

• SPARK stands for Shimadzu PhD scholarship for Professional Advancement through Research and Knowledge.

Related Information
Press Release July 7, 2021
Osaka University starts selecting education program for young researchers and engineers.
Sending employees to doctoral programs to support growth into global personnel.

Press Release April 21, 2023.
Osaka University and Shimadzu Corporation signed a cooperation promotion agreement for industry-academia collaboration.
Hiring graduates with Master's degrees to work as employees and participate in joint research activities during doctoral programs.