Fukuoka Institute of Technology, C1X, St. Joseph's Institute of Technology, and St. Joseph's College of Engineering Sign International Industry-Academia MoU

Signing Ceremony at Fukuoka Institute of Technology

Signing Ceremony at St. Joseph's College of Engineering

On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT) held a signing ceremony for two international industry-academia partnership agreements (Memorandums of Understanding, or MoUs): one with C1X AdTech Private Limited (C1X Group, Chennai, India) and St. Joseph's Institute of Technology (SJIT), and the other with C1X AdTech Private Limited and St. Joseph's College of Engineering (SJCE). Both SJIT and SJCE are private engineering higher education institutions located in Chennai, affiliated with Anna University. Since C1X, SJIT, and SJCE had already signed the MoUs, the tripartite agreements officially took effect with this ceremony. This partnership is a three-party international industry-academia initiative centered on cultivating next-generation cross-border leaders who can operate successfully in both Japan and India.

Overview of the Agreement

The core pillar of this agreement is an internship dispatch program for FIT students at C1X's Indian entity. Participating students will experience global industrial operations through practical training in artificial intelligence, data science, and marketing technology. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to participate in lectures and workshops at SJIT and SJCE, gaining a wide range of international experience including language and cultural exchange. The purpose of this collaboration is to provide FIT students with a truly international experience, focusing particularly on nurturing cross-border leaders capable of working across Japan and India. Beyond the internship program, the parties also plan to explore broader academic and industrial collaborations between the two countries in the future.

[Main Areas of Collaboration]

- Dispatch of FIT students for internships at C1X's Indian entity - Attendance at lectures at SJIT and SJCE during the internship period - Participation in workshops and language/cultural exchange - Development of "cross-border leaders" who can thrive in both Japan and India - Industry-academia human resource development and research cooperation in the fields of data science and digital marketing

Signing Ceremony Details

Date and Time: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 15:30 Location: Fukuoka Institute of Technology, FIT Hall 2F, Seminar Room 1 (Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City)

[Attendees]

- FIT: Riichi Murayama, President / Hiroyuki Fujioka, Dean of the Faculty of Information Engineering - C1X: Daisuke Nagayama, COO / James Cannon, Data Science Project Manager

Comments from Each Institution

[Fukuoka Institute of Technology] "Through this partnership with higher education institutions in Chennai—a major metropolitan area holding the fourth largest economic scale in India, which continues to experience rapid economic growth—and a global IT company with a base in the same city, we will further promote international industry-academia collaboration. We aim to foster IT talent in both regions by offering overseas internships that reflect the needs of the latest IT industry and by learning from the outstanding software engineering expertise of universities in Southern India." Riichi Murayama (President)

[C1X] "This signing marks the beginning of a tripartite partnership that spans academia, industry, and national borders. Together with SJIT and SJCE, we are confident that the combination of each institution's strengths will be extremely powerful. Our vision is to develop talent that can thrive in both countries—true cross-border leaders formed through real-world industry experience and cultural exchange. C1X is proud to serve as a bridge for this endeavor." Daisuke Nagayama (Co-founder and COO, C1X)

Profiles of Each Institution

[About C1X Group] C1X is an enterprise group providing artificial intelligence and data technologies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, it has operations in Tokyo, Japan, and Chennai, India, where its tech center is located. The group supports major corporations in artificial intelligence, data utilization, and digital marketing transformation. The entity signing this MoU is the Indian corporation C1X AdTech Private Limited (Chennai). http://www.c1exchange.com

[About Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT)] Fukuoka Institute of Technology is a private university located in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City. Housing the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Information Engineering, and Faculty of Social and Environmental Studies, it nurtures new "practical talent" capable of demonstrating leadership in a glocal society. In April 2027, it will reorganize the Faculty of Engineering to establish new fields in semiconductors and architectural design, alongside launching the new Faculty of Digital Media. The entire academy aims to create an environment where all students can foster global, diverse perspectives and coexistence skills, and is actively strengthening collaborations with overseas universities and institutions as well as promoting student study abroad programs.