Innovation, human resources, focus of UH, JAL collaboration

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Bianca Mordasini, (808) 492-0041
Senior Director of Alumni & External Relations, Shidler College of Business
Posted: Jul 21, 2021

Hiroshi Kuroda and Vance Roley
Hiroshi Kuroda and Vance Roley

Shidler College of Business
Shidler College of Business

A new partnership aims to enhance collaborative opportunities centered on human resource development through innovation for University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa students. The Shidler College of Business and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a ceremony at UH Mānoa on Tuesday, July 20.

UH and JAL will work together in various fields, including non-tourism sectors, to resolve social issues in the islands, including environmental concerns and achievement of sustainable development goals, to increase the attractiveness and value of Hawai‘i to realize a sustainable society that can be passed onto future generations.

“We are thrilled for the opportunity to collaborate with Japan Airlines,” Shidler College of Business Dean Vance Roley said. “Given Hawai‘i’s rich historical ties to Japan, coupled with Hawai‘i being a premier destination for Japanese visitors, this is a synergistic alignment. We look forward to working with JAL and providing unique opportunities to our students.”

“We are looking forward to deepening our relationship with the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business as we aim to help cultivate a more sustainable society in Hawai'i, by leveraging the strengths of students focused in the fields of innovation, tourism and human resource development in collaboration with our own innovation team located in Silicon Valley,” said Hiroshi Kuroda, Japan Airlines regional manager, Hawai‘i region.

Cooperation and collaboration plans

  • Establish a pilot program that will consider commercialization that will solve social issues or enhance customer value

  • Implement a travel-centered mobile app and conduct joint research on database marketing and commercialization

  • Collaborate with TRUE (an initiative launched by the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, which aims to tech-enable local businesses) on events that promote the activities of start-ups and to create new business opportunities

  • Establish a human resource development internship program at UH to provide internship opportunities for students at various JAL offices in the U.S. (JAL Hawai‘i branch and Silicon Valley Investment and Innovation Group) and Japan (JAL Innovation Lab)

About the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business

Established in 1949 as the College of Business Administration, the College was named in 2006 after alumnus Jay H. Shidler, founder and managing partner of The Shidler Group. The Shidler College of Business is renowned for its expertise in international management education and is consistently ranked among the nation's top 25 graduate schools for international business by U.S. News & World Report. 

Long recognized for its Asia-Pacific focus, the college is a professional school, offering a wide variety of degree, certificate and executive programs. The college places a strong emphasis on the development of management skills, entrepreneurship and the management of business information technology. The Shidler College of Business is the only graduate program in the State of Hawai‘i accredited by AACSB International. For more information, visit: shidler.hawaii.edu. 

About Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded in 1951 and became the first international airline in Japan. A member of the oneworld® alliance, the airline now reaches 405 airports in 66 countries and regions together with its codeshare partners with a modern fleet of 234 aircraft. Awarded as one of the most punctual major international airlines and a certified 5-Star Airline by Skytrax, JAL is committed to providing customers with the highest levels of flight safety and quality in every aspect of its service, and aims to become one of the most preferred and valued airlines in the world.