Initiatives for female students
College of Technology GCON (College of Technology Girls SDGs x Technology Contest)
The KOSEN GCON (KOSEN GIRLS SDGs x Technology Contest) is a contest that began in 4 with the aim of raising awareness of the social value of female KOSEN students and expanding their opportunities for success. The contest involves participants competing to come up with ideas for technological development aimed at solving social issues, with the hope that they will understand the principles of the SDGs in the research and technology they are studying on a daily basis and grow as future researchers and engineers.
The 4th GCON2025 finals will be held on Sunday, December 2025, 12 at the Ito Hall (on the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus).
Notice from the GCON Secretariat
Click here for the official homepage of National College of Technology GCON2025 https://gcon.kosen-k.go.jp
Application Guidelines for GCON2025
For details on recruitment, please seeClick Here
The application form isClick Here
Application Guidelines (Summary)
【the purpose】
The realization of a diverse society is required in all fields in order to protect the dignity of human rights and build a prosperous society in an increasingly diverse world. "Gender equality and women's empowerment" is an important theme of the SDGs, and Goal 5 of the SDGs includes "realization of gender equality" as an independent goal.
On the other hand, it is also true that the active participation of women in science fields is not progressing in Japanese industry. In particular, the low percentage of female engineers and researchers in companies and universities is a problem, and there is an urgent need to increase the number of female science majors in junior high and higher education.
In this contest, teams consisting mainly of female technical college students will further grow as future researchers and engineers by proposing technology development to solve social issues based on the results of their daily learning and research from the perspective of SDGs. Through the contest, we aim to encourage women to increase the number of female engineers and researchers in Japan.
[Participation conditions]
Teams of 2 to 5 students, mostly female students, enrolled in regular and major courses at national, public, and private colleges of technology nationwide. Male students are welcome to participate, but the leader must be a female student and at least half of the team must be female students.
[Recruitment theme]
We are broadly soliciting proposals for technological development and ideas aimed at solving various social issues centered on the SDGs.
- Proposals based on the research and learning that students of the technical college conduct on a daily basis and that can contribute to solving social issues from the perspective of the SDGs
- Passionate proposals for solving problems that are feasible, unique, and have an unprecedented social impact
・Proposals for realizing a society in which women can play active roles (e.g., Femtech, Femcare)
・Proposals to broaden the base of female engineers and researchers (e.g. STEAM education, building a community of female engineers and researchers)
[Organizers, etc.]
Sponsor: National Institute of Technology, Independent Administrative Agency
Co-sponsored by: Nihon Keizai Shimbun
Sponsors: [Planned and pending] Cabinet Office, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, National Women's Education Center, Japan Association of Colleges of Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Japan Robot System Integrators Association, Japan Deep Learning Association, Japan Women's Engineers Forum (JWEF), Waffle, Yamada Shintaro D&I Foundation, Japan Women's Innovative Network (J-Win), Association of Colleges of Technology
Sponsorship: Planned to sponsor 15 to 25 companies.
Cooperation: Anchor Corporation, National College of Technology Career Education Research Institute, Leave a Nest Corporation
[Contact]
National Institute of Technology Research Promotion Division
TEL: 03-4212-6832
Mail:gcon(☆)kosen-k.go.jp
*Please change (☆) to an at mark.