Students in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering are often taught about lean manufacturing principles and being more efficient and effective in everything they do. Much of that traces back to the Japanese-based Toyota Production System, which is focused on maximizing value while minimizing waste.
Many Japanese companies, such as Nissan, Bridgestone, Denso, JTEKT, and Kewpie, also have connections to the state of Tennessee and provide internship opportunities for Tickle College of Engineering students.
Gary Null, ISE’s assistant department head for undergraduate affairs and an assistant professor of practice, realized how beneficial it would be to have a study abroad opportunity in Japan, where students could get a first-hand look at how Toyota, W. Edwards Deming, and other Japanese entities have influenced engineering practices.
The result was the creation of a three-week summer session (Class IE 491) in Japan that focuses on lean manufacturing principles, historical figures in lean and quality, and cutting-edge technologies. Beginning in 2027, the summer course will consist of classroom lectures and visits to leading companies, historical sites, and museums related to lean and quality in the cities of Tokyo and Nagoya.
The 2027 session, which runs from July 18-August 7, is open to all TCE students, not just ISE majors. The size of the group will be 12-16 students.
“I’m really looking to make this a fully immersive experience,” Null said. “They’re going to be working in some of these plants with leadership, taking some workshops, learning about quality management systems, and how they are implemented. They’re going to visit universities and better understand the history and culture of Japan overall.”
Cultural classroom exchanges
Null traveled to Japan twice over the last four months to connect with officials and tour potential sites to visit. Yokohama National University and Kobe University are partnering with UT to hold collaborative workshops with Japanese students during the summer session.
“Everything exceeded my expectations,” Null said. “A lot of the people I have met with want to do even more for the students than I anticipated. They will be practicing their English with us as much as we’re practicing their customs.”
Null is making a separate trip to Japan the week of August 24-28, 2026, that is not related to the study abroad program, to conduct a guest lecture at Kobe University on continuous improvement methods to students.
“It will be a series of six classes with up to 60 students,” he said. “I met them in July to see the classroom and talk to them and learn as much as I can before I get there. I told them I was coming next year for the study abroad and they were very eager to do a joint effort as part of that as well.”
Along with being exposed to the manufacturing processes in Japan during the three-week summer session, TCE students will get to tour parts of the country. They have two weekends to themselves to sightsee, and the summer session will include a cultural day that may include kabuki theater and a traditional tea ceremony.
“These students will be fascinated with Japan,” Null said. “They’ll be fascinated with the cleanliness of Japan, the efficiency of Japan, and the humility of the Japanese people.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])