Atsushi Yamanaka is a Professor and Advisor of Kobe Institute of Computing Graduate School (KIC); the only graduate school focused on nurturing ICT for Development Professionals in Japan. He has been teaching the topics of ICT for Development in the past 8 years from the inception of its signature “ICT innovator course.”.
He is also currently serving as Chief Advisor of the JICA Rwanda ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project which aims to foster a conducive innovation ecosystem in Rwanda. He has been supported by the Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen ICT use for Development in Rwanda in the past 10 years. He had assumed the position as a senior advisor to the Government of Rwanda o help realize Rwanda’s strategic vision of becoming an Information Rich Knowledge-Based Economy and to achieve its developmental goals. During his decade long services in Rwanda, he has facilitated the formulation processes of the 3rd National ICT Strategy & Policy (NICI-3) and supported its implementation processes. He has also been instrumental n securing support from the Government of Japan to realize various innovation facilities in Rwanda which include kLab and FabLab Rwanda
Atsushi has more than 25 years of experience in pursuing topics of ICT for Development with which he has provided various policy advisory services and supported and managed many ICTD projects in 5 continents. He has worked in different organizations that include UN organizations (UNDP, PAHO/WHO), the private sector, and civil societies. His services have rendered improved business processes and developmental results in more than 100 countries (through a network of country offices) in 5 regions and their public and private sector clients.
