History
QREC has identified an increasing need for organizational initiatives at our university, including entrepreneurship education that fosters a spirit of challenge to create new value, and MOT (Management of Technology) education that teaches how to utilize research and technology in society. Against this background, the Foundation was established on December 1, 2010, with a centennial donation from Dr. Robert Huang, who went to the United States after graduating from our university and achieved great success.
This center was established by progressively reorganizing and rebuilding the Venture Business Laboratory, which was the center of support for research and development in the budding venture businesses. With his support, there is an Entrepreneurship Program (QREP) in Silicon Valley in the United States, which has been held every year since 2006 and has achieved great results, with the aim of cultivating the spirit and fostering global awareness. This center is responsible for serving as a full-fledged education and research center that provides the results and spirit of QREP to as many students as possible.
History
1996
- Establishment of Venture Business Laboratory (VBL) (predecessor of QREC)
1997
- University-wide project Challenge & Creation begins
2006
- Kyushu University Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Program (QREP) begins
December 2010
- Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Center established (reorganized VBL)
April 2011
- 16 regular lectures offered (currently offering over 30 subjects)
June 2013
- QREC education featured in the 2013 Science and Technology White Paper
September 2013
- 3-day International Workshop on Entrepreneurship Education (IWEE) held
August 2014
- Collaboration agreement concluded with Aalto University
- Selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Global Entrepreneurship Development Promotion Project (EDGE Program)
- Launch of support system for participation in overseas business plan competitions (Global Challenge & Creation (G.C&C))
November 2014
- Received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award for the Grand Prize in the Support Category of the 9th Nippon New Business Creation Awards.
September 2015
- Collaboration agreement concluded with Dhaka University
- Relocation to Ito Campus
January 2016
- QREC workshop begins operation
April 2017
- Launch of Premium Members Certification System to support student projects, circles, etc.
July 2017
- Selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Next Generation Entrepreneur Development Project (EDGE-NEXT) in 2017
May 2018
- NEDO: Signed mutual cooperation to support entrepreneurship development with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (National Research and Development Corporation)
August 2018
- Collaboration agreement signed with Chalmers University of Technology
March 2019
- Moved to Center Buildings 5 and 6 to expand student facilities.
July 2020
- Selected for the Cabinet Office’s Startup Ecosystem Base Formation Project (joint project with Fukuoka City and others)
December 2020
- Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Center (QREC) 10th anniversary
March 2021
- Kyushu University’s “GAP-NEXT” selected for JST’s “Social Return Acceleration Program (SCORE) University Promotion Type (City Urban Environment Development Type)”
April 2021
- Established “Kyusoukai” with the aim of supporting the development of human resources that will support Japan in the future.
May 2022
- Acting as the lead organization of “Platform for All Regions of Kyushu & Okinawa for Startup-ecosystem (PARKS)”, which was established after being selected by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) as part of the “University/Ecosystem Promotion Type Startup Ecosystem Formation Support” program.