Japan-Singapore company collaboration to offer a fully-online Japanese manga and anime drawing course

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 4 September 2017 - Aso College Group (Japan) has partnered with Kydon Group (Singapore), to launch a fully-online manga and anime drawing certification program. Registration for the program will commence at CHARA Expo 2017, from 9^th to 10^th September 2017.

Going Global

With globalization and widespread adoption of digital technologies bringing increased exposure to foreign media, Japanese comics and animation (manga and anime, respectively) have found dedicated fanbases outside of Japan.

Alluding to these trends, Mr Takeshi Aso, CEO of Aso College Group, notes that digitizing educational content would enable Japanese education to reach a worldwide audience. Aso boasts almost 80 years of experience in the Japanese education scene -- to harness this knowledge, Aso has partnered Kydon Group, bringing the intricate hand-drawn techniques of manga and anime to your digital screens.

Following the tremendous success of their pilot course last year, Mr David Yeo, CEO of Kydon Group, highlighted, "The 3-month pilot program attracted more than 2,000 active learners from 14 countries. We saw them collaborate actively online to learn, with some even forming groups to meet outside the virtual world to exchange ideas. We are really excited about working with Japan's most established vocational institute to bring this widely popular course to the region as a start, and look forward to launching courses infused with strong expertise from Japan to empower new workforce development in the future."

The Certification in Japanese Manga and Animation (Fundamentals)

Hosted on Kydon's Parenthexis platform, Certification in Japanese Manga and Animation (Fundamentals) program will be Aso's first online venture overseas. This compelled the collaboration with Kydon, which engineered the contents' transformation from traditional classroom learning into interactive, easy-to-digest digital lessons. Apart from online community spaces, the course also offers feedback on assignments and video-based learning modules, providing a refreshing and enjoyable e-learning experience suited for the new generation of learners.

The Certification in Japanese Manga and Animation (Fundamentals) is priced at USD 375 (approx.  SGD 525). The program can also be purchased with an optional three-day intensive workshop at a premium price of USD 1,350 (approx. SGD 1,890).

Manga and anime enthusiasts have the option of paying on a modular basis, at USD 50 (approx. SGD 70) per module. Participants stand a chance to win a sponsored cultural trip to Japan.

For more information and registration, please visit: https://parenthexisacad.edu.sg/aso-pa/manga-animation/.

About Aso College Group and Kydon Group

Aso College Group is an Education Division of Aso Group in Japan, which has undergirded Japan's industry for 140 years in the fields of infrastructure, medical and healthcare and education and training, among others. Aso College Group has been established for 80 years and is one of the top vocational colleges in Japan providing high quality, skills-based education and training for various sectors in the country. It comprises 12 vocational colleges offering 80 programs and 100 courses in specialties ranging from nursing and rehabilitation to business computer, architecture and design, and automotive engineering and technology.

Kydon Group is the leading provider of learning technologies and technology-enhanced learning solutions in Singapore and Asia with a mission to harness the power of learning technologies and create new learning environments for a new generation of learners. Kydon Group comprise several companies that participated in this project:

• Kydon Learning Systems Institute transformed classroom lessons to an online learning experience.
• Parenthexis is a free mobile learning networking, course building and e-commerce service.
• Parenthexis Academy will market and operate the education experience with Aso.