World Class Manufacturing - March Session
Application deadline:
December 08 2026
Mission dates: 01-05 March 2027
Schedule for the 57th Edition
The 57th edition of WCM will begin on Monday, 1 March 2027, and is expected to take place in the Chubu region around Nagoya, an area widely regarded as the heartland of Japanese automobile manufacturing.
Over the course of the five-day programme, the 25 selected participants will take part in a dynamic series of lectures and workshops focusing on Lean Thinking, Total Quality Management (TQM), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). They will also have the opportunity to visit leading Japanese factories and suppliers, gaining first-hand insight into the proven manufacturing practices and continuous improvement methods that have long shaped Japan’s industrial excellence.
The programme will conclude on Friday, 5 March 2027, with group presentations in which participants will share their observations of Japanese manufacturing methods and reflect on how these insights can help address challenges within their own organisations.
Participant Profile
The evaluation of applicants will be based on two key criteria:
1. The applicant’s professional background, knowledge of Lean principles, and experience in process improvement. Applications with limited relevance in these areas may receive a lower score.
2. The applicant’s motivation to participate in the programme, as well as their ability to apply Lean tools within their organisation.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
|
A1/ A2 |
Work for a company (SME* or large enterprise) based in the European Union or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme (SME Pillar**). The company’s headquarters must be located in an EU or SMP-associated country. |
|
B1 |
Be employed on the company payroll and, if not part of senior management, be supported by a signed letter from their employer. Be based in the EU or in a country associated with the Single Market Programme (SME Pillar). |
|
B2 |
Be able to participate in the programme in full. Substitution by another participant is not permitted. |
|
C |
Have a good command of English (recommended level B2 or higher). |
|
D |
While the sector of activity is of secondary importance, candidates from the consulting sector may receive lower priority during the selection process. |
|
E |
Companies may participate multiple times, but individual employees may only participate once. Applicants may be excluded if they have previously participated in the World Class Manufacturing programme, cancelled their participation at short notice, were absent without a valid reason during a previous programme organised by the Centre, or otherwise failed to comply with programme guidelines, local laws, or instructions from Centre staff. |
(*) Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are companies that meet the standard criteria set by the European Commission.
(**) Please check the status of your country here.
Selection Criteria
The Centre will evaluate applicants based on the following selection criteria:
|
A |
The company's Lean strategy |
|
B |
The applicant’s professional background, knowledge of lean manufacturing and experience in process improvement. |
|
C |
The applicant’s motivation and involvement in implementing lean tools within the company |
Costs
The EU-Japan Centre will cover all costs directly related to the WCM programme, including factory visits, lectures and workshops, venue costs, daily lunch, and bus transportation between programme sites.
Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel to and from Japan, as well as their accommodation costs. For logistical reasons, all selected participants are kindly requested to stay at the designated hotel used for the programme, in order to facilitate group transportation and ensure the smooth running of the schedule.
Selected participants are therefore kindly asked not to book accommodation for the duration of the programme until they have received confirmation and further instructions from the Training Programmes team at the Centre’s Head Office in Tokyo. Detailed hotel information and booking guidance for the programme period will be provided after the selection process.
Deposit and Contribution
All selected applicants are required to pay a €1,000 refundable deposit to secure their place, which will be returned upon successful completion of the programme. Successful completion requires full participation throughout the programme, completion of all daily questionnaires, and submission of the final survey.
Participants from large companies (non-SMEs) are additionally required to pay a non-refundable contribution of €1,500 towards the programme costs.
Should a participant need to cancel after confirming their participation, the deposit may be forfeited. Exceptions apply in cases of force majeure or other circumstances genuinely beyond the participant's control.
For each day of absence without a valid reason, €200 will be deducted from the refundable deposit.
We kindly invite you to submit your application by 8 December 2026.
Questions and Further Information
Please consult the FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions before contacting the Centre, as it addresses the most common questions regarding eligibility, deposits, programme logistics, and the selection process.
Training mission , World Class Manufacturing (WCM) , company visits , Kaizen , Small and medium-sized enterprises
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EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation
Joint venture established in 1987 by the European Commission (DG GROW) and the Japanese Government (METI) for promoting all forms of industrial, trade and investment cooperation between the EU and Japan.
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