Code and Connect: The Matsuo Lab of the University of Tokyo Collabs with UP for a Day of AI and Data Science
Code and Connect: The Matsuo Lab of the University of Tokyo Collabs with UP for a Day of AI and Data Science The University of the Philippines, through the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) and Office of the Vice President for Digital Transformation (OVPDx), is partnering with the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory to bring a one-day hackathon and lecture to UP Diliman on May 19. This collaboration is also supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). UP’s strong participation in the Global Consumer Intelligence (GCI) course, specifically UP Diliman, earned the university a spot as host for this in-person event where students will apply data science and machine learning skills to real-world challenges and connect directly with the Matsuo Lab team. The day will open with a hackathon kick-off and will run through an afternoon of independent problem-solving, closing with a keynote lecture, results announcement, and networking session with the Matsuo Lab representatives.The event is open to UP students currently enrolled in the GCI course, as well as students from other Metro Manila universities who are interested in joining. The event is open to UP students currently enrolled in the GCI course, as well as students from other Metro Manila universities who are interested in joining. About Matsuo LabThe Global Consumer Intelligence course—free, fully online, and open to students worldwide—drew over 7,700 participants from more than 430 universities across 30 countries in 2025 alone. It has since become one of the most visible examples of how world-class AI education can travel. That reach has extended across Southeast Asia and beyond. In April 2026, a Matsuo Lab delegation led by Professor Yutaka Matsuo visited Ateneo de Manila University alongside representatives from the Embassy of Japan and JICA, exploring opportunities for AI education, startup incubation, and technology transfer with Filipino students and researchers. Earlier, students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia completed the GCI course through a collaboration between Matsuo Lab and UTM’s Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, with outstanding participants brought to the University of Tokyo for a campus tour. UP’s hosting of this hackathon places it alongside these institutions as a peer in a growing network of universities helping to shape what AI education looks like in the Global South.