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celebrating 30 years, 1994-2024, Toyota and The University of Kentucky, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering logo

Celebrating 30 years of the UK and Toyota Partnership

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

University of Kentucky
Gatton Student Center - Harris Ballroom
160 Avenue of Champions,
Lexington KY 40508

 

On October 22, 2024, Toyota and the University of Kentucky celebrated their 30-year partnership. The celebration took place at the University of Kentucky Gatton Student Center in the Harris Ballroom, located at 160 Avenue of Champions. 

Watch the video from the celebration below.

Mr. Fujio Cho, who was the former President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA, Inc., played a crucial role in establishing a long-standing partnership between the University of Kentucky and Toyota. This event will also celebrate the decision made by the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees on June 16, 2023, to honor Mr. Cho by renaming the Department of Engineering Technology at the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering (PCOE) to the “Fujio Cho Department of Engineering Technology.”

The partnership between Toyota and the University of Kentucky has evolved into a significant collaboration between the university and industry, which has greatly influenced the research and educational objectives of the PCOE. This productive relationship has brought mutual benefits to both parties, resulting in a win-win outcome.

The Lean Systems Program at the University of Kentucky has a rich history that dates back to 1994, when it was established in partnership with Toyota. Its success led to the development of the Department of Engineering Technology at PCOE to introduce two undergraduate degrees in Computer Engineering Technology and Lean Systems Engineering Technology. These programs were launched in collaboration with Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) in 2021 and have seen a strong enrollment. The Computer Engineering Technology program has now been expanded to the PCOE satellite campus in Paducah. The goal of these programs is to train engineering talent with practical skills and systems-level awareness to support the growth in manufacturing that Kentucky is currently experiencing.

Videos of True Lean

Fujio Cho Legacy Lecture

The Fujio Cho legacy lecture was created in 2013 as part of UK Institute of Research for Technology Development (IR4TD)’s True Lean Systems program to assist industrial clients to transform their organizations to a True Lean organization by effectively using principles and tools of Toyota Production System (TPS).

Read Fujio Cho Lecture Notes

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