In May 2001, the Lao-Japan Human Resource Cooperation Center was created in the Dongdok Campus of the National University of Laos with the help of the Japanese Government Development Aid. It is a project under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which is administered through the collaborative efforts of the Lao and Japanese people. As of May 2010, the name Lao-Japan Human Resource Cooperation Center (LJC) was changed to the Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute (LJI). The latter institute continues to be in action today as it contributes in the development of human resources in Laos to “graduate” out of the classification as a Least Developed Country (LDC) by 2020. With the support and help of people from both nations, LJI seeks to establish itself as an institute of excellence in building friendly relationships through the exchange of culture, business management skills and Japanese language for socio-economic development. It plays the role of promoting mutual understanding so that the cooperation between both countries may be sustained.