JICUF Launches Refugee Education Japan
This spring, JICUF decided to compile our work on refugee higher education under an initiative titled “Refugee Education Japan (REJ),” and launched a new website.
Since JICUF launched the Syrian Scholars Initiative in 2017 to welcome Syrian students with refugee backgrounds to ICU, we have gradually expanded our support for displaced students, and now are part of global and domestic networks to promote education pathways for refugees.
JICUF Opens an Office on the ICU Campus
On April 16, JICUF opened its Japan Office on the ICU Campus. The office is located on the first floor of the Education and Research Building (room 123). Hideko Matsuyama has been appointed the Program Manager of the JICUF Japan Office. We would like the office to be a welcoming space for everyone in the ICU community including students, faculty, ICU staff and alumni. Please come and say hello!
JICUF Holds Its Board Meeting and Reception in Honolulu
JICUF held its spring board meeting in Honolulu on Saturday, March 9th, at the East-West Center near the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Nine of the 11 JICUF board members and all four staff members were in attendance. From ICU, President Shoichiro Iwakiri, Vice President for International Academic Exchange Mark Williams, and Administrative Affairs Group staff Hideko Matsuyama participated from ICU. The meeting began with an opening address by David Janes, Chair of the JICUF Board, followed by a report from JICUF President and CEO Paul Hastings on ongoing projects, financial matters, and future directions. President Iwakiri then reported on the latest developments at the ICU. After lunch, JICUF staff […]
Volunteer to Support ICU Students! Apply to Become a SDG Projects Grant Reviewer
JICUF is seeking ICU alumni and former faculty volunteers to assist us in the review of ICU student proposals for the recently launched Sustainable Development Goals Projects (SDG Projects). SDG Projects is a funding opportunity that supports student-led projects that are aligned with and contribute to the SDGs. Please apply by March 31, 2024.
JICUF Revamps Funding Opportunities for ICU Students & Faculty
In April 2024, JICUF will be revamping funding opportunities for ICU students and faculty. For students, JICUF will offer three programs: SDG Projects, the Othmer Research Fellowships and the Social Impact Internships. We aspire to cultivate the ideals of global citizenship through the chance to conceptualize and execute projects that resonate with the SDGs.
Asia-Pacific Region Complementary Education Pathways Community of Practice Meeting
On February 12 and 13, 2024, JICUF co-organized the “Asia Pacific Complementary Education Pathways Community of Practice meeting” in Manila, the Philippines with the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, De La Salle University, Refugee Education Special Interest Group of Australia, and Pathways Japan. More than 40 participants gathered to discuss the way forward in supporting refugees through higher education.
JICUF Hosts ICU Student Weekend 2024 in NYC
Shinnenkai at “Hill Country BBQ” (photo by Izumi Osawa) From Friday, January 19, to Sunday, January 20, JICUF hosted the second “ICU Student Weekend in NYC.” We invited 50 ICU students currently studying in the United States and Canada on an exchange program to New York, and 27 students participated from as far away as California, Georgia, and Vancouver. JICUF paid for their accommodation, several meals and admission to a few sites, while the students paid for their own travel. On Friday afternoon, we held a “meet and greet” at the JICUF office. Fusae Nara and Danny Ha, New York-based JICUF trustees, joined JICUF staff in greeting the students. We […]
JICUF Trustee Interview: Susan Schmidt
Susan Schmidt, who was appointed as a JICUF trustee in 2018, lived in Tokyo from 1972 to 1996 and worked as a staff editor of English-language books at the University of Tokyo Press. Currently residing in Boulder, Colorado, she is the Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ), a professional organization of Japanese language educators in the United States. JICUF: Please tell us how you ended up working in Japan for so long. Susan: I went to Japan out of curiosity, not intending to stay more than a couple of years, but I had a background in editing, and once in Tokyo I discovered that there […]
JICUF Makes a Pledge for the Global Refugee Forum
The second Global Refugee Forum will be held in Geneva from December 13 to 15. JICUF submitted a pledge to the Forum to continue supporting refugee higher education.
Please support the work of JICUF
We are grateful to everyone in our community for your interest and engagement. As another eventful year comes to a close, we hope that you will consider giving to JICUF to support our work. This year, we sent out an appeal letter which focuses on our grants program. Please see the letter from Dr. Machi Fukuyama Dilworth, ICU alumna and JICUF trustee who currently chairs the Grants Committee on our board. We also compiled some statistics and comments from past grant recipients. Letter from Dr. Machi Fukuyama Dilworth 2023 Appeal Flyer To donate electronically, please visit our donations page. If you would like to donate by check, please send it […]