JICUF Co-organizes a Symposium on Refugee Pathways to Japan at the International House of Japan
On April 8, JICUF co-organized a symposium titled “Refugee Pathways to Japan: From Access to Impact” at the International House of Japan (IHJ) in Tokyo. JICUF staff worked closely with IHJ, the American Friends of the International House of Japan (AFIHJ) and the United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) to plan and implement this event. The goal was to raise awareness about the current state of the admission of refugees to Japan through educational and employment opportunities, and contemplate the role of philanthropy in this space.
JICUF’s Initiative Refugee Education Japan Publishes 10-year Report
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Japan ICU Foundation’s efforts to expand higher education opportunities for students with refugee backgrounds. To mark this milestone, JICUF’s initiative, Refugee Education Japan, published a 10-year report.
Student Ambassadors, the Passing of the Torch
JICUF’s Student Ambassadors, working under the guidance of Hideko Matsuyama, Program Manager of the JICUF Japan Office, play an active role in sharing information about JICUF’s programs, supporting events and projects, and contributing student-driven ideas that strengthen the ICU community. During the 2025 academic year, they planned and organized a range of initiatives, including International Day at the ICU Festival, Sports Night, and Cook & Connect. The five Student Ambassadors for 2025–26 will complete their terms in March, and four new ambassadors will begin in April. We extend our sincere appreciation to the 2025–26 Student Ambassadors for their dedication and contributions. In the photo: starting from the back row, left […]
First Cohort of GCF Fellows Completes the Program
Fellows holding their certificates, joined by GCF Program Facilitator Yuri Morikawa (back row, far left) and Hideko Matsuyama of the JICUF Japan Office (front row, far right). Photo: Yosuke Kobayashi Thirteen ICU students who participated in the Global Citizen Fellowship (GCF)—a program launched by JICUF last April—successfully completed the fellowship in March. GCF is designed to provide students with an opportunity to reflect on themselves, deepen their understanding of the world and their role within it, and explore ways to contribute to the common good. The inaugural year of GCF consisted of the following five components: Off-campus retreats Online discussion sessions Individual coaching A two and a half week summer […]
Ukrainian Student Kseniia to Graduate from ICU
Kseniia, one of the recipients of the Japan-Ukraine University Pathways (JUUP) scholarship that JICUF and ICU provided, is graduating from ICU this week. She will be attending the ICU Graduate School from April. We asked her to look back at her four years at ICU.
SSI Student Ahmet to Graduate from ICU
Ahmet Alhadban, Syrian Scholars Initiative scholarship recipient, will graduate from ICU this month. We asked Ahmet to reflect on his journey and his time at ICU.
JICUF VP Presents at the Asia-Pacific Association of International Education (APAIE) Conference in Hong Kong
On February 25, JICUF Vice President Aki Takada attended the Asia Pacific Association of International Education (APAIE) conference in Hong Kong and spoke on a panel on “Partnerships for the Global Good: Expanding Opportunity for At-Risk Students and Scholars,” hosted by the Institute for International Education.
JICUF Receives Grant from the United States-Japan Foundation to Support Afghan Youth
JICUF is pleased to share that we have received a generous grant from the United States-Japan Foundation to support our work to provide educational opportunities in Japan for Afghan youth. The $160,000 two-year grant will enable JICUF and Pathways Japan, our partner organization in Tokyo, to provide scholarships to primarily female students who have lost access to education under the Taliban regime. The students will receive two years of intensive Japanese language training at partner language school and we will also help to support their transition to higher education and/or employment. This grant was featured on the US-Japan Foundation’s web news. Read the article here.Photo: Orientation for the Japanese Language […]
“with Planet” publishes an article by JICUF Vice President Aki Takada
with Planet, the global issues platform of The Asahi Shimbun, has published an article by Aki Takada, Vice President of JICUF and a leading advocate for refugee access to higher education.Titled “Why Universities Should Open Their Doors to Refugee Students,” the article highlights the urgent global refugee education crisis and explores how Japanese universities can play a meaningful role. It also introduces JICUF’s efforts to expand higher education opportunities for refugee students.Today, more than 123 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes, and approximately 40% are children. Many of them are deprived of access to education. Aki’s article sheds light on these realities and calls […]
JICUF Hosts the 4th ICU Student Weekend in New York
JICUF held the fourth annual ICU Student Weekend in New York from Friday, January 9 to Sunday, January 11. The event invites ICU students who are studying abroad at universities in North America and Europe through exchange programs to gather in New York. JICUF covered the hotel expenses and the New Year’s party, while students paid for their own travel. This year, a total of 19 students came together in New York from California, Washington, Vermont, and New Jersey in the United States, as well as from the United Kingdom, Italy, and Iceland.Most students arrived in New York on Thursday, the 8th. The following afternoon, everyone gathered for a meeting […]