Introducing the 2024-25 JICUF Student Ambassadors
We are very excited to introduce our first JICUF Student Ambassadors! The three Ambassadors will be working closely with our Japan Office to disseminate opportunities offered by JICUF to students and faculty, to implement JICUF events and programs, and to report on JICUF-funded activities. They will also be asked to come up with unique ideas to strengthen the ICU community, with the aim of creating an even more welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds.
JICUF Japan Office Will Hold Opening Events in May
To celebrate the historic opening of JICUF’s Japan office, JICUF President & CEO Paul Hastings will visit the campus in May to host a series of special events with Hideko Matsuyama, Program Manager based in the Japan Office, and NY staff Sachiko Tokai. All are invited to come to our open house.
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 […]
JICUF Co-hosts a Reunion for Ukrainian and Syrian Students in Japan, Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino Observes the Event
On Monday, March 18, as one of the organizers of the Japan Education Pathways Network (JEPN), JICUF co-hosted a reunion for Ukrainian and Syrian students who are studying in universities and language schools in Japan at Sophia University. Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino observed part of the event and conversed with some of the students. Approximately 80 students from across Japan, including 10 Japanese students from host institutions, attended the event.
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 […]