In 2012, UTokyo started a specially designed project to expose students to lifestyles and values different from their own through direct experiences beyond the University’s classrooms. The Taiken (hands-on or experiential) Learning Program, has offered more than 100 programs across a wide range of fields and locations this year, including 29 overseas programs that send students to foreign countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. Local alumni groups are hosting five U.S. programs in 2026. Participating students will meet with alumni face-to-face at their workplaces and hear about how they came to pursue their careers in the U.S. and what it is like to live and work here.
These U.S. based Taiken programs draw strong interest from many students every year, yet the cost of taking part, including airfare, lodging and meals, has climbed sharply since the pandemic amid persistent inflation and continued weakening of the yen against the U.S. dollar. There is a real risk that many qualified and motivated students may be forced to pass up the opportunity purely for financial reasons.
In May 2026, FUTI launched the International Pathways Award (IPA) Program to support the Taiken programs hosted in U.S. cities. The IPA grants $1,000 to $2,000 per person to one undergraduate student participating in each of the five U.S.-based programs in New York, Chicago / Washington D.C., San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Boston. All of these are high-cost locations. This Award advances FUTI’s mission of providing “financial support and opportunities in cooperation with The University of Tokyo for the exchange of ideas in cultural, scientific, academic and social fields.”
Although the amount to be disbursed under the IPA is modest compared with FUTI’s existing scholarships and travel awards, its impact is significant. Over the years, many participants of the Taiken program have decided to pursue international careers, study abroad, or rethink conventional career plans, directly influenced by insights gained from the U.S. Taiken programs or firsthand experiences shared by alumni they met. They have commented that the U.S. programs were truly life-changing. The programs also serve as valuable networking opportunities between UTokyo students and alumni, connections that may prove invaluable years later, in case they build their careers in the United States.
Jotaro Hamada, Coordinator, FUTI International Pathways Award Program