By Ono Masahiro, MIT
This article introduces initiatives by the Japanese Graduate Student Association in the U.S. (JGSAU) to encourage domestic Japanese students to study abroad. Established in 2010 by Japanese graduate students and young researchers who were studying or had studied in the U.S., JGSAU has launched three initiatives in order to share information and passion about studying abroad. The first initiative is a series of info-sessions, which are held at Japanese universities and typically include three to four talks by students and researchers who are or were in U.S. graduate schools. In December 2010, six successful info-sessions were attended by an audience of approximately 1,000 in total. JGSAU also held five info-sessions in the summer of 2011, which attracted about 800 people. Six sessions are scheduled in December 2011 at Waseda University, Keio University, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Osaka University, and Osaka Prefecture University. 
JGSAU’s second initiative is a mentorship program, which finds mentors for students who will apply to U.S. graduate schools. This program provides opportunities for domestic Japanese students to obtain personal advice on the planning of their graduate study, as well as on their applications. Finally, the third initiative is a newsletter, which is published bi-monthly over the Internet. The newsletter’s articles include stories of students and researchers about their experiences in U.S. graduate schools, introductions of schools and programs, and reports of our activities.
Articles in this newsletter:
- Message from Dr. Masako Egawa
- We need your support of FUTI: Message from the President
- Book Launch for “New Japan Architecture” held at the Japan Society
- Ms. Sumiko Ito, an FUTI Advisory Member, Aids Tohoku Disaster Victims in Japan
- Discussion Meeting with Dr. Masako Egawa on Internationalization of UTokyo
- FUTI‘s Awards for MIT Students’ Internship at UTokyo Labs
- Scholarships to Two UTokyo students at Yale’s ELI
- New initiatives to encourage Japanese students to study abroad
- FUTI Awards a Grant to the UTokyo-Yale Initiative
