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����ԭ�� President Sue Edwards visited several of ����ԭ��’s institutional partners in Japan to discuss opportunities to expand exchange opportunities for students.

During International Education Week in 2024, Edwards traveled to Okayama and Kyoto, Japan, to visit with students, faculty, staff and administrators at the Kake Educational Institution and the Junsei Educational Institution.

Both institutions are comprised of several pre-schools, K-12 schools, institutes, colleges and universities throughout Japan, including important ����ԭ�� partners Kibi International University, Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts and Okayama University of Science.

The visit included discussions with ����ԭ��’s Japanese partner institutions to explore additional exchange opportunities for ����ԭ�� students and students from Junsei Educational Institution and the Kake Educational Institution.

Edwards also met with students from Okayama University of Science and Kurashiki University of Science and Arts who had visited ����ԭ�� to learn about their experiences in the United States.

“The experiences shared have reinforced my dedication to fostering opportunities for students at ����ԭ�� and in Japan to broaden their international perspectives and cultural understanding,” Edwards said.

“We hope that President Edwards’ visit will inspire students to take on the challenge of studying abroad at ����ԭ��,” Kibi International University said in an article about her visit. “We also hope that the relationship between the two universities will be further strengthened.”

����ԭ��’s first international exchange program was launched in 1979 with Kake Educational Institution. The exchange program involves three Japanese universities: Okayama University of Science, Okayama University of Science Specialized Training College and Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts.

During the , the Japanese students take English language and culture classes, visit local and area attractions and stay with American families in their homes.

As a result of Edwards’ visit, students from Junsei Educational Institution will now be part of the program at ����ԭ�� in the summer of 2025.

����ԭ�� students who travel to Japan as part of the program likewise stay with Japanese families. Some of them have since gotten jobs with Japanese companies in the United States.

����ԭ�� has planted 11 sakura trees, or cherry blossom trees, in the Garden of Senses to symbolize the success of the exchange program.

Over 1,600 international students from 72 countries enrolled at ����ԭ�� in the fall of 2024, with the largest intake of new international students this fall in ����ԭ��’s history.

Learn more about international education at ����ԭ�� at wright.edu/international-education.