UCL-Japan
Youth Challenge
2026
On campus summer school programme in the UK
Rikkyo School in England | University of Cambridge | UCL
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is an annual summer school programme since 2015
Every year, pre-university students from UK sixth form colleges and Japanese high schools enjoy cultural interaction through various educational activities and events held at UCL (University College London) and the University of Cambridge.
Since 2015, we have welcomed hundreds of participants from the UK and Japan. We celebrated our 10th anniversary in 2025.
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2026 is going to be held on campus in the UK between Saturday 25th July and Sunday 2nd August 2026.
Programme outline
UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2026
On campus summer school programme in the UK
Dates: Saturday 25th July – Sunday 2nd August 2026 (9 days)
UK-based participants
Participants from Japanese high schools
Theme in 2026: UCL 200 – Legacies of Learning, Futures We Create Together
As UCL marks its 200th anniversary in 2026, our programme reflects on the enduring ties between the UK and Japan. From the pioneering students of the Chōshū and Satsuma domains who came to London in the 1860s and carried back ideas that shaped Japan’s modernisation, to more recent examples of Japanese expertise enriching life in the UK — such as Tokyo Metro’s role in the operation of London’s Elizabeth Line — the relationship has flourished through many exchanges and collaborations. Through lectures, cultural events, and youth dialogues, we will trace this journey from past to present and invite the next generation to imagine how the UK and Japan can work together to address the challenges of the future.
Theme in 2025: Space for the Future
Humans’ inquisitive minds allow us to achieve many accomplishments.
This year, in collaboration with Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, we propose to explore the world facing issues and investigate how we can shape our future with the most advanced science and technology.
Join us to the journey of discovering the inheritance of humankind through science exploration and share the irreplaceable moment with participants from Japan and the UK.
2024 programme highlight video
Participants’ thank you video
2023 programme highlight videos
London programme highlights
UCL Grand Challenge Workshop
Participants’ thank you video
What our participants say
UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2021
Participants from Japanese high schools present their school facilities, club activities, school events, and share their enthusiasm for the programme prior to their participation.
UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2017
UCL-Japan Young Challenge 2016
(renamed to the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge in 2017)
Thank you for an unforgettable experience, I have met so many incredible people and had a wonderful time. This has changed my life. I am indescribably grateful to everyone involved. (2023)
I am honoured to be participating in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023. I was able to make many friends and able to improve my English. I have a new dream to study abroad. (2023)
I enjoyed it very much. I got to know all sorts of values anew by getting involved with people. Thank you so much for creating this opportunity. (2023)
Thank you very much for 10 days. I am currently working hard to get into UCL, but this experience was a turning point in my life. Making lifelong friends in England and being able to actively ask questions in English in lectures are all my treasured memories. I will continue to study without forgetting what I learned this time so that I can become a person who can play an active role in the UK and the world in the future. (2023)
It was a really really great opportunity for me. I learned many things in this programme and made a lot of friends. I sincerely appreciate everyone. Thank you very much! (2023)
It was an excellent experience to take part in this programme. (2023)
What parents/legal guardians say
We wanted to thank you a lot for the exceptional quality of your programme. Our son had such a very enjoyable time.
He talked extensively about the lectures, challenges and great interaction he had with his Japanese pairs.
Building on the beginners Japanese course he received, he is now truly committed to learning Japanese on Duolingo.
Many thanks again for giving our son this wonderful opportunity which indeed confirmed his long interest into the Japanese culture and desire to study there at least for a year at university. (2023)
I would like to say a huge thank you to you, and all that were involved in making this UCL-Japan Youth Challenge possible. Our son had the most wonderful time, not only has this experience deepened his love and passion for Japanese, and the culture, but also given him ideas for his future. Also, and most importantly, it allowed him to have some independence and to push himself out of his comfort zone.
The whole experience, from start to finish has been more than we could have ever expected, and we are truly grateful for the opportunity given him.
Would it be possible for our son to attend next year? (2023)
What teachers say
Participants from Japanese high schools participate in the programme with their school teachers.
All the participants from our school were very satisfied that they had completed this intensive programme. Their parents said that they were really glad to have them participate when they saw how they were doing after returning home.
It was a great pleasure for me as a teacher to see how my students grew and developed their confidence during the programme. (2023)
The great thing about this programme is that we can network with other participating schools. We were immediately introduced to a forum and participated online.
There are many initiatives that overlap with several participating schools and I am hopeful that we can collaborate in the future. (2023)
Our students were able to immerse themselves in British English throughout the programme, visit Rikkyo School in England, the University of Cambridge and UCL to have lectures and talks by leading researchers and experts, meet the wonderful staff including the chair of the programme, Prof Ohnuma, and make friends from both the UK and Japanese high schools. It was a valuable experience in every way.
I also learnt a lot from the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023. (2023)
What lecturers & speakers say
Many participants asked questions in their own words, and I was impressed by their English language skills. I was amazed at the participants’ high level of awareness and how quickly they absorbed the information, as they seemed to have learnt how to ask questions from their previous lecture experiences and seemed confident in asking questions. We could sense the significance of this programme and we learnt a lot from it. (2022)
I was very glad to give the lecture, and I was impressed by the questions—particularly as most of them came from Japanese students. I imagine that asking a question in a non-native language must be hard. (2022)
Thank you very much for this opportunity to interact with students as potential UCL students. I also enjoyed the session, very impressed with how smart the students are. (2022)
I was really pleased by the calibre of the questions, you have some great students on the programme. (2022)
It was my great honour and pleasure to be part of this programme. I was amazed with your students. (2022)
I really enjoyed speaking to the participants, and was pleasantly surprised with the questions that the students came up with! They seem to be very bright and engaged in the programme thus far. (2023)
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge summer school programme is organised by the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge Committee
Chair: Prof Shin-ichi Ohnuma, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
Committee Members (in alphabetical order by first name):
Dr Anawat Suppasri, Arisa Shimada, Ayato Yamazaki, Prof Daisuke Kawata, Emiko Asagoshi, Prof Hidekazu Kurebayashi, Hideyuki Miyahara, Kaito Mizukoshi, Kentaro Kimura, Kyokuyo Takemoto, Makoto Yoshida, Manaka Abe, Dr Masako Shimato, Masao Asai, Dr Masashi Matsunaga, Dr Masazumi Tada, Dr Miwako Kitamura, Dr Moe Kishima, Moeno Sugiyama, Nanako Takaba, Dr Nozomi Sakata, Risa Hanai, Seitaro Taketani, Sumire Kaimori, Wataru Tage, Dr Yasu Takeuchi, Dr Yoshiyuki Yamamoto, Yu Hosomi, Yuta Nagano
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge Committee are most grateful for our partners, collaborators, sponsors and supporters.
We would be unable to hold the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge summer school programme without their generous commitment.
In partnership with the Japan Foundation, Rikkyo School in England & UK Japan Institute
In collaboration with Shimizu Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Building Solutions Corporation, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Association in the UK, Biospire, Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima-15 Project, Kagoshima Prefecture, NH Foods UK, Wagashi Limited, UCC Europe Limited, the rice factory LONDON, Mitoco Kawachi Corporation, The Japanese Women’s Association in Great Britain, Clearspring, Yamaguchi University, Educational Research Foundation, the Embassy of Japan in the UK, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) London & UCL Grand Challenges (in 2026)
