UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is going to be held on campus in July 2024. Any further updates on the 2024 programme will appear on this page.
UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023 participants at UCL
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is a prestigious annual summer school programme which has a tremendous reputation and impact since 2015. Pre-university students from Japan and the UK attend a series of university-style lectures on a wide range of subjects by academics from leading UK universities including UCL (University College London), and engage in UCL Grand Challenge Workshop. Participants also experience British university student life through staying in halls of residence at the University of Cambridge and UCL.
This programme was established in 2015 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Choshu Five and the Satsuma 19 students’ arrival at UCL. The Choshu Five were the first Japanese students who studied at a UK university, and upon return they played leading roles in modernising Japan. Since then, UCL and Japan have been enjoying close ties.
We have successfully delivered the programmes online between 2020 and 2022 to widen participation.
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024 is our 10th programme, held on campus in July 2024. Any further updates on the 2024 programme will appear on this page.
Why join us?
By participating in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024, you can:
Experience university education by attending a series of lectures in various subjects.
Learn Japanese culture from a wide range of lectures and interact with participants from all over the country. You can make friends from Japan!
Learn how to get on to UCL and other top UK universities. The UCL admissions team guide you through the application process.
Engage in lectures and activities around topics relating to this year’s programme: Resilience.
Have information about the Japan Foundation, London’s programmes.
Explore various fields with world-leading lecturers, engage in dedicated activities, and develop your ideas through participating the UCL Grand Challenge Workshop.
Theme
(To be announced)
UCL Grand Challenge Workshop
As part of the programme, we host the UCL Grand Challenge Workshop on this year’s theme: Resilience (please see Programme outline below).
UCL Grand Challenges is an initiative of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research) to bring researchers from across UCL interdisciplinarily, which have changed the way researchers investigate the world’s problems, since 2009.
There are six UCL Grand Challenges; Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Cultural Understanding, Human Wellbeing, Justice & Equality, and Transformative Technology.
UCL Grand Challenge Workshop during the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge focuses on one of these challenges every year.
Programme outline
On campus programme
Date: (to be announced)
* We reserve the right to change or modify any of the programme details, at any time and in our sole discretion.
Participants will be provided a detailed itinerary.
Fee
Japanese high schools should refer to the join us page in Japanese, as the fee is different from that for the UK-based participants.
(To be announced)
Homework
In order to deepen participants’ understanding of the 2024 programme theme, homework will be provided in July 2024.
UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024 & the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge may count for your Gold Duke of Ediburgh’s Award (DofE) through the Residential section.
You must make sure that you meet the requirements if you wish to be awarded a Gold Duke of Ediburgh’s Award through the Residential section before you apply for the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024.
Your participation in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024 on its own does not grant a DofE Award.
For more information about the Residential section and its requirements, please refer to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s website: Sections | Residential section FAQ | Residential Session Plan | Checklist
Lectures
(To be announced)
This summer school programme is organised by the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge Committee.
Chair: Prof Shin-ichi Ohnuma, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
Committee members (first names by alphabetical order):
Dr Anawat Suppasri, Ayato Yamazaki, Emiko Asagoshi, Prof Hidekazu Kurebayashi, Hideyuki Miyahara, Kaito Mizukoshi, Kentaro Kimura, Makoto Yoshida, Manaka Abe, Dr Masazumi Tada, Dr Masako Shimato, Dr Miwako Kitamura, Momo Sakai, Risa Hanai, Seitaro Taketani, Sumire Kaimori, Wataru Tage, Dr Yasu Takeuchi, Dr Yoshiyuki Yamamoto, Yuta Nagano
In partnership with the Japan Foundation, Rikkyo School in England & UK Japan Institute
In collaboration with Shimizu Corporation & UCL Grand Challenges
