Ryugaku Fellowship

With the mission to nurture future leaders that embrace global challenges, we support young people’s proactive learning through demonstrating studying abroad as an option for academic career.

Ryufellow encourages young people to critically engage with and design their own learning with the hope that they apply their knowledge to change the society for the better.

Under the calls for educational reform today, many have focused on improving pedagogical methods such the development of “active learning” and “project-based learning.” Instead, Ryufellow situates learning as a tool to critically examine and engage with one’s own life. Focusing on the questions of “why we learn” and “what we learn for,” we encourage young people to see their own learning beyond their classrooms. By demonstrating the option to build one’s own career path based on this continuous reflection, we hope to expand the possibilities through designing one’s own learning.

One of the approaches to learning that we support is studying abroad. Since studying abroad for college is not widely encouraged for students in Japan, making the decision to take this path requires critical examination of oneself, seeing options for learning beyond what is given, and having courage to step outside of the familiar. The learning process does not stop with making the decision to study abroad; students must continue designing and redesigning their learning in a foreign, demanding environment.

Since our establishment in 2014, we have been running two flagship programs primarily for high school students: Caravan and Summer Camp. Caravan is a series of career development workshops held across Japan that aims to consider various ways of learning, including the option of studying abroad for college. Summer camp is a week-long writing intensive program that provides practical counseling and support for prospective students preparing for foreign college applications. In these programs we value critical reflection through dialogue with peers, college-level mentors, and teachers.

Demonstrating the option of studying abroad is only a starting point. However, it is a rather significant one, as it embodies the vast possibilities that open by designing one’s own learning. Our ultimate goal is to create a society where each individual can design his or her own learning and pursue it. Choosing a college is only a means to an end. In Japan where the value of university education is deemed especially low, we believe that sharing this vision of college as a platform of learning is essential to nurturing leaders that can embrace global challenges.

Critically examining and engaging with oneself can be a lonely process. That is why our projects focus not only on individual growth but also on community support and network development. Through valuing the interactions between students peers, college-level mentors, teachers, and other support groups, we strive to connect and expand the communities of learning.

President, Ryu-fellow
Ryosuke Takashima

Our Activities

▼Support for High School Students, by College Students

Our college student members who are currently studying abroad work to introduce high school students to various approaches to “learning” and the opportunities that sprout from those insights. By sharing real-life stories and experiences, they contribute to increasing the number of high school students who take on the challenge of “studying abroad.”

▼Establishment of a Learning Platform for Global Individuals

By introducing the option of “Universities abroad,” we hope to establish a new approach to education that is based on active learning that emphasizes singularity and uniqueness. In doing so, we bring current college students, Japanese high school students and teachers together to build a new platform for “learning.”