group photograph

On November 12, 2024, Saitama University (SU) hosted 71 high school students and 7 supervisors from India and Indonesia under the Sakura Science High School Program, Japan-Asia Youth Science Exchange Program, organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).　This is the fourth time that Saitama University hosts a high school student delegation to Japan under this program.

Prof. Shinichi Nakamoto, Emeritus Professor of International Office, led the program. At the beginning of the program, Prof. Takaomi Shigehara, Dean of Graduate School of Science and Engineering, gave a welcome speech on behalf of SU, and Ms. Jessica Putri Fenda, high school student from Indonesia, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the delegation. This was followed by the overview of SU by Assoc. Prof. Makoto Nagasawa, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the introductions by Indian and Indonesian graduate students studying abroad at SU, and the lecture on water environment conservation in Japan by Prof. Takeshi Fujino, Graduate School of Science and Engineering.  After that, the high school students were divided into groups of 8 to 9 students, each accompanied by a SU student. Each group visited a laboratory of interest to them. After lunch, they moved to the Mint Museum of Saitama Branch, where each group toured and gained deeper insights into Japan.

In addition to this time High School Program, “Sakura Science Exchange Program” conducts publicly solicited programs to invite outstanding young people from Asia and other countries, and SU has been selected. Through these programs, Saitama University aims to continue contributing to international exchange.