47 high school students recently visited several UK universities as part of the Osaka Global School programme, funded by the Osaka Prefectural Government and organised by the British Council in Japan (see https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/osaka-high-school-students-head-uk for information on the programme). The students, who were selected for their potential as future global ambassadors for Osaka and had received intensive English communication and study skills training weekly since April, visited seven universities across England during their ten-day stay.

However, the visit consisted of far more than a series of campus tours. The students took part in a range of classes usually offered to UK undergraduates, on topics ranging from “English literature and the Brontes” to “Stem cell research”. Despite the high academic level of the material and the language barrier, the students took part enthusiastically and appreciated the interactive nature of UK education – particularly the “Lego robot programming” session, in which they got to direct their own robots! They were able to visit some of the places connected with these lectures, such as the Bronte parsonage, in order to deepen their understanding.

One of the most popular aspects of the visit was the opportunity to interact with many UK students and staff. The Japanese students had devised their own research topics, and made use of every chance to discuss these with the British people they met. They also gave short presentations on aspects of Japanese culture that displayed a high level of creativity and of confidence in using English. Moreover, they came up with their own ways of engaging with the UK participants, including a “Japanese snack party” in which they carried out a survey to find out the most popular among the snacks that they had brought, and a meticulously-choreographed dance routine by Japanese super-band AKB48, which they practiced conscientiously every morning. For their part, the UK staff and students were uniformly impressed with the students’ proactive approach, engagement and academic level.

As the visit progressed and students were introduced to several different universities, it was clear that the possibilities for studying in the UK were gradually becoming more real to them. On the final evening, participants talked of how they had changed during the ten days, with several saying that their interest in studying in the UK had been converted into a resolve to do so. 19 out of the 47 students are now considering a full undergraduate degree overseas, 36 are considering study abroad while enrolled at a Japanese university, and 17 are already looking ahead to a postgraduate course overseas.

The Osaka Global School is an innovative and unique programme, but other local governments in Japan are also thinking hard about how to prepare their young people for a global stage. The success of this programme is a good opportunity to persuade other municipalities to similarly support students who aim to study overseas.