Annual Report 2023-24
This report is our opportunity to inform and inspire our global community. Here, you will find highlights of the 2023-24 academic year and updates on how we have pursued our unique school mission.
Table of Contents
Head of School Message
Malcolm McKenzie
I have enjoyed my short time here immensely. UWC ISAK Japan is a wonderful school. As I bid farewell, I feel that I could write a thesis about the place. But for that, there is no space!
So, let me share with you three treasures of our school which have been uppermost in my mind throughout this 2023/2024 school year. I have referred to these before, in other contexts, but they have all been so clear and strong to me throughout this past year that I wish to offer a distilled version of them in this Annual Report.
Community
In the Zulu language, there is this wise saying: Umuntu ngamuntu ngabantu – a person becomes a person through other people or, we become human in community with others. I see this every day in our school. Our residential community offers the opportunity to become more human through learning to live with each other and our differences in this unusually diverse society. This is not always easy. We make many mistakes together, but we support each other to move through and beyond these mistakes, together. A few years here expands our humanity hugely, both individually and collectively.
Diversity
Our 200 students come from 80 countries. 70% of our students receive some level of Financial Assistance, thanks to extraordinarily generous donors. These students represent multiple cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, faith traditions, political perspectives, and more. Deliberate diversity like this is a powerful educator. Daily exposure to such variety teaches us to delight in and learn from difference.
Learnings
The plural is intentional. We rejoice in many types of learning here. We are an academic school, of course we are, but our learnings are wide, and deep. We learn outdoors, in practical projects, in leadership courses, in entrepreneurial events, in global affairs meetings, in student-led clubs and activities, and in many other domains. One key to the success of this is the trust that we place in our students, and the responsibility and sense of agency that we expect in return. The students understand this and, most of the time, honor it.
These are three of the many treasures that I love about UWC ISAK Japan.
Please protect them!
A Shared Vision
UWC INTERNATIONAL
UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
At UWC ISAK Japan we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.
By The Numbers (2023-24)
200 Students
By The Numbers (2014-24)
521 Graduates
as of June 2024
Year in Review
Celebrate & Sustain Campaign Launch
On August 24, 2023, UWC ISAK Japan’s 10th Anniversary Celebrate & Sustain Campaign was launched to honor our accomplishments over the past decade and recognize the unwavering support of our community. Running until August 24, 2024, the campaign has not only achieved significant financial milestones through generous donations but also fostered a culture of gratitude and generosity within our community. For more details, visit the UWC ISAK Japan 10th Anniversary Campaign.
UWC Day
UWC Day on September 21, led by student organizers and focused on “Shaping a Sustainable Future,” featured campus-wide sustainability activities, an opening ceremony promoting peace, and concluded with an international fashion show and cultural booths.
Fall Project Week
Grade 10 students made significant progress in their leadership projects, focusing on diverse areas such as online education, health, and environmental sustainability, while testing their ideas against feasibility, desirability, and viability criteria, with the goal of developing impactful solutions for their communities. Read more here.
International Culture & Education Festival
On November 4, UWC ISAK Japan hosted its first International Culture and Education Festival, welcoming nearly 600 guests to celebrate global diversity and community connection through various cultural activities and educational showcases. Read more here.
Human Rights Day
The 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was commemorated on December 6 with diverse activities facilitated by various clubs, each addressing unique human rights issues such as intersectionality, consumerism, biases, gender roles, environmental impacts, and peacebuilding.
Grade 10 Leadership Opportunities
On January 16-17, UWC ISAK Japan was honored by a visit from Matt Cheng, founder of Cherubic Ventures and a top venture investor with a background in tennis and entrepreneurship. G10 students participated in a prototyping workshop by Dice Yukita, focusing on Design Thinking as part of their Leadership curriculum.
Exchange Students from UWC Thailand and UWC Congress
Our current and future Heads of School, Mr. Malcolm and Ms. Arden, along with several staff members and students, attended the first UWC Congress since 2018 in Phuket. Additionally, four UWC Thailand students visited UWC ISAK Japan to exchange insights on our respective schools, fostering a valuable learning experience for both sides.
Spring Project Week
Students demonstrated impressive leadership through various initiatives, including volunteering in Bangladesh, promoting sustainable plastic bags in Karuizawa, delivering computers and books to a library in Nepal, exploring local food sustainability in Kamiyama, developing a smart temperature controller, promoting sign language awareness, and enhancing community connections through a project with a local nursing home.
Caf Talks Continue
Continuing in April, Cafe Talks have been a defining feature of the 2023-24 school year, noted for their mature and balanced discussions on hot-button issues like global political conflicts.
Graduation
Congratulations to the 89 members of the Class of 2024; we are proud of your achievements and character, and grateful for your time at UWC ISAK Japan, which will always be your home as you embark on your next journey.
Short Programs
Students get a taste of UWC ISAK Japan and our experience is often a different way of education. Our main program is the Summer School, which first started in 2011, but we also run a Winter School program (since 2020). In total, 208 students had the opportunity to engage with us through our Short Programs in 2022-23 and we are constantly exploring new horizons to expand access to UWC ISAK Japan education!
Summer School
For 13-14 years old students
Since 2011, Summer School has pioneered the UWC ISAK Japan approach to education. Over 12 days in late July 2023, we welcomed 82 students from around the world to our campus in Karuizawa to explore leadership, culture, identity and more in a diverse environment. This year we had 40 nationalities represented and a team of 30 adults guide students through a life-changing experience. Summer School 2023 was rated with a 96% satisfaction level.
Winter School
For 12-13 years old students
Winter School is our Short Program that was born during the pandemic but has now gained a secure place in our yearly offerings. During Winter School 48 students were able to experience the beauty of our snowy campus, extensive Outdoor Education and classes around leadership, diversity and taking action. Winter School 2023 received a 94% satisfaction level from the students.
Financial Summary
At UWC ISAK Japan, we empower our students to become agents of positive change in an increasingly complex world. Our student community’s diversity is a cornerstone of their educational journey, enhancing their training and personal development. By creating an environment rich in varied backgrounds and perspectives—socioeconomic, religious, cultural, and more—we leverage the power of diversity as an essential learning tool.
The deliberately diverse nature of our community is sustained through a robust need-based financial assistance program, supporting 70% of our students. Each year, we allocate around 500,000,000 yen to scholarships, accounting for roughly a third of our annual budget. A significant share of these scholarships is made possible through the Furusato Nozei (hometown tax) program, with 95% of donations dedicated to UWC ISAK Japan scholarships and 5% aimed at enhancing education in Karuizawa. We deeply appreciate the trust and generosity of our donors and supporters.
Marking our 10th anniversary, we initiated the Celebrate & Sustain fundraising campaign involving our community—students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff—aiming to expand our financial support base further. To date, this campaign has fully funded the furnishing of our Phase 6 buildings and beyond. This effort underscores our commitment to enhancing our fundraising capabilities.
In addition to these primary funds, we receive significant contributions through the Dare to Dream program, generously supported by American philanthropist Shelby Davis and his family. This program remains a vital part of our financial aid offerings, ensuring we continue to uphold our commitment to a deliberately diverse educational environment.
UWC ISAK is committed to setting aside approximately 200 million JPY per annum for our Endowment Fund to ensure the mid- to long-term sustainability of our robust scholarship program.
* Our students receive scholarship fully or partially from Furusato Nozei and other sources.
Community Stories
International Children’s Peace Prize goes to Students from Ukraine
Ukrainian UWC ISAK Japan student Anastasiia (“Nastia”), along with her Ukrainian peers Sofia and another Anastasiia, won the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize for developing two apps, “Refee” and “SVITY,” to assist refugee children from Ukraine. Their NGO, SVIT, focuses on aiding displaced children in safely crossing borders and integrating into new communities. Despite challenges like global dispersion and travel restrictions, their dedication and innovative efforts earned international recognition, highlighting their impactful contribution to supporting children affected by conflict. Read more here.
Innovative Solutions in Agriculture with Project Sprout
Amine from Lebanon and Ethan from Hong Kong created “Project Sprout,” a standout initiative in UWC ISAK Japan’s Grade 10 Leadership Program that uses satellite imaging to help local farmers assess crop health, with plans for global expansion. Their collaboration began on a school bus ride, and they’ve built a partnership on mutual respect and a shared passion for solving agricultural issues. Project Sprout has successfully demonstrated its potential to improve agricultural efficiency and earned praise for its innovative approach and impact.
UWC ISAK Grade 11 Student Wins Scientific Research Award
Grade 11 student Midori coauthored a research paper that won the National Society Young Scientist Support Programme Award from the Japanese Society for Strabismus and Amblyopia. Her paper, developed with OUI Inc., investigates a new method for detecting strabismus using deep learning gaze estimation technology. This project, inspired by her own vision challenges, is part of Midori’s broader commitment to innovation, including co-founding Project TOMO and contributing to environmental sustainability as Euglena’s Chief Future Officer. Read more here.
Alum YouTuber Gives Back to Vietnam and the UWC Movement
Alumna An (Class of 2020) leveraged her rise as a YouTuber to create the Vung
Education Scholarship Fund, supporting young changemakers in Vietnam, inspired by her transformative experience at the school. She founded the Model United Nations Club, engaged in various academic activities, and created a documentary shortlisted for the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival. Her scholarship fund received over 1,000 applications in its first year and awarded its 2023 grant to a project supporting women from ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. Read more here.
UWC ISAK Japan Alum on his Way to Space
When Yasu (Class of 2017) heard space entrepreneur Nobu Okada say, “Space is where you shine,” at a UWC ISAK Japan conference, it resonated deeply with him. Inspired by his time at UWC ISAK, Yasu pursued a career in space engineering, becoming the first employee at Astroscale right after graduation. He is now working towards fulfilling the requirements to apply for JAXA’s astronaut program, with the goal of becoming an astronaut in the near future. Read more here.
New Faculty & Staff
Andre Tyoschin
Danika Nowak
Fumika Azuma
Cari Ito
Lucy Twigger
Farah Omet
Sayo Iida
Saki Koh
Toshiyuki Okamoto
Donor Recognition
The generosity of our Founders, Catalyst Supporters, and donors who have made a life-changing education possible for students from around the world. Donations of every size support the mission of UWC ISAK Japan and we thank everyone who has contributed to our school. Please see the full list of our supporters here.
*Proceeds from the sale of electricity generated by solar equipment purchased with donated funds are being used to fund scholarships.
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
Hidehiro Imatsu Scholarship
Hitoshi Honda Scholarship
Honjo Scholarship
Iuchi Scholarship
Junko Fukutake Scholarship
Makiko Suehiro Scholarship
Panetha Ott Scholarship
Shigeru Sato Scholarship
Teruko Honjo Scholarship
Goldman Sachs
SUMMER SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
Canyon Capital Japan Scholarship
HSBC Group Scholarship
GUEST SPEAKER SESSION
ABLE INC.
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS
Davis-UWC Scholars Program
The Nippon Foundation Scholarship
PROJECT SUPPORTERS
Ichigo Asset Management, Ltd.
Landwell Inc.
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
Rising Field Corporation
Tokyo Electron Ltd.
CORPORATE FURUSATO NOZEI
MEDIA DO Co., Ltd.
SHUEISHA, Inc.
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
LIXIL Group Corporation
SECOM Co., Ltd.
airweave inc.
Morrison & Foerster LLP/Registered Associated Offices of Ito & Mitomi
TMI Associates
IDEO Tokyo
Panasonic Corporation
McKinsey & Company Japan
Bain & Company, Inc
*Note that only supporters who meet certain criteria are published here.
University Matriculation
UWC ISAK Japan’s alumni community of over 500 members represents 127 different nationalities, each striving to bring positive change around the globe. Our alumni pursue higher education at prestigious institutions, including Ivy League universities such as Yale, Princeton, Cornell, and Brown; leading universities in their fields such as the National University of Singapore and the University of the Arts London; and top Japanese universities such as the University of Tokyo, Waseda, Keio, and International Christian University (ICU). UWC ISAK Japan graduates follow diverse paths, with many embracing gap years, volunteering, or entrepreneurial projects.
AUSTRALIA
Australian National University
University of Melbourne
University of Monash
University of Sydney
Trinity College
CANADA
Carleton University
Concordia University
Laguna College of Art & Design
Langara College
Mount AIlison University
McGill University
Queen’s University
Quest University
St.Thomas University
University of British Columbia
University of Toronto
University of Waterloo
JAPAN
Asia Pacifc University
Akita International University
International Christian University
Kanazawa University
Keio University
Kyushu University
Nagoya University of Commerce and Business
Rikkyo University
Shibaura Institute of Technology
Sophia University
Tokyo International University
Musashino Art University
Okayama University
Osaka University
Ritsumeikan University
University of Tokyo
Waseda University
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam University College
Delft University of Technology
Erasmus University College
Erasmus University, RSM
Leiden University
Radboud University Nijmegen
Technical University Delft
University of Amsterdam
University of Groningen
University of Maastricht
University of Twente
Utrecht University
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
REST OF EUROPE
CEU Cardinal Herrera University (Spain)
Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary)
IE University (Spain)
Semmelweis University (Hungary)
University CEU Cardenal Herrera (Spain)
University of Mannheim (Germany)
REST OF WORLD
Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
Flame University (India)
KIMEP University (Kazakhstan)
Mahidol University (Thailand)
Middle Easter Technical University (Turkey)
NYU Abu Dhabi (UAE)
RMIT University Vietnam (Vietnam)
SCAD HK (Hong Kong)
Sultan Qaboos University (Oman)
The Chinese University of HK (Hong Kong)
National University of Singapore
Yale NUS (Singapore)
UNITED KINGDOM
Arts University Bournemouth
King’s College London
Royal Northern College of Music
SOAS University of London
Queen Mary University
University College London
University of Bath
University of Bristol
University of Dundee
University of Durham
University of Edinburgh
University of Exeter
University of Sheffeld
University of Manchester
University of St. Andrews
University of The Arts London
UNITED STATES
Babson College
Bard College
Bates College
Beloit College
Bennington College
Bentley University
Boston University
Bowdoin University
Brandeis University
Brown University
Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Clark University
Colby College
College of William and Mary
Colorado College
Columbia University
College of Idaho
College of the Atlantic
Concordia College at Moorhead
Cornell University
Davidson College
Duke University
Drexel University
Earlham College
Franklin & Marshall College
Furman University
Georgetown University
Ithaca College
Kalamazoo College
Lewis & Clark College
Lake Forest College
Loyola Marymount University
Luther College
Macalester College
Methodist University
Michigan State University
Middlebury College
Minerva Schools at KGI
Mount Holyoke College
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Nova Southeastern University
Oberlin University
Occidental College
Pace University
Parson’s School of Design
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Randolph Macon College
Rhode Island School of Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
Rutgers University
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and
Design
Santa Clara University
Skidmore College
Smith College
St. Lawrence University
St. Olaf College
Swarthmore College
The New School
Tufts University
Trinity College
Union College
University of Chicago
University of California – Berkeley
University of California – Davis
University of California – Los
Angeles
University of Florida
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Maine
University of North Carolina
University of Oklahoma
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Southern California
University of Utah
University of Virginia
University of Washington
Vanderbilt University
Wake Forest University
Wartburg College
Washington and Lee University
Wellesley College
Wheaton College
Whitman College
Williams College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University
Governance
HONORARY ADVISOR
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lin Kobayashi (CHAIR)
Mamoru Taniya
Masahiro Koshiba
Mariko Magnan
Malcolm McKenzie
Shusaku Minoda
Ryo Ohira
Toru Shimada
Charlotte Yew
ADVISORY BOARD
Fumio Tateishi (CHAIR)
Yasuchika Hasegawa
Yasushi Hatakeyama
Hidehiko Hayashi
Hidehiro Imatsu
Kakutaro Kitashiro
Hiroko Kono
Takashi Murata
Shigeru Sato
Teruhide Sato
Kan Suzuki
Makoto Takano
Kotaro Yamagishi
Kimiya Yamamoto
Masakazu Yanagisawa
Yasuhiro Wakebayashi
Ryusuke Honjyo
STATUTORY AUDITOR
Yasushi Ando
Kenji Hosokawa
Naoki Tamura
COUNCILS
Suguru Miyake (CHAIR)
Benjamin Blum
Nicolas Carter
Ronna Chao
Matt Cheng
Kenji Govaers
Boon Bee Hew
Masahisa Ikeda
Tomonori Ito
Kei Iwashita
Namiko Kaji
Haruki Kamiyama
Lin Kobayashi
Yojiro Koizumi
Shing Siah Lee
Marcos Melero
Gen Miyazawa
Ryo Ohira
Wataru Sado
Toru Shimada
Mamoru Taniya
Arden Tyoschin
Charlotte Yew
Founders & Catalyst Supporters
FOUNDERS
(listed by date of contribution)
Mamoru Taniya*
Lin and Shigetoshi Kobayashi
Yuriko Takahashi
Kimiya Yamamoto
Masakazu Yanagisawa
Rika Aoi
Fumio Tateishi
Michiyo and Hidehiko Hayashi
Hiroko Kono
Hidehiro Imatsu*‡
Fumiko Ozawa (Kanenobu) ‡
Brian Nelson
Masahiro Koshiba*
Masaru Kojima
Einosuke Yoshino
Gen Kato
Takashi Inoue
Shotaro Tanaka
Takashi Murata ‡
Makoto Takano
Takeshi Natsuno
Hiroaki Mizutani
Shogo Kawada
Teruhide Sato
Kohei Matsuki
Nobuyuki Idei
Kakutaro Kitashiro
Tomoharu Inoue
Tomonori Ito
Kotaro Yamagishi
Heang Chhor
Eiichi Miyazawa
Amane Nakashima
Yasuro Koizumi
Ogawa Scholarship Foundation
Hideki Kinuhata
Ichiro Miyake
Ryusuke Honjo
Edward Suzuki
Yuichiro Sugahara
Haruhiro Tsujimoto
Shin Horie ‡
Ken Takayama
Koichi Saura
Ishibashi Foundation
Katsunori Sago ‡
Masakazu Iwakura
Haruki Kamiyama*
Masatada Kobayashi
Kazutoshi Kobayashi
Mariko and Jacques Magnan
Kaji Family
Shigeru Sato*
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Taizo Hasebe
Shinichiro Okumoto
Junko Fukutake*
Hitoshi Honda*
Terumi and Yojiro Koizumi
Yasushi Ando*
Hiroyuki Arita
Mikiko and Toshio Iwasaki
Yoko Takeda
Noriko Yamaguchi
Seiji Yasubuchi
Shinji Kimura
Shusaku Minoda
Toshio Himuro
Nonaka Institute of Knowledge
Hoppy Mina Co., Ltd.
Okada Memorial Club
Ichiro Kawanabe
Shuhei Morofuji
Suguru Miyake*
United Managers Japan Inc.
Akiyuki Nagase
Yoko Takai
Makiko Suehiro
Keizo Fujitake
Shinji Yoshizawa
Koki Uchiyama
Yasuhiro Wakebayashi
Mei Yu
Takahisa Fujitake
Jun Furukawa
Toru Shimada*
Nobuo Sayama
Hitoshi Kashiwaki
Ayako Yoshida (Masako and
Hiroshi Sasaki)
Yi Shi
Paul and Maki McInerney
Takashi Kawamura
United States-Japan Foundation
Yasushi Fujita
Muneaki Masuda*
Maki and Yasu Hatakeyama
Masahisa Ikeda
Tsuguhiko Kadokawa
Ken Aoyama
CATALYST SUPPORTERS
(listed by date of contribution)
Yasumasa Manabe
Naruatsu Baba
Satoru Oshita
Xiaolei Sun
Yew Lin Goh
YKK Holding Asia Pte Ltd.
Takeshi Tanaka
Yoshiaki Fujimori
Junko Hamamoto (Mori)
Haruo Nakamura
Akira Kosugi
Genki Shiota
Tamotsu Kosano
Ryo Ohira
Riso Kyoiku Iwasa Foundation
Hattori International Scholarship
Foundation
Ryo Abe
Takahiro Sugawara
Hiroyuki Watanabe
Hikaru Shimura
Shinichi Yamamoto
Yuki and Makoto Arima
Koichiro Hashimoto
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
Mariko and Tatsuya Hayashi
Byking Inc.
Ken Tamagawa
Kenji and Jun Govaers
Yusuke Umeda
Riku Sugie
Isao Ogata
Hideki Kaneko
Yuki Ikejiri
Hideo, Misako and Fumie Iuchi*
Yoshikazu Tanaka
Michikatsu Ochi
MEDIA DO Co., Ltd.
Shinichiro Watari*
Ichigo Asset Management, Ltd.
Sotaro Ishii
Kana and Hiro Yoshikawa
Katsuya Uenoyama
Tomoya and Miyako Nishikawa
Haruko Kato
Haruki Satomi
Messages From Our Community
"Attending UWC ISAK Japan changed not only (our son)’s life but ours as well. This was an incredible experience for (our son), from an academic stand- point but also introducing Japanese culture to the whole family. He had the opportunity to learn from many other cultures through his peers. UWC ISAK exceeded our expectations and it will have a special place in our hearts."
"Our gratitude extends far beyond academic achievements. We are amazed by the holistic approach that UWC ISAK Japan takes towards education, focusing not only on intellectual devel- opment but also on nurturing the personal, social, and emotional growth of each student."
We are immensely grateful for the strong sense of community that our daughter has found at UWC ISAK Japan. Being part of a diverse and inclusive community has allowed her to build lifelong friendships, develop cross-cultural understanding, and appreciate the beauty of different perspec- tives. We are deeply moved by the warmth, kindness, and support that she has received from her peers, teachers, and the wider UWC ISAK Japan community.
Having completed her 10th grade year during ISAK’s 10th anniversary year, our daughter has grown in so many ways that none in our family anticipated ... We are grateful to ISAK for giving our daughter the chance to benefit from the myriad opportunities that come with attending a UWC school. As ISAK continues to grow beyond its 10th year, we look forward to seeing in how many more ways our daughter will grow along with it during her remaining two years as an ISAK student.
Leadership Insights
Mamoru Taniya
Celebrating our ten year anniversary, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have always supported us.
Sixteen years ago, when Lin and I were working on the concept of ISAK, we never imagined that we would be able to create such a wonderful school. This is, of course, thanks to Lin’s exceptional leadership, but at the same time, I believe it is because everyone involved has worked together to create this school.
The first graduates said at the graduation ceremony that they created ISAK, and this year’s graduates also said that they created a better ISAK with their various suggestions. It is rare to find a school where not only the students, but also the founders, catalysts, faculty, and staff are all working to improve the school with ownership on a daily basis. That is why we have been able to overcome so many difficulties, and I am confident that we can continue to create a better school in response to new changes in circumstances.
I love graduation ceremonies, and every year, two of our second-year students officiate the graduation ceremony and send off the third-year students. They always cry because they are like family to them and like many people, I cry in sympathy and am very moved at the same time and I am keenly aware that ISAK is the best project I have ever been involved in.
We have learned so much from Malcolm over the past two years as a principal with his exceptional intelligence and experiences at top boarding schools around the world, and at this year’s May graduation ceremony, our 10th anniversary, I was once again very proud that UWC ISAK has become a truly great school. I am confident that the school will become even better under Arden’s new leadership.
The mission of UWC is to unite people, nations and cultures, and because UWC ISAK is located in Karuizawa, which is blessed with beautiful nature, I hope that UWC ISAK will add the Japanese (oriental) value of oneness and contribute to unite with nature and the earth as well. I sincerely wish that all the students and graduates will express themselves to the fullest in their one happy precious life for the better universe.
“One life, realize your potential, be a catalyst for positive change.”
Lin Kobayashi
On this, our tenth anniversary, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been involved in the establishment and operation of UWC ISAK Japan since our inception. Our small project that began in Karuizawa has not only directly impacted the lives of the students who studied here but also, by demonstrating that “a school can be built by regular people,” has, indirectly, made a significant mark on the educational landscape in Japan. If this has indeed been the case, it is an honor beyond words.
As we look forward to the next ten years, two words come to mind: impact and sustainability. In a world that is increasingly divided and chaotic, the importance of nurturing leaders who can understand diverse values and change-makers who can take action and create positive changes in society is growing ever more critical. How can we deliver this type of education to more young people? How can we ensure that this initiative remains sustainable for fifty or even a hundred years?
“There is more in us than we know if we could be made to see it; perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less.” These words by Kurt Hahn, the educational philosopher and founder of UWC, resonate deeply. I feel infinite potential in each of our graduates, and I hope they will continue to challenge themselves throughout their lives. At the same time, we too, aspire to be humble, yet bold pioneers, continuously exploring new frontiers. I look forward to walking this path with all of you over the next ten years!
Arden Tyoschin
It has been a pleasure to be on campus over the past year – getting to know the beautiful town of Karuizawa, new colleagues, and most importantly, being inspired by and learning from our students.
I am very much looking forward to next year, the start of our second decade. With a successful 10 years to build upon, I envision a future that continues to embody the essence of our mission statements and our motto, a future that provides students with the competencies to interact with a wide range of people and perspectives, the skills to be resilient, and the strategies to be intentional about their wellness – critical foundations for change-makers of today and the future.
What should guide us as we embark on the next 10 years? Our inspirational and unique UWC ISAK Japan mission statement, of course! At the Annual Summit held in May, we began considering the possibility of rearticulating our mission statement to be more directional, like a compass, to help guide everyday decisions. Whether or not any changes are made, our mission will continue to be our north star leading us into the future.
Congratulations, UWC ISAK Japan, on turning 10! I wonder what bold decisions we will make over the next several years that we will be celebrating when we turn 20.
Arden Tyoschin
