The Nippon Foundation to Support Establishment of Minerva University’s New Global Rotation City in Tokyo (2)

At the ceremony on April 22 where The Nippon Foundation and Minerva University signed the agreement to add Tokyo to the university’s global rotation city program, two current students from Japan spoke about why　they chose to attend Minerva and their experiences there, as well as their expectations for Tokyo as a new rotation city.

Ms. Yasuko Kinoshita, a junior student who grew up in Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, said she chose the university because “I wanted to dive into an environment where students from all over the world gather together.” On the school’s expansion to Tokyo, she said: “I think students will discover a lot by being exposed to Japan’s unique traditions, culture and perspectives.”

Mr. Mototada Furuta, a sophomore from Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, said: “I enjoy extracurricular activities and was fascinated by Minerva University’s education with an emphasis on hands-on experiences. Living in a country for a certain period of time and learning about issues there will enable us to acknowledge, understand and accept different cultures and values”.

The foundation’s support will be made through the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Global Leaders Scholarship program and will be used to assist Japanese students attending Minerva, and to promote ties between Minerva University and Japanese universities, local communities and businesses, and to arrange internships.

Minerva University is a four-year university established in San Francisco that admitted its first class in 2014. About 85% of its students are from outside the United States, representing roughly 100 countries around the world. There were 26 Japanese studying at Minerva as of April 2024.

In 2022 and 2023, Minerva was ranked as the world’s most innovative university by the World University Rankings for Innovation, an organization whose partners include the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.

(End)