Education Promotion Event on Studying in Japan Held in Ankara: Over 300 Participants
On April 13, 2025, the Kyushu University J-MENA Ankara Office, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Ankara and Directorate General for Higher and Foreign Education of the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MEB), organized an informative event titled “Educational Opportunities in Japan: Government Policies and Scholarships.” The event was held at the Turkish-Japanese Foundation and welcomed over 300 students and parents interested in studying in Japan.
The 2 hour program began with an opening video message from Prof. Dr. Shuji Shimizu, Vice President of Kyushu University for International Affairs. Following his video, Mr. Hiroaki Motomura, Minister-Councellor at the Embassy of Japan in Türkiye, introduced Japan’s government policies targeting international students and shared information on the J-MIRAI vision, noting that Japan aims to increase its number of international students to 400,000 by the year 2033.
Next, a general presentation on undergraduate and graduate application processes in Japan was delivered by Merve Dağ Al-Sharefeen, Academic Coordinator at the Kyushu University Ankara Office. Ms. Manami Koyano, a representative from the Embassy of Japan, provided detailed information about the MEXT (Japanese Government) Scholarship, while Dr. Ayşe Çobanoğlu, an official from the Ministry of National Education, introduced the YLSY Scholarship Program.
According to the registration data, 51% of participants were undergraduate students. Engineering and humanities were among the most popular academic fields. During the Q&A session, participants raised numerous questions about scholarship documents, daily life in Japan, and job opportunities. Additionally, concerns were expressed regarding social aspects of living in Japan, such as the difficulty of forming friendships.
It was noted that only 36 students have studied in Japan with the YLSY Scholarship in the past ten years. While the total quota for the YLSY program in 2024 is 204, the UK, USA, and Germany are the most commonly chosen destinations by Turkish students. The event highlighted the need for more promotional activities to encourage students to choose Japan under this scholarship program.
This event stood out as one of the most comprehensive Japan education promotional activities held in Ankara in recent years and made a significant contribution to increasing awareness among Turkish students about educational opportunities in Japan.
