Promotion of international exchange in public high schools
The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education promotes international exchange to develop human resources that are capable of leading the world with an open and global mindset.
In principle, we collaborate with local educational institutions on the implementation of an original overseas dispatch program that allows students at schools run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to deepen what they learn at school through practical experience that can only be gained in the field.
Additionally, we create opportunities for even more students to engage in direct exchange activities. We do this by accepting students from abroad into our schools once our domestic students have gained a greater understanding of Japanese culture, Tokyo lifestyles, and the other appeals of Japan and Tokyo.
Furthermore, we designate overseas schools to promote inter-school exchanges with our schools in Tokyo to support international exchange activities at our schools.
Overseas training program for Metropolitan high school students
Since 2022, we have sent students from our metropolitan high schools not only to English speaking countries and regions, but also to a variety of other areas for a week or more. This program aims to foster in students an open and global mindset as well as a readiness to embrace other cultures.
Comments from Participants:
- 'I felt my perspectives broaden as I was able to come into contact with a variety of values and ways of thinking.'
- 'It offered me an opportunity to think about my future career, like attending a university overseas or working at a global company.'
- 'I reaffirmed the necessity of actively conversing in English to cooperate with people around the world.'
- 'I was able to think about the sort of things I could do by coming into direct contact with different cultures.'
- 'I learned the fun and importance of thinking about things from a variety of perspectives through engaging in debate with the other students who participated.'
| UAE (Dubai) (2022) | Japanese(External link) | English(External link) |
|---|---|---|
| UAE (Abu Dhabi) (2022) | Japanese(External link) | English(External link) |
| Paris (2022) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Vocational school student dispatch to Australia (2022) | English(External link) | |
| Multicultural readiness dispatch to Egypt (2023) | ||
| Multicultural readiness dispatch to Indonesia (2023) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Japanese (short)(External link) | English (short)(External link) | |
| Multicultural readiness dispatch to Malaysia (2023) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Japanese (short)(External link) | English (short)(External link) | |
| Multicultural readiness dispatch to UAE (2023) | Japanese(External link) | English(External link) |
| Multicultural readiness dispatch to France (2023) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Vocational school student dispatch to New Zealand (2023) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Japanese (short)(External link) | English (short)(External link) | |
| Vocational school student dispatch to Finland (2023) | ||
| Vocational school student dispatch to UAE (2023) | ||
| Club activity dispatch to France (2023) | Japanese(External link) | |
| Japanese (short)(External link) | English (short)(External link) | |
| Dispatch to US STEAM (2023) |
Overseas schools for the promotion of inter-school exchanges
In 2016, we designated several overseas schools as sister schools. Moreover, in order to support international exchange activities at our schools, in 2018, we designated several overseas schools to promote inter-school exchanges with our schools in Tokyo.
Sister-schools partnership agreements
Examples of exchanges through sister-school partnership agreements
Examples of exchanges through sister-school partnership agreements
Various methods are used, such as exchange through sister-school partnership agreements, short-term visits and stay at sister schools, communication via the internet / postal mail, and cooperate-learning under the same theme online.
Here is an introduction of some activities of some schools.
Promote International Exchange at Tokyo Metropolitan High Schools
One day/half day interactions with overseas schools
In addition to initiatives by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government also provides 1-day and half-day opportunities for high school students to interact with foreign high school students.
See more details about supporting school visits for educational trips below: http://www.gotokyo.org/en/education/index.html(External link)
Invitation of foreign students to the public high schools in Tokyo
The BOE is expanding acceptance of foreign students so that more and more public high school students can communicate with foreign students at their own schools.
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with British Columbia Ministry of Education, Canada, FY2015
Partnerships with educational organizations overseas
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with British Columbia Ministry of Education, Canada, FY2015.
On September 15th, 2015, the BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Canada. This was the first time that the BOE signed an agreement with a foreign educational organization.
Based on this MOU, the BOE has added schools and universities in British Columbia as possible study abroad destinations for Japanese teachers of English and students.
The BOE builds relationships and exchanges dialogues actively with educational organizations overseas and supports international exchange of public schools in Tokyo with overseas.
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia, FY2016.
On October 6th, 2016, the Tokyo BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia.
Tokyo BOE and NSW have been developing friendly relations. Which has included through professional development programs for Japanese teachers.
In May 2015 the Tokyo Metropolitan Government signed an agreement with NSW on Olympic and Paralympic Exchange and Cooperation.
Objective
Aims to promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
The Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia.
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher mobility
- Information exchange
Renewal of Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia, FY2017
On August 22nd, 2017, the Tokyo BOE renewed its Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia.
In the renewed Memorandum of Understanding, Tokyo BOE and NSW added the Global Friendship Project as part of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Education to the areas of cooperation agreed upon when the Memorandum of Understanding was agreed previously.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
The Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia.
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Teacher and student mobility
- Cooperation on Global Friendship Project
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education and Training of the State of Queensland, Australia, FY2016
On November 17th, 2016, the BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Department of Education and Training of the State of Queensland, Australia.
We have been developing good relationships with the State of Queensland through the overseas language training program for foreign language teachers.
Objective
Aims to promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
The Department of Education and Training of the State of Queensland, Australia
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher mobility
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandums of Understanding with the Department of Education, Taipei City Government and the Education Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Taiwan, FY2016
The Tokyo BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Department of Education, Taipei City, Taiwan on December 19th, 2016, and with the Education Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Taiwan on December 20th, 2016.
The Memorandum of Understanding with Taipei City follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the State of Queensland in Australia in November 2016 and is the fourth such agreement that the Tokyo BOE has signed with an overseas local government this year, and the agreement with Kaohsiung City is the fifth such agreement.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
- The Department of Education, Taipei City, Taiwan
- The Bureau of Education, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
In the past, a number of public high schools in Tokyo have experienced hosting of student visits from both schools and other activities with the aim of student exchange
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher mobility
- Information exchange
ARRANGEMENTON EDUCATION COOPERATION Between the TOKYO METROPOLITAN BOARD OF EDUCATION, JAPAN And the EDUCATION NEW ZEALAND, 2017
On February 16th, 2017, the BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Education New Zealand.
Objective
Aims to promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
Education New Zealand
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher mobility
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Thailand, FY2017
On Wednesday, February 21st, 2018, the Tokyo BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Office of the Basic Education Committee, Thailand.
The Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Office of the Basic Education Committee, Thailand is the Tokyo BOE’s seventh such agreement following the Memorandum of Understanding with Education New Zealand in February 2016.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
The Office of the Basic Education Committee, Ministry of Education, Thailand
* The Office of the Basic Education Committee, Thailand oversees primary and secondary education in Thailand
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Teacher and student mobility
- Cooperation on Global Friendship Project
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, FY2018
On Friday, December 21, 2018, the Tokyo BOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding about education with the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
This is the Tokyo BOE’s eighth such agreement following the Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Thailand in February 2018.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
The Beijing Municipal Education Commission
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher exchange
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with the Paris Academy, FY2019
Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education concluded a memorandum of understanding about education with the Paris Academy on Tuesday, May 28, 2019.
Concluding a memorandum of understanding with an overseas educational institution is the ninth time after the Beijing Municipal Education Commission in December 2018.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
Paris Academy (Universities in the Paris region)
The Paris Academy is a local agency of the French Ministry of National Education, has jurisdiction over everything from primary education to higher education in Universities in the Paris region.
Areas of Cooperation
Its cooperation in the following fields with the main themes of promoting language education, culture, and Olympic and Paralympic education.
- School relationships
- Student and teacher exchange
- Information exchange
Agreement of Memorandum of Understanding with Hanoi City Department of Education and Training, FY2021
Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education concluded a memorandum of understanding about education with the Hanoi City Department of Education and Training on Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
Concluding a memorandum of understanding with an overseas educational institution is the tenth time after the Paris Academy in May 2019.
Objective
Aims to further promote various initiatives, including international exchange, to develop global human resources.
The Other Party
Hanoi City Department of Education and Training
Hanoi City Department of Education and Training has jurisdiction over primary and secondary education institutions in Hanoi.
Areas of Cooperation
- School relationships
- Student and teacher exchange
- Information exchange
Memorandums of Understanding with Overseas Educational Organizations
| City/States | The Other Party | Date Signed | Areas of Cooperation |
| British Columbia （Canada） | The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Advanced Education of the Province of British Columbia of Canada | September 15, 2015 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| The State of New South Wales (Australia) | The Department of Education of the State of New South Wales, Australia | October 6, 2016 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| The State of Queensland (Australia) | The Department of Education and Training of the State of Queensland, Australia | November 17, 2016 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| Taipei City (Taiwan) | The Department of Education, Taipei City Government | December 19, 2016 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| Kaohsiung City (Taiwan) | The Education Bureau,Kaohsiung City Government | December 20, 2016 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| New Zealand | Education New Zealand | February 16, 2017 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher mobility ・Information exchange |
| Thailand | The Office of the Basic Education Committee, Ministry of Education, Thailand | February 21st, 2018 | ・School relationships ・Teacher and student mobility ・Cooperation on Global Friendship Project ・Information exchange |
| Beijing | The Beijing Municipal Education Commission | December 21, 2018 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher exchange ・Information exchange |
| Paris | Academy de Paris (University district of Paris) | May 28, 2019 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher exchange ・Information exchange |
| Hanoi | Hanoi City Department of Education and Training | June 9, 2021 | ・School relationships ・Student and teacher exchange ・Information exchange |
Educational opportunities between British Columbia and Tokyo
Tokyo BOE Hosts Information Session on Educational Opportunities with New Zealand
International education seminar for teachers
Australia – New South Wales (NSW) Principals from public schools in NSW presented new model classes and held information exchange sessions.
The Japan – Taiwan High School Students Summit was held
Program for the Development of Next-Generation Leaders
Since the 2012 fiscal year, we at the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education have implemented the "Program for the Development of Next-Generation Leaders," a study abroad support program aimed at 200 students at municipal senior high schools, junior high schools and six-year secondary schools (150 students in 2012). Please refer to program-related web pages for a detailed description of operation.
Program for the Development of Next-Generation Leaders
World Friend Project
There are many countries in the world. Through leaning about the various peoples, languages, cultures and histories of those countries, this initiative strives not only simply to extend knowledge, but teaches the diversity of the world and fosters understanding of how important it is to respect an array of value systems.
To be specific, in consideration of balance among the five continents, the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education will take five countries that are scheduled to participate and present them as a single group in a chart by country to municipal boards of education and metropolitan schools. Each school will take this knowledge, study in-depth about countries scheduled to participate in the event, and engage in activities to deepen cultural exchange as much as possible.
On this occasion, regions and schools will deploy training that makes use of the bonds forged with sister cities and schools.
We will also enact international exchange utilizing the special qualities of Tokyo, where many exchange students engage in study, people of all nations live, and many embassies call home.
