Since last year, Kyoto University has been organizing the “Tell Me, Senpai! What's Next After Graduation?" event series in collaboration with international student associations from various countries and regions. The series aims to foster intergenerational networks by providing opportunities for current students, kohai, to connect with and learn from alumni, senpai.
The seventh event in the series was held on 25 June 2026 at linkhub@, located in the International Science Innovation Building, in collaboration with Malaysians in Kyoto (MyKyoto), an independent student group run by Malaysian students. Two Malaysian alumni currently working in Japan were invited as guest speakers. The event attracted 26 participants, including undergraduate, graduate, and research students from Kyoto University as well as international students from other institutions.
Following the opening remarks, delivered by staff from the KyotoU Office of Institutional Advancement and Communications (IAC), Mr Ti Jia Qian, a master's student from the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) and member of MyKyoto, introduced the association and welcomed the guest speakers.
The first session of the program featured talks by the two alumni: Dr Anthony FW Foong (Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Class of 1983), director of IMEX Japan Co Ltd; and Dr Yong Jie Wong (Graduate School of Engineering, Class of 2022), associate professor at Kyoto University of Advanced Science. Drawing on their respective experiences in industry and academia, they shared their career journeys and discussed the opportunities and challenges involved in building a career in Japan.
The speakers then took part in a panel discussion, moderated by Mr Nuqman Maher, a master's student from the Graduate School of Science and member of MyKyoto. The two alumni discussed career choices from their respective professional perspectives and answered audience questions.
A networking session followed, during which participants gathered in small groups for in-depth discussions with the speakers.
The event concluded with a reflection session, allowing participants to share their key takeaways from the discussions. One student commented, "Through talking with the alumni, I realized that there isn't just one 'correct' career path, and that it's possible to start over and pursue a different direction at any stage."
The event provided a valuable opportunity for international students and alumni to build meaningful connections and share their experiences.
