The Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS) and the Unit for Asian Studies and Education (KUASU) jointly hosted the Kyoto Summer Program (KSP) 2026 from 23 July to 7 August. KSP consists of two subprograms -- one conducted by ILAS mainly in English and the other conducted by KUASU mainly in Japanese.
This year, the ILAS program welcomed 32 students, including 28 who applied through the following partner universities: the Chinese University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University, Yonsei University, Heidelberg University, the University of Vienna, the University of Barcelona, and Columbia University in the City of New York. The other four applied as individual participants. The KUASU program welcomed 19 students who applied through six institutions: the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; University of Indonesia; Chulalongkorn University; National University of Singapore; and National Taiwan University. The 2026 KSP participants also included 58 KyotoU students enrolled in the university-wide course "Multicultural Liberal Arts Seminar: See, Hear, and Know @ Kyoto: From Acceptance to Transmission".
KSP offers a wide range of activities each year, including academic lectures, Japanese language classes, field trips, cultural experiences, and discussion sessions where students from different countries exchange ideas on common issues.
For the first time this year, some of the academic lectures were also open to KyotoU students outside the program. Of these, one featured Dr Susumu Kitagawa, executive vice-president for research promotion, a distinguished professor at the Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study (KUIAS), and a 2025 Nobel laureate in chemistry, and the other featured Dr Tadashi Tokieda, a world-renowned mathematics professor at Stanford University. Both attracted a large audience.
In addition to attending these and numerous other lectures, international participants went on a field trip to Expo '70 Commemorative Park and Osaka Castle, deepening their understanding of Japanese history and culture. They also actively engaged with KyotoU students through Japanese language classes and discussion sessions.
In an environment where different cultures and values intersect, all participants learned from and inspired one another, developing global perspectives and forming lasting friendships.
From Kyoto to the world -- Kyoto University remains committed to KSP’s continued development as part of its efforts to nurture future global leaders and promote further international exchange.
