Tohoku University has announced plans to launch Gateway College - its ambitious new undergraduate programme - in April 2027. Designed as a bold reimagining of higher education in Japan, the initiative will transcend traditional faculty boundaries to offer a globally oriented, interdisciplinary learning experience.

"This will be very different from conventional education, where universities provide a fixed curriculum and students follow a predetermined path from admission," said Executive Vice President for Education Hirotsugu Takizawa at a media briefing in Tokyo. "We believe students should gain a broad understanding of different academic fields before deciding their future direction - and Gateway College will make that possible."

Takizawa was joined at the briefing by University President Teiji Tominaga, Provost Takafumi Aoki, Admissions Director Tomohiro Miyamoto and Director of Public Relations Rei Mizobe.

At the heart of Gateway College is what the university calls the "Student Journey," a flexible educational model that allows students to shape their own academic paths according to their interests and goals. Instead of immediately entering a specialised field, students will first receive a broad liberal arts and interdisciplinary education before declaring their major in their third year.

Founded on the principles of Immersion, Inquiry and Innovation, Gateway College aims to cultivate creative, globally minded thinkers who can navigate and address complex challenges in the 21st century. "The current system has worked well for training researchers," said Takizawa. "But as global issues grow more complex, mastering a single discipline is no longer enough to find effective solutions."

The programme will feature immersive international experiences, project-based learning, and early exposure to research opportunities. All classes will be conducted entirely in English, and the student body will comprise an equal mix of Japanese and international students. Through Intercultural Collaborative Learning (ICL), participants will learn from one another's diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, fostering a vibrant global community on campus.

"As Japan's first University for International 雷速体育_中国足彩网￥在线直播 Excellence, we have made commitments to impact, talent and change," said Tominaga. "Our commitment to talent has two pillars: one is to create an excellent research environment that attracts researchers from around the world; and the other is to provide learning opportunities that enable students to excel on the global stage. Gateway College is the cornerstone of our undergraduate education reform."

To attract a wider pool of talent, the university will implement a holistic and comprehensive admissions process. "We don't want to rely on entrance exams as the only measure of evaluation," said Takizawa. "We want to select students who have the right spirit to design their own learning."

The Admissions Centre is also making a concerted effort to reach students who have traditionally found it difficult to apply to Japanese universities, such as Japanese students studying at international schools abroad or children of expatriates.

"These students often face challenges because they were educated overseas and can't easily meet the written exam requirements typical in Japan," Takizawa explained. "Gateway College will provide an inclusive admissions process to make it easier for them to come home for university."

The college will welcome an initial cohort of around 180 students, accounting for roughly 8% of Tohoku University's annual undergraduate intake. However, the long-term goal is far more ambitious. "2027 is just the beginning," said Takizawa. "By 2050, we aim for the entire university ― both undergraduate and graduate schools ― to be fully international and interdisciplinary."

There will be two admissions periods - an April intake primarily for students from the Japanese education system, and an October intake for students from overseas education systems.

For more information about the Gateway College and admissions guidelines, please visit the websites below.

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