Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, AASCU has decided to cancel the in-person meeting of the 2020 Japan Studies Institute. AASCU will host a free webinar series for members that will explore some of the institute’s key topics and themes.

Please email dixonj@aascu.org for more information about the webinars.

Join your colleagues from higher education institutions around the country for a two-week intensive summer institute focused on the study of Japan. The Japan Studies Institute (JSI) allows faculty to learn from scholars, business leaders and artists about Japanese civilization, history, language, business and education.

JSI offers college and university faculty members without prior experience in Japanese studies the opportunity to learn from scholars, business leaders and artists about Japan, both past and present. The institute encourages participants to develop strategies for incorporating Japanese studies into courses on their campuses. It involves two weeks of intensive seminars, lectures, readings, films, and cultural activities related to Japanese history, culture, literature, government, business, language and education.

Previous programs have included topics as diverse as wartime and occupation in Japan, social relations and the changing role of women in Japan, Japanese foreign policy and regional relations, classical music, ikebana, calligraphy, introductory Japanese, Japanese film in the classroom, and philosophical and religious traditions in Japan. Classes are held Monday through Friday from morning until late afternoon. The formal program is complemented by off-campus and evening activities. Institute faculty will include scholars, representatives from the local Japanese community, artists and government officials.

The two-week residential program is held on the San Diego State University (SDSU) campus. JSI Fellowships are available to cover most of the costs of the institute for each participant. While attending the program, participants are housed in shared suites (separate bedrooms, common living areas) in a residential hall on the university campus. Because of the intensive nature of the program, families cannot be accommodated and are not permitted to stay in the dormitory. 

Fellowships and Program Costs

• Participants: Selected participants' institutions will be required to pay:
  - A non-refundable registration fee: $695 (for participants from AASCU member institutions) or $895 (for participants from non-AASCU member institutions)
  
  
• Program: Fellowships, provided for all participants, cover most of the following costs:
  - Administrative and academic expenses
  - Two weeks of campus housing
  - A $500 stipend for meals and other expenses 
  - A maximum reimbursement of $700 for transportation 

Sponsors

JSI and its fellowships are made possible by a generous endowment from the Nippon Foundation. AASCU manages and administers the JSI program; SDSU provides the academic program and facilities.

Participants

Participants must be full-time faculty or administrators at two or four-year academic institutions with the potential to impact undergraduate education and have no prior training or professional experience in Japanese studies.

 Candidate Selection Process and Timeline:

• Application Deadline: Rolling application through March 2020
• AASCU will make the final selections and notify final candidates by end of March 
• Final candidates upon being notified MUST submit a letter of their acceptance along with payment of the registration fee to AASCU by the end of March
• AASCU will provide relevant reading materials (i.e., institute textbooks, JSI Participant Guide) to the candidates by the beginning of April
• JSI Fellows arrive at the SDSU campus on June 1, 2020
• The program officially ends on June 14, 2020