Presentation Information
[PS-02]Designing Sustainable International Programs: Insights from the Tohoku University Engineering Short Program
*Kanako Nakashima1, *Megumi Tanigawa1, Han Luo1 (1. School of Engineering, Tohoku Univ.)
Keywords:
International students,Short Programs,Engineering
受講者に求められる 事前の知識・経験等
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受講者が受講前に取り組む 事前課題等
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概要
In this presentation, we examine the Tohoku University Engineering Short Program (TESP), a short-term inbound program established in 2012 at the School of Engineering, as a case of building a financially and institutionally sustainable model for internationalization. TESP is a two-week program combining interdisciplinary engineering lectures, hands-on exercises, project-based learning, and Japanese cultural experiences. Its implementation depends on the active participation of a broad range of faculty members across departments. Originally launched under a government-funded initiative and driven by strong leadership from a small number of faculty, TESP has transitioned into a self-sustaining model despite the common pattern of program contraction after the end of external funding. The program now operates on a cost-recovery basis, using participation fees as its primary revenue source and redistributing funds to participating laboratories and program support. This mechanism has enabled both an increase in the number of participants and a broader base of faculty engagement, while reducing reliance on external subsidies. The first part of the presentation outlines the process through which TESP evolved from a grant-dependent initiative into an autonomous program, highlighting operational frameworks such as collaboration with on-campus stakeholders and local communities. The second part focuses on a key challenge for long-term sustainability: understanding and sustaining faculty engagement. As leadership transitions, it becomes critical to identify the motivations that drive faculty participation—such as opportunities for recruiting international students or enhancing educational outcomes for domestic students—and to translate these into durable institutional incentives. Drawing on a faculty survey to be conducted during the 2026 summer program, we present the survey design and preliminary analytical directions. The discussion will explore the conditions under which short-term international programs can move beyond project-based initiatives to become embedded, self-sustaining components of university internationalization.
なし
受講者が受講前に取り組む 事前課題等
なし
概要
In this presentation, we examine the Tohoku University Engineering Short Program (TESP), a short-term inbound program established in 2012 at the School of Engineering, as a case of building a financially and institutionally sustainable model for internationalization. TESP is a two-week program combining interdisciplinary engineering lectures, hands-on exercises, project-based learning, and Japanese cultural experiences. Its implementation depends on the active participation of a broad range of faculty members across departments. Originally launched under a government-funded initiative and driven by strong leadership from a small number of faculty, TESP has transitioned into a self-sustaining model despite the common pattern of program contraction after the end of external funding. The program now operates on a cost-recovery basis, using participation fees as its primary revenue source and redistributing funds to participating laboratories and program support. This mechanism has enabled both an increase in the number of participants and a broader base of faculty engagement, while reducing reliance on external subsidies. The first part of the presentation outlines the process through which TESP evolved from a grant-dependent initiative into an autonomous program, highlighting operational frameworks such as collaboration with on-campus stakeholders and local communities. The second part focuses on a key challenge for long-term sustainability: understanding and sustaining faculty engagement. As leadership transitions, it becomes critical to identify the motivations that drive faculty participation—such as opportunities for recruiting international students or enhancing educational outcomes for domestic students—and to translate these into durable institutional incentives. Drawing on a faculty survey to be conducted during the 2026 summer program, we present the survey design and preliminary analytical directions. The discussion will explore the conditions under which short-term international programs can move beyond project-based initiatives to become embedded, self-sustaining components of university internationalization.