ISAK (International School of Asia, Karuizawa) in Japan will officially become UWC’s 17th school, under the name of UWC ISAK Japan, effective 1 August 2017.
The UWC International Board granted ISAK final approval on 30 October, marking a very special milestone for the whole UWC community by welcoming the first UWC school in Japan. ISAK was founded thanks to the vision and determination of Lin Kobayashi, who attended Pearson College UWC in 1991-1993. Lin, now Chair of ISAK’s Board, founded the school in 2014 together with 100 other Founders, who generously contributed significant amount of their individual wealth to make the school happen. It had always been Lin’s mission to make ISAK one day become a UWC college.
“We believe that becoming an integral part of the global UWC network will enable enhanced pursuit of the mission through even greater diversity of our student body and greater sustainability of the school itself”, says Lin. “We are also excited about enhancing the UWC network as a member school in the world’s third largest economy that can play a pivotal role in the development of transformational leaders – while also raising the profile of UWC in Japan through our contribution to fundamental change in the Japanese education system”.
In August 2017, UWC ISAK Japan will welcome its first 30 UWC students from 30 countries to attend their IB Diploma years. These students, selected by their countries’ UWC national committees, will join the international group of 45 ISAK students currently enrolled in Grade 10.
“Becoming the 17th college of UWC is a dream come true for our school”, added the Founding Head of School, Roderick Jemison, originally from Tennessee, USA. “Since my first experience at the Head’s conference, my interactions at the UWC Congress in October, meetings with UWC International Executive Director, Jens Waltermann, and the members of the UWC International Board, I have been so impressed with the passion, dedication and commitment of every single member associated with UWC. They inspire others to understand and believe that education is a force to unite people, nation and cultures for peace and a sustainable future”.
With a B.A. at Morehouse College and a M.A. at Tennessee State University in African American Literature, Roderick began his career in education as an English teacher. Before joining ISAK as Founding Head of School, he was Director of the Upper School at La Jolla Country Day School, a private school north of San Diego, California. He first came to Japan in 1992 as a member of the Japanese Exchange Teaching Program and is today married to a Japanese woman and speaks fluent Japanese. “Since ISAK’s inception, it has been clear that becoming a part of the UWC movement would further enhance our ability to empower young people to change the world. With an incredible array of resources, we are looking forward to benefiting from as well as contributing to our membership with the 16 other UWC colleges. More specifically, our new and innovative community service projects, mindfulness and leadership programs, as well as an emphasis on design innovation will allow the movement to continue a progressive approach to education”.
Join us in welcoming the latest addition to the UWC family.