Cross-border · Internationalisation and TNE · Japan
Kyoto University hosts 40 Indian students and staff under foreign ministry MIRAI-Setu scheme
From 26 to 28 October, Kyoto University received 40 students and accompanying faculty from Indian Institutes of Technology and IIIT Jabalpur, as part of a month-long Japanese foreign ministry exchange programme.
Why it matters: Kyoto University said it hopes the visiting Indian students will consider studying or pursuing research careers at the university.
Kyoto University said it hosted 40 students and accompanying faculty from Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Information Technology Jabalpur over three days, from 26 to 28 October 2026.
The visit formed part of MIRAI-Setu 2026, a roughly one-month programme of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that invites Indian students to Japan for company internships and university exchanges to promote Japan-India talent exchange; 'Setu' means 'bridge' in Hindi.
According to the university, the programme included a graduate school briefing from its admissions support office, a visit to the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), visits to five engineering laboratories on the Katsura campus and a student co-creation challenge ending in pitch presentations.
Kyoto University students who had joined a summer programme at IIT Hyderabad gave a presentation on employment in Japan and India and took part in reflection and exchange sessions with the visitors.
Editor’s view
Rachel Smith, Students and International Editor
The 40 visitors from Indian universities saw Kyoto University's laboratories and heard about its graduate schools; the university said it hopes participants will consider going on to study there or pursuing research careers at the university.
