Implementation Overview

From Monday, February 23, 2026, to Thursday, March 5, 2026, 19 undergraduate students from Hiroshima University studied innovation and American culture at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. They also visited Grand Canyon National Park and Sedona, where they experienced the majestic natural beauty of the United States. The participating students came from a variety of faculties, representing 9 of the university’s 12 faculties.

Faculty of Integrated Sciences (3), Faculty of Law (2), Faculty of Economics (2), Faculty of Engineering (3), Faculty of Letters (1), Faculty of Information Sciences (1), Faculty of Education (5), Faculty of Science (1), Faculty of Biological Production (1)

Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) is a public university founded in 1885. With multiple campuses and an enrollment of over 150,000 students, it is one of the largest universities in the United States. It is highly regarded in a number of research fields and has been ranked number one in the nation for over 10 years, particularly for its INNOVATION program.

Program Structure and Content

This program is conducted entirely in English. Centered around lectures on innovation, it also includes visits to labs and museums, as well as opportunities to learn about American culture, offering a well-balanced curriculum that covers innovation, science, technology, and the history, society, and culture of the United States and Arizona.

Day 1 Departure from Haneda, arrival in Phoenix
Day 2 Morning: Orientation, campus tour Afternoon: Lectures ・Lecture on the theme “The Future of Being Human.” The session focused primarily on the professor’s lecture, with students responding to the professor’s questions by nodding or raising their hands. ・Lecture on the theme “Digital Innovation.” The session centered on interaction among students, who shared their opinions and insights and concluded with presentations by each group.
Day 3 Morning: Visit to the Heard Museum in Phoenix ・ Learned about Native American history and culture. A curator provided commentary, focusing on paintings by artists with Native American roots. Afternoon: Free time, lectures ・ Four ASU students and alumni with Navajo roots gave a lecture on the theme of “Indigenous Art and History.” They also introduced traditional clothing and crafts.

Day 4 Morning: Lecture, tour of the WCPH (Walton Center for Planetary Health) ・Two ASU staff members and one student gave a presentation on student life at ASU. ・We toured a lecture and research building constructed using environmentally friendly structures and materials. Afternoon: Lecture ・Lecture on the theme “Nuclearism in the American West,” which also touched on the history of nuclear power in the United States.
Day 5 Morning: SESE (School of Earth & Space Exploration) tour and lectures ・Viewed full-scale models of space probes and 3D planetary displays. ・Workshop on the theme of “Principled Innovation.” Afternoon: Polytech campus tour (Mesa), lectures ・Toured research facilities focused on autonomous driving and algae research。
Day 6 All day: Grand Canyon tour
Day 7 All day: Sightseeing in Sedona
Day 8 Morning: VR Experience at the Dream Scape Virtual Reality Learning Lab ・Experienced VR at the Dream Scape Virtual Reality Learning Lab, which is used in ASU chemistry classes and other courses. Afternoon: Lecture ・Lecture on the theme of “Science, Technology, and Society” ・Received an explanation from current members about Greek Club and sorority and fraternity life—a unique aspect of U.S. universities—and interacted with them in small groups. We also toured the actual dormitories.
Day 9 Morning: Free time (preparation for presentations) Afternoon: Pizza party, final presentations, reflection session, and certificate ceremony ・The 19 participants were divided into four groups and gave presentations. ・They presented in English on topics such as “Nuclearism,” “A Comparison of Japan and the U.S.,” “Native Americans,” and “Sports,” drawing on their respective majors and what they had learned during their stay.
Day 10: Departure from Phoenix
Day 11: Arrival at Haneda