Scene from the short-term intensive English course offered by TUJ’s Academic English Program in the summer of last year.
Underscoring its role as the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan and reaffirming its mission to deliver top-tier American education in Japan and globally, the Japan campus of Temple University (TUJ) is advancing its partnership with Japanese institutions and local governments through its Academic English Program (AEP). The program is gaining recognition for its impact of students’ academic English skills.
TUJ’s AEP offers courses in academic English to learners of all levels, from elementary school students to English instructors and educators. With offerings that range from six- and 10-week semesters to short-term intensive formats, AEP emphasizes student-centered, practical instruction designed to prepare students for success at universities and graduate schools.
In its latest development, TUJ has deepened its collaboration with Tokyo-based Showa Women’s University (SWU) through a new agreement to expand enrollment in TUJ’s AEP. The partnership includes students from SWU’s Department of International Liberal Arts (DILA) and the Department of International Studies (DIS).
Starting in May 2026, SWU plans to send nearly 200 students annually to take AEP courses. About 80 students from DILA will participate during the May-July semester, while about 110 DIS students will enroll in the September-November semester. SWU will officially count these AEP courses toward its students’ degrees. This will represent the largest scale at which a single institution incorporates Temple’s AEP courses into its degree programs.
First Collaboration with SWU in 2016
This collaboration builds on a longstanding relationship that began with a credit transfer agreement in 2016. The two universities signed an agreement for a double-degree program in 2019 and SWU began sending students to the double-degree program from the following year. This program allows SWU students to earn degrees from both American and Japanese universities. In 2022, four students graduated under the program, and by 2025, the total number of graduates had exceeded 15.
In 2022, the partnership expanded further with a “3+1” program allowing SWU undergraduates to complete their bachelor’s degree in three years and TUJ’s Master in Management (MiM) in one additional year.
Since TUJ relocated to a building on SWU’s Setagaya campus in 2019, student interactions between two institutions have become more active through academic programs and a variety of extracurricular activities.
Broader Collaborations with Universities and Local Governments
TUJ’s efforts extend beyond SWU, encompassing partnerships with other Japanese universities and local governments. It also has established partnership agreements with Meiji University and Musashi University based in Tokyo. In addition, Temple’s AEP offers its programs to students from more than 20 universities, including Otsuma Women’s University, Dokkyo University, Meiji Gakuin University and Hirosaki University. Some universities even offer scholarships to support their students attend TUJ AEP programs.
At the local government level, Temple’s AEP offers English courses to students and professional development courses to the teacher’s of partner prefectures and education boards. In recent years, TUJ’s recognition has grown rapidly in line with the remarkable increase in its enrollment. TUJ first signed a collaborative partnership agreement with Tokyo’s Minato City in 2006. Since 2022, it has formed partnerships with six more municipalities, including Setagaya City (December 2022), Yamanashi Prefecture (December 2022), Nagasaki Prefecture (March 2024), Ehime Prefecture (March 2024), Kyoto Prefecture (February 2025), and Kyoto City (February 2025). In addition, Temple also established a partnership with the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education in November 2024.
About Temple University, Japan Campus
Established in 1982, TUJ is a branch campus of Temple University, a distinguished U.S. institution based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Carnegie R1). Temple Japan hosts a diverse student body from about 80 countries and regions. With more than 2,900 students, TUJ continues to grow, marked by the opening of TUJ Kyoto in January 2025 and an expanding range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Other related stories
- Temple University, Japan Campus Deepens Expansion into Kyoto with New Partnership (November 26, 2024)
- Japanese High School Essay Contest Winners to Attend TUJ’s Academic English Program (January 15, 2025)
- TUJ Successfully Concludes U.S. Government-Backed English Training Programs, Nearly 150 Japanese Teachers Participate (December 13, 2023)