Principal Linda Lee and Deputy Director (Admin Ops) represented Hwa Chong International School (HCIS) at the “Study in Singapore” education fair in Tokyo on 22 March. Notably, awareness of HCIS among parents of primary and junior high school students was significantly higher this year. Our scholarship programme continues to be a key driver in enhancing brand visibility in Japan and is drawing strong interest from prospective families.
On the following day, On 23 March, the HCIS team conducted our first-ever scholarship test and interview for a promising candidate from Fukuoka. This marks the official launch of our scholarship initiative for Japanese students, and we are optimistic about the outcome.
During their stay, they also visited the Tokyo Academics, an after-school agency offering academic support and admissions counselling to students from international schools. Discussions were held on potential partnership opportunities.
Both Principal Lee and Mr Lam also called on Hiroo Gakuen Junior & High School, the exchange programme partner for the past two years. Located at a central city campus, Hiroo Gakuen serves approximately 1,700 students across both local and international curricula. The meeting served to reaffirm the ongoing collaboration between HCIS and Hiroo Gakuen.
On 25 March, they travelled to Saku, Nagano Prefecture, to visit Saku Chosei Junior & High School, now in the second year of the joint partnership. They were warmly hosted by Chairwoman Dr Norie and Principal Walter Ichikawa-Doyle. An information session was conducted for 50 parents to introduce HCIS and highlight available scholarship opportunities. A lunch meeting with the school leadership followed, during which both parties discussed plans for future student visits and exchanges. The session was productive and further strengthened our bilateral relationship.
This trip was highly rewarding. The increased awareness of HCIS in Japan, positive engagement with prospective families, and deepened ties with both existing and potential partners underscore the success of our outreach strategy. Moving forward, the school will continue to build on the momentum generated by the scholarship programme to establish a more robust presence in Japan. Overall, this visit reinforced HCIS’s growing reputation in Japan’s education landscape, and we look forward to expanding our footprint in the coming years.