Application deadline: 1 February by 11:59 PM

Technos International Week for 2025: 

Sun. June 8 ～ Sat. June 21 ⇒ Sat. June 7 departure from the US and the UK

The Tanaka Memorial Foundation provided an extraordinary opportunity for two students and a faculty member from Bates to experience Japan with other young adults for two weeks at Technos International Week. In the summer of 2024, Eduardo Mazariegos Mancia ’27, Julia Oliver ’25, and Jennifer Hamilton, Professor of Anthropology, represented Bates. The Tanaka family’s objective is fostering international exchange and understanding. Bates students are introduced to Japan, its people, and culture. The language used is English. Students and faculty alike have found the experience rich and sometimes life-changing.

In the year following the trip, the Technos Fellows share their experiences of the Technos International Week through visits to various classes and a poster presentation during Parents and Family Weekend.

Selection Criteria: The selection committee reviews applications from students. Student candidates should have:

• a genuine interest in Japan, its people, culture, and history;
• an excellent academic record;
•  a willingness to meet people from different racial and cultural backgrounds and experience elements of Japanese culture, living conditions and cuisine which may seem foreign;
• no previous travel experience in Japan (guest participants should be new to the cultural and geographical elements of the program);
•  little or no proficiency in the Japanese language and strong English language skills (guest participants are encouraged to use English with their counterparts at Technos College).

Eligibility: Any first-year, sophomore, or junior may apply. Typically, selected students are citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, or a country whose citizens are permitted visa waiver conditions for short-term entry to Japan. If you wish to apply, and are a citizen of a country other than those listed above, please contact Jason Scheideman (jscheide@bates.edu) in advance of the deadline to determine if it will be possible to secure a visa for your travel to Japan.

To attend Technos International Week, students should be available during the first half of June. To view the complete guidelines for Technos International Week 2024, please click here.

To Apply: Students applying for a Technos Fellowship should complete the application form and submit a letter or email of support from one member of the Bates College faculty. Applications are due by 11:59 PM on February 1st.  Letters of support may be mailed separately but are also due by the deadline to Alison Keegan (akeegan@bates.edu). Please contact Edili Lopez at elopez2@bates.edu if you have questions.

Reporting Requirements. A brief 1-2 page report is required within two weeks of completing the Technos International Week program.  The report should highlight how this experience enriched your interest in Japan both academically and personally.  Photos of the experience are also encouraged.

Want to learn more? Check out this video!

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Technos International Week Application

Jennifer Hamilton, Professor of Anthropology; Eduardo Mazariegos Mancia ’27; and Julia Oliver ’25 represented Bates in the summer of 2024.