Original text is in Japanese

Mr. Tetsuya Higa was working as a teacher and an administrator at a school for eight years. While the work was rewarding, he faced challenges in education policy. He decided to study at Harvard University for a year from 2023 under the Fulbright Program as he wanted to advance his knowledge on education policy and use that knowledge to design a more effective and supportive educational system. Mr. Higa says, “The Fulbright Program is attractive, because it is open to any field of study without age limit. I also liked the idea of advancing the society cross-culturally.”

At Harvard University, Mr. Higa was honored to learn directly from professors who were pioneers in educational fields. Based on the motto of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Learn to Change the World,” he learned theories, methods, and practices of education policy, and applied those learnings into academic and practical projects; one of them was to develop a teacher policy for a national government. He also worked on education research using methods such as causal inference and psychometrics. “Friends and colleagues whom I met are enthusiastic not only in academia, but also in venture businesses, non-profit organizations, and many other fields. I was very much impressed by their commitment; our contributions to education align with the school's motto," says Mr. Higa.

During his stay in the U.S., he realized that Harvard students are people just like him. Mr. Higa was at first worried about keeping up with the courses, because his understanding of statistics, which is essential for quantitative methods, was at the Japanese undergraduate level. However, his concern proved to be unnecessary, owing to the dedication and support of his professors. While there were students immersed in research, he was surprised to see students who spent time raising children and engaging in personal activities while pursuing their degrees. Mr. Higa says, "There is no need to refrain from applying to outstanding universities – just give it a try."

For those who are thinking of applying for the Fulbright Program, he advises as follows: “The past is uncontrollable, but the present is controllable to a certain extent. Just like how the growth mindset helped set a path for me, believe in your potential and keep thinking about ‘why.’ When preparing for the Fulbright application, I asked myself why I want to achieve my goals and why now. When guided by genuine motivation, the application process may serve as an opportunity to clarify your thoughts and emotions, even if you cannot yet express them clearly. By thinking ‘why,’ you will know whether Fulbright and studying abroad are the options ahead of you. Wishing you the best of luck.”