On 8 January the Macquarie Japanese Studies Centre (MJS Centre) and the School of International Studies were honoured to welcome a distinguished delegation from the Tokyo Foundation to our Wallumattagal campus.

Led by Tokyo Foundation President Mieko Nakabayashi, the visiting delegation also included:

• Mari Suzuki, Executive Director Leadership Development
• Hiroshi Saito, Public Communications Officer.

The recent visit marked a significant milestone in three-decade partnership, established in 1995 when a generous US$1.5 million philanthropic endowment was awarded to Macquarie by the Nippon Foundation Fund for Japanese Language Education (NF-JLEP), for which the Tokyo Foundation serves as secretariat.

This significant financial commitment was awarded in recognition of Macquarie’s distinguished contributions to the advancement of Japanese language teaching and teacher education. The recent visit provided a valuable platform to share recent developments at the MJS centre, showcase the impacts of philanthropic funding, and discuss future collaborations.

Celebrating the impact of the Tokyo Foundation at Macquarie

The visit commenced at the Macquarie Chancellery building, with a formal welcome and strategic meeting hosted by Professor Anthony Cahalan, Pro Vice-Chancellor Global.

Professor Cahalan was joined by several Macquarie staff including:

• Dr Chavalin Svetanant, Director of the MJS Centre
• Professor Julian Droogan, Head of School International Studies
• Stephen Fan, Director Global Partnerships and Protocol
• Courtney Sullivan, Senior Development Manager.

A highlight of the day was a dedicated session where members of the Tokyo Foundation met with recipients of the NF-JLEP grants and scholarships. These scholars impressed the delegates with their inspiring stories, demonstrating the tangible value of the Foundation's grants in empowering the next generation of educators and researchers.

Recent grant recipients have led major initiatives including:

• state-wide curriculum development
• the Mirai Day event (400+ students)
• innovative classroom programs that have transformed Japanese language education.

The visit featured a guided tour of the campus, including a visit to the Gale History Museum, and concluded with a dinner by Sydney Harbour hosted by Professor Droogan. The delegation departed with deep appreciation for the warm welcome and impactful work currently being undertaken by our scholars. The MJS Centre looks forward to building on this momentum to ensure our partnership continues to flourish for many years to come.

Applications now open for Japanese Language Education grants

Thanks to the generous funding provided by the NF-JLEP, The MJS Centre has recently opened applications for its 2026 grant programs. To be eligible, you must be a Japanese language teacher in primary, secondary and/or tertiary sectors committed to advancing Japanese language education and building stronger connections between schools and communities.

Opportunities include:

• the School and Community Engagement Grant (up to $10,000) to support projects that foster engagement between schools, local communities and stakeholders to enhance Japanese language learning
• Individual Development Grants (up to $5000), supporting professional growth through a variety of language and teaching activities.

Applications close 5pm, Saturday 28 February 2026. Apply today.