Dates: May 21 – July 30, 2023
Program fee: $5,900 (includes housing, insurance, two-thirds of all meals, and all program related ground transportation; excludes tuition, airfare, and one-third of meals)
Courses
- Introduction to Global Development (INTA 2050)
- Smart & Sustainable Megaregion (INTA 3232)
- Energy, Environment, and Policy (INTA 3040)
- Global Development Capstone (INTA 4744)
There are no prerequisites or language requirements.
Travel Leg
Approximately one week of the Program is dedicated to traveling across Japan. After spending several days in Tokyo, we will visit the lovely and historic Japan Sea port city of Kanazawa. While there, we will take a day trip to Shirakawago, a traditional mountain village with thatched roof houses that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our next stop is Kyoto, Japan’s ancient cultural capital and home to no less than 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ample time will be allowed for visits to Kyoto’s innumerable temples, shrines, gardens, palaces, and teahouses. Also, nearby Nara – Japan’s ancient ancient capital – beckons with its stately temples, shrines, and scores of wild deer that inhabit temple grounds and stroll down city streets. From there, the super-fast, super-smooth “bullet train” (shinkansen) will transport us to Hiroshima for visits to the Peace Memorial Park and iconic Miyajima. For a 2017 student’s perspective on the contrasting challenges of metropolitan as opposed to non-metropolitan sustainability, take a look at this photoblog.
Day Trips and Long Weekends
Classroom meetings are held Monday through Thursday, providing students with long weekends to explore Japan. A superb mass transportation system makes it easy to get anywhere in the country. 
Tokyo boasts a plethora of fascinating site-seeing destinations, including Asakusa, Akihabara’s anime district, Shibuya and Shinjuku, Harajuku and Meiji Shrine, cutting edge Odaiba, the brand new Tokyo Skytree and trusty Tokyo Tower, the Imperial Palace, professional baseball or kabuki and the traditional arts, and countless museums, parks, and gardens. It is even possible to shop at the Pokemon Store and its numerous counterparts on “Character Street” en route to Ginza and its swanky department stores. The numerous day-trip destinations from Tokyo 
include Kamakura and Enoshima, Nikko, Yokohama, Hakone, and Mt. Fuji. [Indeed, students on every JSPSD program to date have made the climb to Mt. Fuji’s iconic summit.]
Kobe boasts numerous attractions of note, including Nankinmachi China Town, Sannomiya and Motomachi shopping districts, the historic Western-influenced Kitano District, and Nunobiki Falls and ropeway, to name just a few. Arima Onsen, Japan’s oldest hot springs town, is nearby. Osaka with its fabled culinary scene scene and many attractions is a short train ride away, as are the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara. Some long weekend destination possibilities include the ruggedly beautiful Japan Sea coastline, quaint villages in the “Japan Alps,” stately castles, and even Shikoku, Kyushu, or Hokkaido. Each locality in the Japanese countryside boasts unique traditions, crafts, and foods. It is also possible to catch a flight for a long weekend in South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, or even Thailand.
Problem-based Learning
The Japan Summer Program in Sustainable Development employs a unique instructional construct founded upon problem-based learning. In each of the three content-based courses, students are tasked with integrating theory and knowledge in deconstructing complex 
problems into manageable elements. These diverse skills and knowledge are then brought together in a capstone seminar in which student teams are tasked with proposing solutions to concrete problems of sustainable development. A unique aspect of this Program is that it brings together Georgia Tech students with Kobe University students in collaborative cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural teams.
Problem-based learning enables students to take ownership of a research problem, foster comradery and 
create a division of labor, and, ultimately, assume responsibility for acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to propose sound solutions. The Program’s overarching objective is to equip students with the mindset, skills, and knowledge to confidently approach and solve even the most complex problems of sustainable development.
Insurance
Study abroad programs organized and managed by Georgia Tech provide supplemental insurance to all participants. This supplemental insurance includes medical, repatriation, and evacuation coverage. All students who participate in GT study abroad programs are required to have this study abroad insurance plan coverage; students pay for this study abroad insurance in their program fee.
Medical Coverage**
The medical coverage is intended as a supplement to study abroad participants’ primary health insurance policies. The policy is valid for the duration of the program. The policy provides some coverage for injuries sustained or conditions diagnosed while abroad, but that coverage is limited in terms of time and amount so participants are strongly encouraged to keep their regular health insurance active while abroad. Information on the terms and limits of the coverage provided by the policy is explained in the brochure, “Georgia Institute of Technology Study Abroad Insurance Plan,” which is provided to all study abroad participants at the prep meetings conducted by the Office of International Education.
Evacuation and Repatriation Coverage**
In the unfortunate event of an accident or other medical emergency, repatriation and evacuation coverage provides funds to pay for one’s return to the U.S. Information on the terms and limits of the coverage provided by the policy is explained in the brochure, “Georgia Institute of Technology Study Abroad Insurance Plan,” which is provided to all study abroad participants at the prep meetings conducted by the Office of International Education.
**The policy that will be used by GT study abroad programs is administered by T.W. Lord Associates and is underwritten by ACE American Insurance Company.
PLEASE NOTE: GT study abroad programs DO NOT provide other types of supplemental insurance coverage, such as theft insurance, trip cancellation insurance, etc.
Withdrawal Policy
Half of the program fee is due January 15, 2023, with the remaining balance due on February 15, 2023. Although half of the first payment is refundable, no refunds will be granted after February 15, 2023. Students receiving financial aid should notify the Program Director. Once the program begins, withdrawal is not permitted.
This Program is affiliated with Georgia Tech’s Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain.
