GLP-I Global Leadership Summit 2026S Concludes Successfully

On Saturday, 6 June 2026, GlobE held the GLP-I Global Leadership Summit 2026S.

The Global Leadership Program-I (GLP-I) was launched in October 2024 and is open to all undergraduate students at the University of Tokyo. Through a diversity of interconnected learning experiences, the program aims to make a positive impact on society. The Global Leadership Summit is an opportunity for students to present the culmination of their studies. June 2026 was the second iteration of this significant gathering.

Though the program usually takes two years to complete, six students reached this stage within one and a half years. Each summiting student took the stage to share what they have learned through the integration of their academic studies and learning through Global Experiences. Presentation topics included:
- “New Leadership in the Heritage Industry: How to Finance SDG 12”
- “Creating Home in the Away: Tea, Music, and the Art of Starting Conversations”
- “Being Asian in the U.S.: Embracing differences”
- “Lessons on Sustainability and Global Leadership from Montreal”

Approximately 80 people attended the event, including guests from companies, organizations, and individuals supporting the educational activities of GlobE, current GLP-I students, and GlobE faculty and staff.

The Summit commenced with opening remarks from Professor Yujin Yaguchi, Director of the Center for Global Education (GlobE). This was followed by encouraging messages for emerging global leaders, delivered by guests from supporting companies and foundations, before the main presentations began.

During the awards segment, three awards were announced: the “Global Leadership Prize”, the “SDGs Prize” and the "Audience Impression Award. Following this, a ceremony was held for two students who completed all compulsory and elective components of the GLP-I.

The event concluded with a powerful closing message from Professor Masami Nakao, Vice Director of GlobE. She encouraged the students to look back from the Summit, to their first steps in global learning, and to ask again the core question of the program “What is a Global Leader?”, and to continue to ask this question as they forge their path as global leaders.

We sincerely thank all participants and partners for their invaluable contributions to the success of this inaugural Summit. Finally, the number of current GLP-I students attending signifies that the program is rapidly growing. We can expect future Summits to become a larger festival of student achievements in global leadership.