Hsiu-Zu Ho greeted by US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy
Hsiu-Zu Ho, Professor of Education at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, was invited to attend a conference in Tokyo to promote US-Japan student exchange on March 20, 2015. As Associate Dean of the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), Professor Ho was among a small group of 27 educators from US and Japanese institutions participating in a forum hosted by U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy in Tokyo (TeamUp to Create a 21st Century Workforce) to share/learn about best practices and innovations that promote study abroad opportunities and foster globally-minded citizens.
“I was honored to represent UCEAP, our systemwide flagship academic program, and to partner with educators, administrators and government officials from both Japan and the United States who are highly committed to increasing student mobility,” states Dr. Ho. UCEAP currently partners with ten institutions in Japan, including a recently-enhanced partnership with Osaka University. Many of the partnerships have been longstanding; for example, UCEAP has partnered with International Christina University in Tokyo for more than 50 years. The enrollment of UC students in Japan continues to rebound from the March 2011 program suspension following the earthquake. Dr. Ho addressed the various challenges in U.S.-Japan student mobility as well as recommendations for overcoming those challenges.
Hsiu-Zu Ho is Professor in the Department of Education and served as Associate Dean of the Gevirtz School, focusing on the school’s international activities, for the academic year 2013-14. Her research focuses on international education and cross-cultural psychology. She has been a CIES Fulbright Senior Scholar in Taiwan and a leader of the International Studies Special Interest Group of the American Education Research Association for the last two decades (as past president and board member). As the Associate Dean at UCEAP, Professor Ho is responsible for academic oversight and academic integration of programs in 115 partner institutions across 42 countries.