Provided customized support for students’ diverse career aspirations, which led to an increase in the number of students accepted to prestigious universities!

Aoba Japan International School (“Aoba”), located in Nerima-ku, Tokyo, has announced its university acceptance results for the 2022 school year. The school’s breakthrough is showcased in the many acceptances to global top-level universities and prestigious universities in Japan.

Aoba opened in 1976 as a co-educational international school with no religious affiliation, and in 2011 a new high school equivalent was established, making it an integrated school from kindergarten through high school. Currently, approximately 700 students from more than 30 countries are studying at three campuses in Tokyo.

In 2016, the school became a K – Highschool International Baccalaureate (IB) accredited school. There are only 11 schools in Japan (as of July 2022) that can offer IB education at all levels of the program: elementary (PYP), middle school (MYP), and high school (DP). Aoba is the fifth school to be accredited.

Of note is the outstanding academic performance and university acceptance record of Aoba students: in just four years since 2018, when they produced their first DP* graduates, they have had several students accepted to top 10 universities in the world rankings, and their DP scores continue to grow dramatically year after year.
*DP: Abbreviated name for Diploma Program, a program for students between the ages of 16 and 19, in which students who complete a prescribed curriculum for two years, pass a final examination, and achieve the required grades can obtain an internationally recognized university entrance qualification (International Baccalaureate).

Looking at the 2022 results, all seven of the 15 graduates who majored in DP received a full diploma. Of these, two received bilingual diplomas, with an average IBDP score of 35 out of 45, higher than the global average score of 32. The excellent academic performance of some students was highlighted by a maximum score of 40 points.

Meanwhile, eight non-DP graduates completed the Global Leadership Diploma (GLD) program, Aoba’s unique curriculum that provides personalized learning to help students achieve their academic and career goals after graduation.It is characterized by a high degree of customization, allowing students the flexibility to choose subjects that allow for specialized exploration of individual student interests and goals. Along with an internationally accredited Aoba high school diploma, the program paves the way for admission to universities around the world and sets students on a path to succeed in a competitive career environment, or as entrepreneurs, artists, and creators, all with the purpose of reaching the future that students envision.

Academic year 2022 results include top 50 world-ranked universities abroad, such as the University of Chicago, University of London, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, University of California San Diego, and University of Manchester. In addition, both DP and GLD students have been accepted to the University of Tokyo, Tohoku University, International Christian University, Keio University, Waseda University, Sophia University, and others in Japan. Aoba’s ability to provide high-quality, tailor-made education to each of its students is one of the secrets of its continued success in university admissions.

Outstanding Educator Award, University of Chicago

Aoba’s teachers’ strong commitment to their students resulted in a heartwarming award nominating and winning experience.

The University of Chicago is a prestigious American university that has produced many Nobel Prize winners in economics. The University of Chicago is ranked 10th in the internationally authoritative “THE World University Rankings 2021” and 7th in US News magazine’s “2021 Best National University Rankings,” which is a ranking of all universities in the U.S. As a private university, it is highly rated in a wide range of fields along with the Ivy League. The university is highly rated in a wide range of fields as a private general university, along with the Ivy League.

For more than 30 years, the University of Chicago has recognized outstanding teachers from around the world with the Outstanding Educator Award, which honors teachers who challenge and inspire students to improve their learning both inside and outside the classroom.

For this award, incoming University of Chicago students select an educator who will leave a lifelong impression on them and submit a short statement to the University about how he or she has helped them grow intellectually. Selections are made based on this, and the award is an expression of respect and gratitude from the University of Chicago to teachers around the world for nurturing their students’ budding spirit of inquiry as large as the tree that spreads across the world.

This year, that prestigious award went to Ms.Seena Pramod, who teaches chemistry and physics at Aoba.

Ms.Seena Pramod
IB DP Chemistry/ Physics Teacher

“I am very happy and honored to receive this award . I am also thankful to my students and colleagues for all their support. As this award mentions that I am able to create an impact on the lives of my students and it’s an honor to be acknowledged by them, which gives me more energy and courage to help my students in all possible ways, in and outside of the classroom.”

Aoba from now on

As an official IB World School offering a world-class standard of education, Aoba’s mission is to contribute to the development of global leaders who can make a positive difference in the world, and together with its dedicated teachers, provides an education that expands each student’s future possibilities. As one of the top schools from Japan, Aoba is expected to continue its global success in the future.

Written by Kaori Takahashi.