DX in School Education – Cutting Edge Education to Expand Student Potential

Crimson Global Academy (also known as “CGA”) is operated by Crimson Education, an international preparatory school that supports students who wish to enter universities abroad. Every year, CGA sends many students from all over the world to prestigious top universities such as Harvard and Stanford University. We interviewed Yusuke Matsuda about CGA’s cutting-edge innovative education and his commitment to DX (Digital transformation: the concept of transforming people’s lives for the better by incorporating advanced IT technology) in student’s education.

Yusuke Matsuda
President of Crimson Global Academy Japan. Former Associate Professor at Kyoto University and a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University. Expert in global human resource development. A graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Author of “The Classroom I’d Rather Work In Than Google Disney” (Diamond Inc.)

Quality education for students around the world

– What kind of company is Crimson Education Japan, and what kind of services does the company provide?

Crimson Education Japan operates two businesses in Japan: Crimson Education, a preparatory school for overseas university admissions, and Crimson Global Academy (CGA), an online international school accredited by the New Zealand government and US WASC. The global high school has introduced several internationally recognized curriculums including, International GCSEs, International A-Levels, Advanced Placement, and WASC-accredited curricula in the United States.

Crimson Education is a preparatory school for students with ambitions to study at an overseas university. The company currently holds 30 locations worldwide and has university admissions consultants from all around the world, with former admissions officers from the ivy leagues and oxbridge. The company also has over 2,400 tutors who based in different timezones and 650 full time staff to support students with their application.

With our world-wide support system, we accompany students to not only world-class universities in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Europe, but also guide students to apply for their ‘Best Fit Schools’ (schools that are best suited for the student).

A student-first approach to provide thorough support for student’s learning and building an excellent academic profile

-What other learning opportunities does CGA offer besides the international curriculum?

CGA is embellished with learning opportunities beyond the an international curriculum.

CGA students attend three hours of classes per day which opens up time for more than six hours of extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities are designed to give students the freedom to explore their areas of interest, and CGA maximizes these opportunities. We offer a myriad of club activities, including Crimson Code for programming, a Model United Nations club, a game development club, an investment club, as well as club activities that aim for international competitions such as the Math Olympiad. You can also start activities based on your own interests. Since students are based all over the world, the experience of starting capstone projects and clubs with their peers adds a valuable experience, and teachers and staff will do their best to support you.

For example, one student took a coding class and interned at Uber, a well known transportation company. Students who are interested in the STEM field will have opportunities to specialize in data science and intern at top tech companies.

In addition, some students have formed their own clubs, participated in competitions such as the Math Olympiad and Model United Nations, and started an organization to address the problem of plastics in the oceans.

We have also partnered with Bizreach, an established employment support company, as a unique initiative of our Japanese subsidiary, because overseas university career centers are strong in this area. When students graduate from overseas universities and wish to find employment in Japan, we provide them with information and assistance.

CGA encourages students’ to explore their interests, and supports them by mentoring their passions into potential career paths. We are proud to say that no other school can provide such extensive support for students’ learning and their future.

-What are some measures the company has taken to reduce student attrition in online learning?

To prevent students from discontinuing their learning or getting lost along the way, parents are able to view student attendance, class work, and assignments daily.

In existing schools, grade reports can be viewed roughly once every three months, however at CGA, students’ learning reports can be viewed daily.

We look at the learning data and alert students to the status of their efforts. Our academic staff provides opportunities to meet with parents and students, and we have a psychologist on staff to take care of students’ emotional needs.