From Aug. 10-21, 2026, the University of Nevada, Reno and Kyoto Koka University held the inaugural UNR-Kyoto Koka Intensive English Summer Program on the University’s Reno and Lake Tahoe campuses.
Led by the E.L. Cord Center for Global Engagement with support from the College of Education & Human Development, the program welcomed eight students and two faculty members from Kyoto Koka University.
A distinguishing feature of the program was its effort to extend English learning beyond the classroom by connecting language instruction with university life, educational settings, community engagement and cultural and nature-based experiences. In addition to intensive English as a Second Language instruction, students learned about social and emotional learning, education in the United States and intercultural communication. They also used English in authentic interactions with University students, faculty, staff and community members.
Students participated in classes and special sessions at the University and visited Doral Academy of Northern Nevada and the University’s Child and Family Research Center. In the school and early-childhood settings, they observed the use of positive and encouraging language, teacher-child relationships, opportunities for children to make choices, flexible learning environments and play-based approaches to learning.
Many participants connected these observations to their own aspirations as future teachers and early-childhood professionals. During the program’s final activity at Lake Tahoe, students created posters illustrating the classrooms they hope to develop in the future and presented their ideas in English.
“This initiative represents the E.L. Cord Center for Global Engagement’s first pilot program of this kind,” said Mehmet Tosun, chief international officer. “By connecting language learning with the University, schools and the local community, we were able to make global engagement part of students’ everyday experience. We hope to build on this pilot and create additional opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions.”
Mehmet Tosun (top row, fourth from left) poses with Kyoto Koka students and University personnel.“We intentionally connected the time students spent learning English with situations in which they needed to use it,” said Akio Abe, a staff at the E.L. Cord Center for Global Engagement and doctoral student in education. “Our goal was to bring students’ experiences at schools, on campus, in the community and at Lake Tahoe into a single learning process so that they could see a clear purpose in learning English.”
“For me, the most meaningful part of this program was seeing students grow not only in their confidence using English, but also in how they saw themselves as future educators,” said Gokce Unlu, a doctoral candidate in education at the University and ESL instructor for the program. “I wanted students to experience English not simply as something they study, but as a tool for connecting across cultures, reflecting on education and developing their own identities as future teachers.”
Activities in Reno included a cultural learning experience at the Nevada Museum of Art, as well as a Welcome Event and Afternoon Social at the University. Students also stayed at the Lake Tahoe location, where they participated in English classes, group activities, hiking and a beach-based nature experience.
Students reported that meeting the same students and community members more than once allowed them to build on their initial conversations and develop stronger relationships. Open-ended evaluation responses also indicated that successfully sustaining conversations and communicating ideas, even without perfect English, contributed to students’ confidence and motivation to continue learning.
During the program, University President Brian Sandoval, Executive Vice President and Provost Jeff Thompson and College of Education & Human Development Acting Dean Jannet Vreeland also shared messages of welcome and encouragement with the visiting students.
Following the program, all eight student participants completed an anonymous evaluation survey. Every student gave the program the highest possible overall satisfaction rating of five out of five. Across 14 individual program activities, the average rating was 4.84 out of five. Opportunities to use English outside the classroom received an average rating of 4.88 and all eight students gave the highest rating to their interest in participating in future study-abroad or international-exchange opportunities.
The two universities are now discussing opportunities to continue and further develop their collaboration in 2027 and beyond. Building on the inaugural program’s outcomes, potential next steps include sustained interaction between students, reciprocal faculty visits and expanded collaboration in education.
