On Saturday, January 18, 2025, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies hosted its on-campus round of the prestigious HULT Prize competition. Held on the 6th floor of Building 4, this year’s event showcased 10 teams and 33 participants presenting their creative ideas to tackle global issues.

Led by Campus Director Sota Miyakawa, a 4th-year Global Studies student, the event marked a milestone for KUFS. “Last year, there were only four participating teams, but this year, we’ve grown significantly. With support from our new sponsors, EF and Miyako-Screen, we provided participants with T-shirts, hoodies, and sustainable products, making this year’s event more dynamic than ever,” Sota said.

The HULT prize is a business-related competition that requires teams of students to solve a problem in society related to a UN SDG, come up with a business model, and then pitch their idea to a panel of judges who are actual businesspeople and entrepreneurs from the community. This year's esteemed judges were Ryuji Sakata, Masaaki Kawamukai, and Andrew Crowder. And the theme of the event was "Unlimited!".

The winning team, Repaper, captivated the judges with their innovative solution to two pressing challenges in Japan: high paper consumption and the social isolation of seniors. Team members Miyu Shogaki, Riko Masuda, Kyi Thar Han, and Ei Phyu Sin Thant proposed recycling paper waste into materials for creative workshops designed for senior citizens. These workshops foster social connections, promote mental well-being, and encourage environmental awareness, creating a win-win solution for both society and the planet.

Repaper will now represent KUFS at the HULT Prize Regional Summit in Asia, taking place between March and May of 2025. Their journey reflects the core values of the HULT Prize: sustainability, social impact, and innovation.

The KUFS community is excited about the future of the HULT Prize on campus. “We hope to continue growing this program into an even larger organization and help Global Studies students reach new heights,” Sota added. With such passionate student leaders and participants, the event promises to inspire future changemakers for years to come.

For more updates, follow the HULT Prize KUFS team on Instagram at @hultprize_kufs.