Each year, approximately 100 students from UK sixth form colleges and Japanese high schools come together for the prestigious UCL-Japan Youth Challenge.
The week-long summer school, held at UCL and the University of Cambridge, fosters cross-cultural dialogue and critical thinking on some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from sustainability and technological innovation to social justice.
And since it first began back in 2015 we’ve been on hand to capture it all…
As part of the week, participants gain a taste of British university life as they attend lectures, take part in workshops and stay in halls of residence.
The week culminates in the Grand Challenge Workshop, where students form groups to tackle a theme that reflects the year’s pressing social issues. Each group then presents their ideas in a three-minute pitch - documented by our team of scribes.
The resulting artwork serves as a dynamic record of the students’ thinking develops over the course of the week, reflecting their energy, creativity, and insights. It’s also an essential tool for bridging language barriers - helping make complex ideas accessible to both British and Japanese students. Here's some of them:
From 2020 to 2022, as the world shifted online due to the pandemic, we adapted our approach to continue capturing the spirit of the programme remotely. We ensured that the interaction and engagement felt just as authentic as if everyone were together in person.
“We’ve really enjoyed being part of the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge over the past 10 years, helping to capture the energy and the diverse cultural perspectives of the workshops to create a lasting visual record of the event.”
Caroline Charles, Senior Producer, Scriberia.
“We’ve really enjoyed being part of the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge over the past 10 years, helping to capture the energy and the diverse cultural perspectives of the workshops to create a lasting visual record of the event,” says Caroline Charles, Senior Producer at Scriberia.
“And it’s been a lot of fun along the way too!”
Here’s to the next 10 years of collaboration, creativity, and cultural exchange!
