IUJ Research Pitch Competition 2025: A Night of Ideas, Energy, and Legacy

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On Friday, April 11th, the campus came alive with energy, excitement, and fresh ideas as 11 students took the stage for the Research Pitch Competition 2025. Proudly supported by the IUJ Research Institute and the International Relations and International Management Student Councils, the event followed the popular “3 Minute Thesis” format: one slide, three minutes, and one chance to impress the judges — and the crowd.

This year’s event built on the success of the 2024 launch, where students, staff, and faculty created a fun atmosphere. It was no different this year — the room was full, and the table-banging energy was back in full force. The audience took a moment to honor 2024’s inaugural champion, Abdisalam from Kenya, whose welcome message reminded everyone of the growing legacy of this event. With the crowd hyped, the presenters delivered rapid-fire pitches on diverse, high-impact research topics.

The judging panel featured Professor Jung (GSIR), Professor Sheehan (GSIM), and Pramo, the 2024 valedictorian and one of the founding forces behind the competition. Together, they had the difficult task of selecting the winners from a night full of standout performances. After much deliberation, the judges announced this year’s champions:

First Place: Ilaisaaneliki Fonua (GSIM)

Second Place: Atlas Leyton (GSIM)

Third Place: Dilrukshi (PMPP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

When asked to comment on the event, Professor Sheehan said: “IUJ may be small, but that is also our strength. We attract students with global perspectives, real-world experience, and access to data and stories that big universities sometimes miss. Events like this help us celebrate what makes our community special — clarity, curiosity, and courage. We want to build a purposeful and enduring culture of research excellence here, and this competition is part of that.”

Congratulations to the winners and all the presenters for their creative and meaningful research. They entertained, inspired and helped build a tradition. The IUJ Research Pitch Competition is now firmly on the calendar, and we cannot wait to see who takes the spotlight in 2026. A big thanks to everyone who supported the event, especially the student councils and the IUJ Research Institute. Let’s keep the legacy growing.

 

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Office of Research Institute
ori@iuj.ac.jp
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