Ota Student Exchange Program
Every other year, students from Greater Lafayette visit Ota City, Japan as part of an exchange program. Greater Lafayette Commerce helps to organize the program, which has been in place since Subaru of Indiana Automotive moved to Lafayette.
2024 Program Information
Application Deadline is March 29, 2024
History of the program:
- A Sister City is created when an American community joins with a community in another nation to learn more about the other and to develop friendly and meaningful exchanges.
- Greater Lafayette became a Sister City with Ota City, Japan on October 4, 1993. The Sister City agreement was signed by the City of Lafayette, City of West Lafayette, and Tippecanoe County.
- Some reasons why we have developed this relationship is:
- to exchange ideas and develop friendships across cultures in a direct and personal basis.
- to exchange government and education relationships.
- to continue the strong relationship in our industry base (Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Subaru Corporation, and many SIA suppliers).
- The reason why Greater Lafayette and Ota City, Japan became sister cities is because of the recruitment of Subaru of Indiana Automotive. SIA’s parent company, Subaru Corporation, is located is Ota City, Japan.
- Since the Sister City agreement was signed, 100’s of Greater Lafayette citizens and business leaders have visited Ota City, Japan representing the Greater Lafayette community.
- Ota has been sending students to Greater Lafayette since early 1998.
- Greater Lafayette has been sending students since 2012.
For more information, contact:
Collin Huffines
Economic Development Manager
chuffines@greaterlafayettecommerce.com
(765) 742-4044