Asia Association of Education & Exchange

What Asia Association of Education & Exchange does

Asia Association of Education & Exchange (AAEE, 一般社団法人アジア教育交流研究機構) is a Tokyo-based general incorporated association (Japanese nonprofit) established in 2007 and operationally active since 2008. The organization runs cross-border student exchange and multicultural co-learning programs between Japan and nine other Asian countries, with country offices in Bangladesh (Dhaka, at BRAC University), Indonesia (Jakarta), and Nepal (Pokhara, at Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management University). Its core product portfolio consists of country-specific exchange projects — Mero Sathi Project in Nepal, Vietnam-Japan Exchange Project (VJEP), Nepal-Japan Exchange Project (NJEP), Bangladesh-Japan Exchange Project (BJEP), and SDGs Youth Exchange with Binus University in Indonesia — supplemented by a multi-country International Student Summit on SDGs, virtual exchange programs introduced during COVID-19, education conferences at JICA Earth Hiroba, and domestic multicultural coexistence study groups. Programs are typically 2-3 weeks of shared living, fieldwork at local institutions, dialogue sessions, and collaborative projects focused on cultural understanding and global issues.

AAEE operates as a program coordinator and educator rather than a technology company; the source data explicitly states that no proprietary technology stack underpins its offerings. Revenue is generated through three streams: student participation fees for exchange programs, event registration fees (500 yen for general public, free for students), and donations plus institutional support from partner organizations. The most material financial backers are co-sponsors from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the latter since AAEE became a JICA Partners member in May 2016. The organization is led by Representative Director Professor Akinori Seki of Tokyo Keizai University, with a governance structure that includes vice presidents, directors, advisors drawn from senior government and corporate roles, accounting staff, and student assistants.

The organization's go-to-market relies on direct recruitment through its website, Facebook, Instagram, and LINE official accounts, combined with university partnerships (Tokyo Keizai, Tsurumi, BRAC, Binus, Hoa Sen, University of Economics HCMC) and event channels such as JICA Earth Hiroba. Distribution is event- and cohort-driven rather than self-serve or transactional, with alumni word-of-mouth and partner university selection processes feeding participant recruitment. AAEE has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no external equity funding, and no disclosed acquisitions, consistent with its status as a mission-driven nonprofit operating on a small headcount of six employees.

Name

Asia Association of Education & Exchange

Legal name

一般富人ipo 一般社団法人アジア教育交流研究機構

Website

https://aaee.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Asia Association of Education & Exchange (AAEE) is a Tokyo-based Japanese nonprofit that runs cross-border student exchange and multicultural co-learning programs between Japan and nine other Asian countries, serving university and high school students through country-specific projects, online exchanges, and conferences under JICA and MOFA co-sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Educational Exchange Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAAAE

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

SECONDARYEDAIAAAF

Short-Term & Summer/Winter Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

SECONDARYEDAIAHAB

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester)

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Overseas Secondary School Programs (Boarding, Exchange, Summer)

Keywords

• International student exchange
• Multicultural education programs
• Youth exchange programs
• Cross-cultural learning
• International cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hachioji (Tokyo)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Participation Fees: Revenue from student participation fees for international exchange programs including Nepal Mero Sathi Project, Vietnam-Japan Exchange Project (VJEP), and Bangladesh-Japan Exchange Program (BJEP). Programs typically run 2-3 weeks with participants paying for program costs.
2. Event Registration Fees: Fees collected for educational conferences and public events. Social participants pay 500 yen, students attend free of charge.
3. Donations and Support: Organization operates through donations and support from partner organizations including JICA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4. Sponsorship: Support from various organizations and government agencies for international cooperation and youth exchange activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AAEE organizes and runs international student exchange and multicultural co-learning programs between Japan and other Asian countries (Nepal, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and others). Its core offerings are country-specific exchange projects — Mero Sathi Project (Nepal), VJEP (Vietnam-Japan), NJEP (Nepal-Japan), and BJEP (Bangladesh-Japan) — along with multi-country online summits on SDGs, education conferences, and domestic multicultural coexistence study groups. Programs are typically 2–3 weeks of immersive, in-country collaborative learning supplemented by virtual exchange formats.

Product overview

Asia Association of Education & Exchange (AAEE) operates a portfolio of international student exchange and multicultural learning programs. The core offerings include country-specific exchange projects (Mero Sathi Project in Nepal, VJEP in Vietnam, NJEP in Nepal, BJEP in Bangladesh) and multi-country programs such as the International Student Summit on SDGs. These programs are supplemented by online exchange initiatives and domestic study groups on multicultural coexistence themes. AAEE also organizes education conferences and seminars. The organization functions as a program coordinator rather than a technology product company, facilitating face-to-face and virtual international exchanges focused on cross-cultural understanding, SDGs, and personal development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 30 international summits conducted since 2008
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh CitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Signed friendship cooperation agreement in November 2019 for joint student exchange programs and academic collaboration between Japan and Vietnam.
• Binh Phuoc Province (Vietnam)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Province government partnership for Vietnam-Japan Youth Exchange events, hosting programs in Binh Phuoc Province.
• Binh Duong Province (Vietnam) - Official AdvisorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019AAEE Representative Director Akinori Seki appointed as official advisor to Binh Duong Province, first foreigner to hold this position, for international exchange activities.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJICA is a key supporting partner for AAEE programs. JICA Earth Hiroba hosts AAEE events and provides co-sponsorship. AAEE became a JICA Partners member in May 2016. Programs including Mero Sathi Project received official JICA co-sponsorship.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (外務省)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides official co-sponsorship for AAEE international exchange programs and events, validating the organization's contribution to international understanding.
• FIWC (Friendship International Work Camp)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with FIWC for Nepal water tank installation and student exchange program in 2015.
• SWITCH Foundation (Bangladesh)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized Bangladesh school success campaign starting August 2013 for educational initiatives.
• Hoa Sen University (Vietnam)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVietnamese university that hosted AAEE seminars and exchange events for Ho Chi Minh City students.
• Binus University (Indonesia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for Indonesia-Japan SDG-focused exchange programs starting 2021.
• BRAC University (Bangladesh)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBangladesh headquarters located at BRAC University premises. Professor Mahboob Hossain serves as AAEE advisor from BRAC University.
• Horasis (International Think Tank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational think tank that regularly invites AAEE Representative Director Akinori Seki to speak at Horasis Global Summits and Horasis Asia Meetings as a thought leader on education and international exchange.
• Tokyo Keizai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of AAEE Representative Director. Co-hosts events with AAEE and provides academic supervision for exchange programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AIESEC: AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run international exchange organization, running global leadership and cross-cultural exchange programs for university students — directly comparable to AAEE's mission, target audience, and delivery model.
• Youth For Understanding (YFU): YFU runs youth and student intercultural exchange programs worldwide with structured curricula. Its student exchange product and program-based delivery make it one of the closest functional comparables to AAEE's exchange portfolio.
• IAESTE: IAESTE facilitates international exchange of university students through technical internships and short-term programs. AAEE overlaps with IAESTE in international student mobility, short-format programming, and university partnerships.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS is a leading international student-exchange nonprofit operating intercultural programs across 60+ countries. It directly parallels AAEE's student mobility and cultural learning focus, although with much greater geographic breadth.

Broad incumbents

• ISA (International Studies Abroad): ISA is a commercial study-abroad provider serving university students across multiple countries and program types. It is comparable to AAEE on target customer and multi-country delivery, though mostly fee-based and degree-credit oriented.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a large, established study-abroad and intercultural exchange provider with extensive global programming. It targets the same university-student exchange segment as AAEE but at significantly greater scale and program depth.
• IIE (Institute of International Education): IIE is a major US-headquartered nonprofit managing prominent student exchange programs (e.g., Fulbright). It overlaps with AAEE on international student mobility, government partnerships, and exchange scholarship administration.

Others

• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency): JICA is AAEE's primary funder and program co-sponsor rather than a competitor. It is listed because its youth exchange initiatives and grant programs directly interact with AAEE's model and resource pipeline.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AsiaAssociationOfEducationExchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/aaee_japan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aaee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Asia Association of Education & Exchange