UNC Urology is proud to announce that Dr. Hans Arora has been selected as a 2026 scholar in the American Urological Association (AUA) / Japanese Urological Association (JUA) Academic Exchange Program—a highly competitive international fellowship that recognizes promising academic urologists and future leaders in the field.
As part of the program, Dr. Arora will spend two to three weeks in Japan in April 2026, visiting leading academic institutions and attending the JUA Annual Meeting in Kyoto, Japan (April 23–26, 2026). During the exchange, Dr. Arora will observe surgical procedures, participate in clinical activities, present scientific lectures, and engage with international colleagues in an immersive academic experience. The program is designed to foster collaboration, strengthen global alliances between the AUA and JUA, and promote the exchange of ideas that advance urologic care worldwide.
Dr. Arora’s selection places him among a small group of academic urologists chosen through a rigorous national review process based on their commitment to academic urology, research productivity, clinical excellence, contributions to the AUA, and demonstrated leadership potential. The distinction reflects both Dr. Arora’s growing national and international standing as a urology expert, and his sustained engagement in the profession.
AUA/JUA Academic Exchange Program: A Global Academic Partnership
The AUA/JUA Academic Exchange Program is one of the AUA’s longstanding international academic initiatives. Structured as a reciprocal program between the United States and Japan, it enables early- to mid-career academic urologists to gain global perspective through observation-based exchanges at host institutions abroad.
Participants attend the national society’s annual meeting—in this case, the JUA Congress in Kyoto—while also engaging in clinical observerships and academic dialogue at Japanese academic centers. Although the exchanges are observational, they are intentionally immersive, fostering cross-cultural understanding and long-term academic collaboration.
Medical advances often emerge from precisely these kinds of international partnerships. By strengthening ties between the AUA and JUA, the program helps identify and cultivate future leaders within both organizations.
National Leadership and a Tradition of Global Engagement
Dr. Arora’s selection reflects more than an individual honor—it underscores UNC Urology’s sustained engagement within the leadership and academic functions of the American Urological Association. Faculty from the department are actively involved in organized urology at the national level through committee service, scholarly contributions, educational programming, and strategic initiatives that help shape the future of the specialty.
Participation in the AUA/JUA Academic Exchange Program represents one visible extension of that commitment. In 2019, former UNC Urologist Dr. Matthew Coward was similarly selected for the exchange, serving as an ambassador for the AUA during his time in Japan. His experience—attending the JUA Annual Meeting and completing an academic observership at Kobe University—reflected the program’s emphasis on scholarly dialogue and international collaboration.
Dr. Arora now continues that tradition, further positioning UNC Urology within a global network of academic leaders.