On August 8, the Kagoshima University Global Initiative Center hosted 16 students from six countries as part of the UMAP-COIL JOINT HONORS PROGRAM for Kagoshima University Visit (UMAP: University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Asia Pacific University Exchange Organization (COIL: Collaborative Online International Learning).
This program was jointly organized by Kansai University, UMAP, and Peace Boat, which was selected for the FY 2018 Inter University Exchange Project Type B. The program was a 19-day Peace Boat East Asian Voyage (Asia Pacific region – 19 days), which visited eight regional cities in Japan, Busan and Vladivostok. The program aims to think about the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) from a ‘glocal’ perspective while utilizing the COIL method of education.
In addition to cooperating with Kansai University, a Type B university, in its efforts to build a platform between selected Universities as a selected university for University Exchange Project Type A (“US-Kagoshima-Asia Triad Program in Multi-Polar World”), Kagoshima University was the only university to receive and cooperate with them during the voyage as a UMAP member.
Sixteen English-speaking students from the U.S., Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan (Kansai University and Toyo University) were welcomed & received at the Korimoto campus and divided into four groups, including seven students from Kagoshima University who had previously studied abroad for an extended period, and conducted an exchange program.
After a welcome speech by Dr. Keiko Unedaya, Director of the Global Initiative Center, Assistant Secretary of the UMAP International Office, Professor Shingo Ashizawa of Toyo University gave a lecture on “The Tokyo Convention and Building Trust among Refugees and Quasi-Refugee Populations”. This was then followed by a group discussion.
Following this, Professor Unedaya gave an overview of Kagoshima University and Kagoshima Prefecture, followed by self-introductions in English and Chinese by Kagoshima students and an icebreaker to make everyone get to know each other. At the end of the tour, the students took a tour of the Korimoto campus guided by KU students and had lunch together further strengthening their friendships. Although it was a short time, it was a meaningful and enjoyable learning opportunity for both sides.
