On the 4th of June, a training briefing session was held at the Nagamachi campus by two foreign students, Arthinsha shinvoranont and Watcharavit Jiemjaisawanglerk from Thailand’s Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology. The students studied for about two months at the Department of Creative Design at our university. The completion ceremony also took place at the same venue.

A training report was conducted by each student, each for about 30 minutes in a presentation style, packed with content using video clips. While using both Japanese and English, they talked cheerfully about the classes in which they participated at our university and about the design assignments from those classes, as well as other experiences, such as interaction with our students and trips around Japan, during their stay. At the completion ceremony, President Mitsunobu Miyagi awarded a completion certificate to them. In a complimentary address, President Miyagi touched upon a tree plantation activity in which the two students participated in Iwanuma City during their stay, and sent cheers to them. “When two of you come back again to Japan in the future and see the grown trees, you will remember the experiences you had at Tohoku Institute of Technology. In Japan, two of you were ambassadors from Thailand. But after you return back to Thailand, you will become ambassadors from Japan. We wish you all the best for your future”, said the President. The two foreign students expressed their words of appreciation for a fulfilling campus life at our university as well as memories of interaction with various people.

【Guidance Teacher: Associate Professor UMEDA Hiroki】
The two foreign students attended classroom lectures of four subjects for four weeks. In addition, they had a seminar in sketching and carried out research at “MEGA WEB”, a Toyota showroom in Tokyo. I hope that they have learnt something which can be used for their future. They also actively interacted with our students, which made us realize the importance of cross-cultural understanding.

【Students from Tahi Nichi Institute of Technology】
Students at Tohoku Institute of Technology are very kind. We are very happy and grateful for their companionship during our stay. We hope to make use of the things we have learned here for our future study. We certainly would like to come back again to Japan, and to Tohoku Institute of Technology. Thank you very much.

【Tutor: Creative Design 4th Grade, Ms. OIKAWA Eri】
Over the past two months, we have learnt so many things from each other. In particular, I strongly felt that I really should have known more about my own country. Furthermore, while spending time with the two foreign students, I once again felt the importance of experiencing something outside my own fields of knowledge. I am really happy to have been involved with them as tutor. Thank you very much for giving me such a valuable opportunity.

47 Malaysian university students made a visit to our Nagamachi campus
2 Jun. 2014

As part of the “JENESYS2.0” project, a youth exchange program launched by the government of Japan, a visiting group to Japan, consisting of 47 Malaysian university students, made a visit to our Nagamachi campus on Thursday, May 22. The report on students, who had observed the classes at the departments of Faculty of Life Design on that day, as well as their comments, were published in the morning edition of “Kahoku Shinpo”, a local newspaper “Kahoku Shinpo”‘s morning edition on Friday, May 23.

After receiving a summary of Faculty of Life Design onsyllabus at the Nagamachi campus, the visiting group to Japan consisting of Malaysian university students were divided into 3 groups, and each group observed their designated class of Department of Creative Design, Department of Life Design for Safety and Amenity, or Department of Management and Communication. After having an experience of the classes, they deepened exchange with our students through discussions.

■Reports from faculties which accepted the visiting group from Malaysia

【Department of Creative Design】
It was unfortunate that the number of participants was limited, because many students at this faculty had classes on that day. However, for those students who participated, it was a meaningful event to be able to have an opportunity of cross-cultural exchange, which is difficult to experience in their daily lives.

Some of our students told us that they keenly realized the necessity of English proficiency as a communication skill. Meanwhile, although it is uncertain whether we have met the expectations of the Malaysian side, they were interacting in a lively fashion by the end of the free discussion.

We would like to express our appreciation to the Malaysian students for helping to boost awareness among students at this faculty toward the importance of internationalization.

Associate Professor Umeda Hiroki

【Department of Life Design for Safety and Amenity】
We offered a workshop to review opinions among Malaysia and Japan regarding a “Sightseeing program for foreigners by utilizing the potential of Ogatsu-town in Ishinomaki-city that suffered from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami”. The workshop was deemed to be successful.

Some groups initially had difficulty in learning the ropes of successful discussion. However, as time passed, the sound of laughter started to come from all corners of the room. What was particularly impressive was the final presentation of the points discussed. Presented as a result of the workshop by 4 groups, the contents included many ideas that could be utilized in developing community support on which our faculty as a whole has been working.

Now we have new goals in the future, such as to review a program which can give a guided tour of fields in the surrounding areas, and to improve our English conversational skills. We would like to express our appreciation for giving us this meaningful opportunity.

Associate Professor ONUMA Masahiro

【Department of Management and Communication】
The Malaysian students and our students belong to nearly the same age group. However, some students at our faculty were surprised to see the differences between the two groups. In particular, after hearing about Malaysian students’ dedicated attitude toward religion, our students came to reflect upon the lack of such conviction in their own lives. In addition, listening to the thoughts of overseas students also inspired our students. There were some students who even declared they will study English harder in order to communicate with more people.

We have come to know that people from overseas understand much of Japan and Japanese culture, and that they come into contact with Japanese things in their daily lives, such as electric appliances made in Japan, sweets with matcha green tea flavor, and sushi.

We had a lively discussion and cross-cultural exchange, regarding such matters as the need for halal food for cultivating the Malaysian market. We are grateful for this opportunity, allowing students at our faculty to participate in this event, which we are sure, will lead to increased motivation on their part.

Associate Professor SATO Asuka