We received some very positive feedback from TNI participants following the joint symposium held in October:

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Dr. Ruttikorn Varakulsiripunth
Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

The academic cooperation between Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) and Tohoku Institute of Technology (T.I.T.) is not limited to student and staff exchange programs, but there are education and research exchange programs too. One of them is the biennial symposium that is co-hosted by both institutions every 2 years. The first biennial symposium was organized by TNI in Bangkok, Thailand on 27th Agust 2008, and the theme was “Monozukuri Concept and Collaboration between TNI and T.I.T.”. The second biennial symposium was organized by T.I.T. in Sendai, Japan during 15-23 October 2010, and the theme was “Monozukuri and Hitozukuri in Global Society”. Then the third biennial symposium was organized by TNI, in Bangkok, Thailand on 6th September 2012, and the theme was “Revival from Natural Disaster and Role of University”.

In this year 2014, T.I.T. organized the 4th biennial symposium under the theme “Thailand-Japan: Go with Strength in ASEAN Economic Community” on 17th October 2014. TNI dispatched 13 members, consisting of 5 staff, 3 master’s students and 5 bachelor students to attend this symposium and stay in Sendai during the period 15-22 October 2014. The mission of TNI’s members was to present their research works and exhibit their innovation, in addition to showing Thai culture.

On this trip we have had a lot of memorable experiences, due to the excellent preparation for this biennial symposium which done by T.I.T.’s staff members. All the preparations for the documents, venue, equipment and procedurse were well done and our stay ended without a single hitch. We were also impressed by the warm welcome and reception, and transportation arrangements from our arrival until our departure. We felt very comfortable and happy during our stay in Sendai.

Moreover, we are so happy that T.I.T. kindly arranged for T.I.T.’s students to accompany and support our students in ways such as guiding and joining our students for dinner and shopping.

Finally, we would like to thank all executive members, professors, staff of T.I.T. for your very warm welcome. We hope to welcome all of you in 2 years’ time, for the next biennial symposium in Bangkok at TNI in 2016.

[Japanese] [Thai]

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【Professor】
Dr. Wipawadee Wongsuwan [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Dr. Nattida Pucharoen [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Patsama Charoenpong [Japanese] [English] [Thai]

【Master Student】
Sarisa Panich [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Jeerana Noymanee [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Natthaporn Suwunnnakee [Japanese] [English]

【Bachelor Student】
Nutnida Attamatee [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Varit Asawavetvutt [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Thanarak Raksi [Japanese] [English] [Thai]
Apicharn Lekchai [Japanese] [English]
Natthakit Tharavecharak [Japanese] [English]

A member of Executive Committee of TNI and T.I.T. Symposium
Associate Professor, MIZUNO Fumio
Dept. of Electronics and Intelligent Systems
Faculty of Engineering

On October 17, 2014, Tohoku Institute of Technology held a joint symposium with Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) from Thailand, one of our international exchange institutions. This joint symposium, which is held once every two years at alternate campuses, was held at room 133 of our university.

Eight lectures were delivered by TNI (five lectures from faculty members and three lectures from graduate students), and five lectures were delivered by faculty members from our university at the symposium. The joint symposium was attended by 36 people from both inside and outside of our university. Four undergraduate students also joined the visiting party from TNI. They installed a TNI booth as part of our school festival held on the following day, Saturday October 18, made a presentation of the results of their research work, and also gave a wonderful Thai dance performance on the festival stage.

Through this joint symposium, it is expected that there will be the chance for a lot of interaction with faculty members between TNI and our university, further promoting the cooperation both in our education and study fields.

■Joint symposium with Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology
http://www.tohtech.ac.jp/news/2014/10/post_366.html

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【After exchanges with Thai students】

Yuya Funayama
First Year Student
Dept. of Management and Communication
Faculty of Life Design

This time, I played a role as a tutor for students from Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI). Although it was just one week, it was a very fulfilling one. While experiencing cross-cultural communication which we seldom encounter in daily life, I realized the importance of conversation and communication. To be honest, I felt very anxious on the first day, wondering whether I would be able to make friends with them or not. However, all the students from TNI were so friendly that I felt like I was the one who received a welcome. As the days went by, the idea of saying good bye to them became harder and harder to bear. I was really enjoying their company, and wished that their stay would last longer. They gave me very kind words, such as “When are you coming to Thailand, Yuya?” and “You can stay at my home, so please give me your contact details.” From the bottom of my heart, I felt that I really want to meet them again in the future. I am sure that this activity will have an extremely significant meaning in my student life. If there comes an opportunity like this again, I really would like to take part. Thank you very much for providing me with such a wonderful opportunity.

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【Role of Tutor】

Yuta Koizumi
Third Year Student
Department of Management and Communication,
Faculty of Life Design

In the position of tutor for the first time, I had the chance to assist students of Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology during their visit to our university. This opportunity made me think about the meaning of giving warm hospitality to foreign nationals. In my opinion, the role of tutor at Tohoku Institute of Technology is to introduce Sendai, and to understand what foreign nationals want from their stay. When I walked around Sendai Station with Thai students, I was asked several times: “What are the recommended foods in Sendai?” At that time, I could not think of anything else other than “Gyutan (Oxtongue)”. Despite my living in Sendai for more than a decade, I finally realized that I did not fully understand the fascination of Sendai. Also, I was reminded that what foreign nationals want to know about are things that people who live here come into contact with in their daily lives. Thai students visiting Japan for the first time took an interest in autumn-tinted trees, which were a very familiar sight to me. They do not have many chances to see colored leaves in Thailand.. To put it differently, in my daily life, there exist unusual and unexpected things for foreign nationals to see and experience for the first time. From these experiences, in order to inform foreign nationals about Japan and Sendai, I felt that it is necessary for myself in the first place to understand the good points of Japan and Sendai.

During exchanges with students of Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology, as well as simply carrying out my tutor activities, I became their friend. When visiting a mountain temple in Yamagata, guiding them at Aoba-jo Castle, having a conversation at an informal social gathering, spending time at our school festival, and going shopping, I had such a fulfilling and unforgettable time with them. Although I felt some language barriers due to my lack of studying, it was an extremely valuable experience for me to spend time with them, as we exchanged words in Japanese, Thai and English. Without this opportunity, I would never have experienced these things.

For a long time, I have been interested in international exchanges. I have actively applied for various programs both from inside and outside of our university, and have had the chance to meet people from Thailand, Taiwan and China. However, those programs mainly focused on rather passive activities on my part, and I often ended up simply being welcomed by foreign nationals. Therefore, while reflecting on my past one-sided international exchanges, I now have even stronger feelings of appreciation toward the foreign nationals who have taken care of me in the past. In the future, I would like to make best use of what I have noticed in the process of undertaking the tutor activities, as ideas for facilitating international exchange as well as cross-cultural understanding.

Dr. Satoshi Ishii
Chair of Dept. of Architecture
Faculty of Engineering

Tohoku Institute of Technology will commemorate the sixth anniversary of our short-term studying abroad program with Chung Yuan Christian University (Taiwan), which started in 2009. As in previous year, this year, two fourth-year students from the Department of Architecture will be sent to Taiwan for two months from 2nd of October to 30th of November. Coincidently, these two students have exactly the same family name and given name as Manami Sasaki (from laboratory of Kenji Yatsu and laboratory of Satoshi Ishii). Both students will receive a guidance for their graduation designs from Associate Professor Tseng,Kuang-Tsung　 (Department head of Architecture) from the Department of Architecture, College of Design, Chung Yuan Christian University. I hope that they will make a lot of friends as well as learh before coming back to Japan.

■Impressions after 1 month:
http://arch-tohtech.net/news/taiwan_sasaki.html

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【New challenges? Bring them on!】

Manami Sasaki
4th Year Student
Laboratory of Kenji Yatsu
Dept. of Architecture
Faculty of Engineering

I am interested in the class contents provided at Chung Yuan Christian University because it has many departments relating to architecture (such as interior and commercial facility design). I am also interested in Taiwanese students’ study methods as well as their attitudes towards study. There have been two senior students from the same laboratory as mine, who went aboard to study at this University. I heard that their experiences were reflected in their designs. As I need to prepare for my graduation design project, I would like to grow, like my seniors, before coming back to Japan. I hear that Taiwan is a friendly nation to Japan. There may be similarities in the cultures or in the appearances of some cities to those of Japan, but I would like to learn the things that make it different from Japan. I will spend two months there as a fourth-year student, which is my last year at the university. I am looking forward to taking on any challenges that lie before me.

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【Studying in Taiwan will broaden my world view.】

Manami Sasaki
4th Year Student
Laboratory of Satoshi Ishii
Dept. of Architecture
Faculty of Engineering

At the age of 17, I visited South Korea. And at the age of 20, I visited three European countries. I had never seen such scenes in Japan, so I became conscious of my narrow-minded view but felt grateful, at the same time, for the happiness of living an ordinary life. I believe that studying in Taiwan will broaden my world view and provide me key experience for the future. Simply because it is an unfamiliar place, I think I can look objectively at things more than usual, and can also look objectively at Japan. As for my graduation design, the acquired experience from studying abroad will allow me to increase my field of vision, which I hope will allow me to make plan to make exceptional use of open space for those who live in my hometown, where I was born and raised.

On Friday 17th of October, 2014, we will welcome faculty members and students from Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) in Thailand, one of our international exchange institutions, to hold a joint symposium in room 133 at the university’s Yagiyama Campus.

Under the theme “Japan-Thailand: Go with Strength in ASEAN Economic Community”, faculty members from both universities as well as post graduate students from TNI are scheduled to make academic presentations and to hold a joint session. Not only those students who have academic interests, but also those students who would like to experience cultural exchange are very welcome. Please feel free to participate in this event.

On the following day, Saturday 18th of October, students from TNI will introduce their university life, Thai culture and other things on the stage as well as giving classroom exhibitions at the university festival. There will also be a performance of Thai dance on the stage. So, don’t miss out.

Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) is a university located in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. The university consists of three faculties (Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Information Technology and Faculty of Business Administration) and a post graduate school. About 4,000 students are studying at TNI.

Since 2007 when our exchange agreement was executed, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) and Tohoku Institute of Technology have been engaging in exchanges, such as sending students to each other’s university and co-hosting symposiums.

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

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 a local newspaper “Kahoku Shinpo”‘s morning edition on Friday, May 23.

After receiving a summary of Faculty of Life Design on 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 a discussion.

■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 at 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 seemed to have become lively in its own way by the end of free discussion.

We would like to express our appreciation for the support of boosting awareness among students at this faculty toward their internationalization.

Associate Professor Umeda Hiroki

【Department of Life Design for Safety and Amenity】
We offered a workshop to review between Malaysia and Japan about “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 contents were basically successful.

Some groups initially had difficulty in learning the ropes. However, as time passed, the sound of laughter started to come from all over the place. What was particularly impressive was the announced contents itself. Presented as a result of the workshop by 4 groups, the contents included so many hints that should be utilized in 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 other than Tohoku dialect, at which students at our faculty are excelled. We would like to express our appreciation for giving us this meaningful opportunity.

Associate Professor ONUMA Masahiro

【Department of Management and Communication】
Those Malaysian students and our students are fellow students belonging to nearly the same age group. However, some students at our faculty were surprised to see the differences with themselves, after knowing Malaysian students’ dedicated attitude toward religion that our students do not come to know so much at their daily lives. In addition, listening to the thoughts of overseas students also inspired our students. There were some students who even declared to study English harder in order to communicate with more people by their own strength.

We have come to know that people from overseas understand Japan as well as Japanese cultures, and that Japanese things exist in their lives beyond our imagination, with penetration of such things as electric appliances made in Japan, sweets with matcha green tea flavor, and sushi.

We had a lively discussion and cross-cultural exchange, such as needing to focus attention to halal food for cultivating the Malaysia market. We are grateful for giving us this opportunity, allowing students at our faculty to participate this event, which leads to their increased motivation.

Associate Professor SATO Asuka

 On April 23rd (Wednesday), 100 students and university affiliates from Indonesia visited our Yagiyama campus through a Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) project.
 First, representatives of the group were greeted by our president, Mitsunobu Miyagi, and then they were shown a DVD introducing our school.
 Then, they attended presentations on actual research and participated in lively Q&A sessions in the Department of Architecture and Department of Civil Engineering and Management, which correspond to the topic of the 8th ASEAN Science and Technology summit (City Engineering and Urban Planning), the reason for this visit.
 Next, each group observed our school facilities, listened to our professors give talks, received student guidance from our departments, and engaged in interpersonal exchange.
 Finally, groups that finished early were treated to an origami class, allowing them to experience Japan’s unique culture.

For about 2 months, from April 15th to June 9th, we are hosting two 3rd-year students in Automotive Engineering from Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology (TNI) for a short study abroad in accordance with our education exchange agreement with this school. Arthinsha Shinvoranont (nicknamed ‘Yong’, right) and Watcharawit Jiemjaisawanglerk (nicknamed ‘Poang’, left) are studying product design in the lab of Associate Professor Hiroki Umeda in our Creative Design Department.
On the Creative Design Department website you can see the self-introduction presentations given the other day by these two students.
Creative Design Department website

[Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology]
TNI is a private engineering university made up of 3 departments, Engineering, Information, and Business Management, located in the Suan Luang district of Bangkok, Thailand. Since we entered into an education exchange agreement with TNI in 2007, we have engaged in international exchanges, such as sending students to study abroad and co-hosting symposia. This year, we will be hosting the symposium at our university.