Soka University

Summer Overseas Training Joint Kick-off Ceremony Takes Place for 15 Training Programs

July 24, 2019

On Friday, July 19th, a joint kick-off ceremony for the overseas training program to be conducted during summer break took place at the Soka University Lecture Hall Classroom Building.

This summer's overseas training program consists of a total of 15 training programs--9 programs including language training sponsored by universities and overseas volunteers (116 students in 8 countries and regions) and 6 training programs sponsored by each faculty (89 students in 5 countries and regions). Each student will experience approximately 2-3 weeks of training from August to the beginning of September.

At the kick-off ceremony, International Affairs Office Administrative Director Masahiko Tobita first introduced the participants of all courses along with the people that will be in charge.


This was followed by determinations shared by two students. Miyuki Tani (Faculty of Letters, first-year), who will participate in summer language training at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom, shared, "This will be my first overseas visit. It has been a cherished dream of mine since high school to travel overseas, now realized in the form of language training via the Faculty of Letters. I will make this a fulfilling training experience while cherishing my encounters with local people and challenging myself with the two goals of improving my language ability and understanding different cultures."


Takehito Kawamura (Faculty of Education, third-year), who will participate in the training program at the Yangon University of Foreign Languages in Myanmar shared, "Upon participating in this training, I learned that the founder once visited Myanmar and deepened his heart for peace. I, too, with a sense of pride and responsibility as a representative of Soka University, will do my best in learning the language and Myanmar's culture through this training so that I can act as a bridge that connects Japan and Myanmar."
 
This was followed by words from the Dean of International Affairs Prof. Masaru Osanai, who shared the importance of studying prior to the training and taking care of one's health overseas.

Lastly, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Yasunori Tashiro shared his greetings. While introducing how he himself visited China during his student days, he encouraged the participants as follows: "Experiencing life abroad during your student days will serve as an unforgettable memory. Without forgetting your awareness as a Soka University student, please acquire knowledge that cannot be learned from books, and make such knowledge a source of your growth. I am praying that this will become a fruitful form of training for all participants--one through which you can deepen your friendships with local students while remaining absolutely free from any accidents."

The following are comments from the students that participated in the joint kick-off ceremony:


"I am studying hard every day with the dream to contribute to the development of educational environments for children. In this program, I plan to visit an orphanage. In Africa, the 'continent of hope,' I will interact with various children sincerely using my Swahili skills." (Faculty of Education, second-year)


"I joined Soka University because I was attracted to the university's form of global education. As a first step, I will participate in a program at Griffith University in Australia. I will exert myself in my studies, never forgetting my appreciation to all those who are supporting me like my parents, and I will accumulate experiences that can only be gained at the place where I am visiting." (Faculty of Economics, first-year).