News & Topics

Greetings to all of our alumni, from me, Keiko Kumura, Deputy Director (in charge of international exchange) of the Center for International Affairs. Almost two years have passed since the beginning of the global pandemic. While it is still too soon to let our guard down, infection levels are decreasing in Japan and from the 4th Quarter our university classes are mostly being delivered in-person. Be that as it may, whenever I hear about how difficult things are for people overseas, I cannot help but hope that our alumni and their loved ones are safe and well.

But at the same time, the world has not sat by idly in the face of Covid-19 during the past two years. Vaccines have been developed and methods to suppress the spread of the virus are being found. Even in times like these, information technology has connected people and allowed us to experience new modes of communication and lifestyles. Of course, this has also been the case in the field of education. The power of online delivery in classes and the like has awakened us to the possibilities that exist in terms of new opportunities for learning.

At the Center for International Affairs, tapping into the abilities of the student TAs in the Multi-cultural Exchange Lounge Stella, we have launched new online international exchange initiatives such as the CJS Online Café 「和（なごみ）」 and the Modern Japan Discussion Table. In addition to this, next spring (April 2022) the Janssen International Residence will come into existence as a new "place of learning."

The Janssen International Residence will not just be a place where foreign and Japanese students learn through the exchange that occurs when people live together. Beyond that, all residents will participate in an educational program designed to foster skills in diversity and inclusion, so, through their everyday experiences in the dormitory, the interactive workshops, and the connections that will be made through a range of events that the residents themselves will plan and carry out, the dormitory will become a place where the students develop the abilities required to enable them to work effectively in our globalized society. From this November, 15 students will collaborate with university staff members as "Resident Designers," working on the creation of rules, the planning of events and various PR activities ahead of the dormitory’s opening next April. The autonomy granted to the residents is one of the features of the Janssen International Residence.

In order to spread the word about this new dormitory to as many people as possible, we held a commemorative dormitory-opening event on Saturday 20 November. In the first part of the event, we welcomed alumni Chénier La Salle (a graduate of the CJS) who currently works for Global Affairs Canada and Hazuki Kondo (a graduate of the Department of British and American Studies in the Faculty of Foreign Studies) who is employed by Toyota Auto Body. Professor Takakazu Yamagishi, Director of the Center for International Affairs, acted as moderator in a Q&A session in which, based on their own experiences, the two guests gave valuable insights into what diversity actually is and what is needed in order to thrive in a diverse society. Twelve high school students took part in the second part of the event, with the "Resident Designers" mentioned above supporting a workshop on something that is a part of educational program to be implemented within the Janssen International Residence, namely recognizing the diversity that exists within oneself or ones friends, accepting it and displaying respect for each other.

In this way, even at times when the pandemic restricts our freedom, one step at a time, we are attempting to get a tangible picture of what things can be learned because we are experiencing times like this and what is the true nature of international exchange. Once the pandemic is behind us, and people are again able to travel freely between countries, please do come to see us. Our campus will no doubt bring back fond memories, but at the same time it will also show you a side that is developing for the future. I look forward to the day when the campus reverberates with the voices of our alumni saying, "ただいま."

Keiko Kumura
Deputy Director
Center for International Affairs