Ehime University (EU) students participated in the second International Summer School hosted by Orenburg State University (OSU) in Russia for one week from September 11 to 18, having special lectures on Russian language, business, geography and chemistry and experiencing a variety of activities for cultural exchanges.
They also had an opportunity to visit science laboratories and facilities there and learn about OSU’s main research areas by face-to-face interaction with researchers. At the student forum on the second day, which was also joined by Japanese students from Hiroshima University as well as students from Germany and Kazakhstan, EU students showed their presence by making a presentation on their university life, specialty products and sightseeing places in Ehime using a lot of effective visual tools, attracting great interest of other participants.
Furthermore, they introduced Japanese culture and custom to other participating international students through some game activities with chopsticks and beans brought from Japan while having fun. After the forum, several students and Prof. Tsuchiya, a supervising teacher from the Faculty of Science, were interviewed by a local TV station.
During their stay at OSU’s student dormitory, they were provided with generous support by OSU students studying Japanese when they got to and from school, went for meals and shopping each day. At the farewell party, all the EU students sang popular Japanese songs, as a token of their gratitude, along with Shakuhachi (a Japanese bamboo flute) performance by an EU student who belongs to a music circle, which garnered good reviews among the audience.
This EU’s study abroad program was joined by not only students from five different faculties but an administrative staff member as a part of SD (Staff Development) training in the field of International Affairs. At the final ceremony, she expressed her deep appreciation to the vice Rector, other representatives and students of OSU for their tremendous help and hospitality, and told them that EU hopes to promote active exchanges with OSU in the future.
<International Relation Division>