On February 10, 2025, the Selected Universities Liaison Meeting for the Inter-University Exchange Project -Indo-Pacific Region- (a project launched in FY2022) was held at Hiroshima University Phoenix International Center MIRAI CREA on the Higashi- Hiroshima Campus of Hiroshima University (HU).

This fiscal year marks the third time this Selected Universities Liaison Meeting has been held. Furthermore, this year was the first time the meeting was held primarily in-person (while being partially conducted online in a hybrid format), aiming to foster more active exchange between the participating universities.

For this meeting, HU invited faculty, staff, and both Japanese and international students who had actual experience studying abroad through the various programs. Over 50 participants from universities and institutions nationwide attended, with more than 40 present on-site and 10 joining online.

After opening remarks from Mr. Yusuke Shoji, Deputy Director in the International Affairs Division, Higher Education Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), participants attentively listened as representatives from each university presented in English on the personal growth and learning outcomes achieved through their study abroad experience.

Following the experience reports, Mr. Kinji Saito (Councilor, Global Sales Division, Suzuki Motor Corporation), and Ms. Kaoru Nishinakagawa (currently engaged in supporting Japan-Australia collaboration and promoting innovation in Australia) gave online lectures in which they discussed the creation of new business opportunities and the importance of diversity in business success.

Enthusiastic questions followed from the participating students, who seemed to be deeply inspired by the stories shared by their seniors who are actively engaged in the global arena.

After the lectures, the participants separated into two venues. At the student venue, students participated in a workshop organized by the Positive Peace Society, a student organization at HU. The workshop, which focused on “Sustainable Development Activities of Major Companies,” involved sharing, summarizing, and presenting ideas in small groups—all conducted in English. Students actively shared their thoughts in a relaxing atmosphere.

Meanwhile, a session for exchanging opinions and information about the project was held for the faculty and staff. Centering on key topics related to the project, which had been submitted in advance, there was active discussion on issues such as visa problems in specific countries, using online platforms for information dissemination, and collaboration between participating universities.

Finally, a summary was given by Masaru Ichihashi (Director of the IDEC Institute, HU) and the meeting was brought to a close.

HU continues to provide opportunities for exchanging information and opinions with the selected universities as the lead school for the Inter-University Exchange Project -Indo-Pacific Region-, while aiming to expand and disseminate the project’s insights into neighboring organizations.

2025.02.10