On May 7th 2018, a debriefing session of students’ study abroad experience was held in the Library Hall on the 1st Floor of the Central Library building. This session gives former exchange students who had the experience of studying abroad (overseas training) through Hiroshima University’s various overseas study programs the opportunity to report on their experiences. On this day, 68 faculty members and students interested in overseas studies attended this session.

This was the 13th time the debriefing session was held. Students who took part in any of the Hiroshima University overseas study programs - the HUSA Program, the AIMS-HU Program, the G.ecbo Global Internship Program, the START Program, ILDP-START+ Program and Tobitate! Ryugaku JAPAN Program - reported on their experiences. Four out of the six presentations were conducted in English and so the students had the opportunity to show the results of their language acquisition through their presentations.

The debriefing focused mainly on students’ motivation for studying abroad, their preparations and the life they experienced abroad, as well as the personal growth, changes, and discoveries they gained through their study abroad experience. One of the students who had taken part in the AIMS-HU Program commented: “Besides studies in the university, I was able to do fieldwork on my research too. Through this experience in Thailand, I had a great opportunity meeting local people together with the other students who went in the same program.” Another student who went to the United States of America through the HUSA Program made a presentation in English: “I was worried before going abroad, but now I am a more confident person than I was before. I would recommend all of you to try it without thinking twice.”

At the end of the session, Vice President (International Exchange) Professor Maruyama gave words of encouragement to the students based on his own overseas experience. He ended his speech with a message towards participants who attended the debriefing session: “I hope all of you will join the study abroad programs and I am looking forward to hearing your reports on your experiences next year.”

The participants gave their feedbacks on the session saying: “It is a great opportunity to listen to the voice of experience. I know what I should be prepared for and what I should do before going abroad.” Another participant said “I had my worries about going abroad. But after listening to them talking about their enjoyable experiences, now I am really interested to go and study abroad.”

This session is part of the “Study Abroad Week”, held over 5 days from May 7th until 11th. The “Study Abroad Week” takes place once a year and includes numerous events aimed at students interested in studying abroad. The events include providing information services about studying and training abroad as well as discussion meetings with experienced students. We hope to see both those who participated and those who could not join us this time again at our event next year.