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START Program / START + Program Sent 164 Students to Six Countries

From August through September 2018, Hiroshima University sent 164 undergraduates to six countries and regions through its unique “START Program” and “START+ Program” (*).

The participants underwent overseas training after attending pre-study abroad session for two months, followed by post-study abroad session after returning to Japan.

The achievements in the first semester of the academic year 2018 are as follows:

The 53rd START Program (Indonesia)

Period: August 11th thru August 23rd
Destination: Universitas Brawijaya (Malang)
Participants: 24 first-year students
Leaders: Associate Professor Ayami Nakaya (Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation) and 1 other staff member

Cultural experience at the Topeng Malang

Visit to a local elementary school

The 54th START Program (Taiwan)

Period: August 19th thru September 2nd
Destination: National Chengchi University (Taipei)
Participants: 28 first-year students
Leaders: Professor Hajime Nishitani (Graduate School of Social Sciences) and 2 other staff members

At the Memorial Foundation of 228 (Taipei)

Chinese language lesson (National Chengchi University)

The 2nd START + Program (Lithuania)

Period: August 18th thru September 2nd
Destination: Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas)
Participants: 20 second- and third-year students
Leaders: Professor Shoji Matsubara (Graduate School of Social Sciences) and 1 other staff member

In front of the Sugihara House

Discussion in English with local students

The 55th START Program & The 3rd START + Program (Australia)

Period: August 24th thru September 10th
Destination: Flinders University (Adelaide)
Participants: 20 first-year students (START Program)
                  20 second- and third-year students (START + Program)
Leaders: Associate Professor Brett Walter (Graduate School of Education) and 2 other staff members

At the Gorge Wildlife Park

English language lesson

The 56th START Program (Thailand)

Period: September 3rd thru September 19th
Destination: Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok)
Participants: 22 first-year students
Leaders: Associate Professor Takayoshi Maki (Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation) and 2 other staff members

Ayutthaya cultural training

In front of the Reclining Buddha in Wat Pho

The 57th START Program (United States of America)

Period: September 8th thru September 23rd
Destination: James Madison University (Harrisonburg)
Participants: 30 first-year students
Leaders: Associate Professor Fuyuko Takita (Institute for Foreign Language Research and Education) and 2 other staff members

In front of the Washington Monument

At the workshop with local students

 (*) The START Program, aims to send first-year students who have little or no experience in overseas travel to experience classes and everyday life at an overseas partner university and thus fostering interest in cross-cultural exchange and long-term abroad study. Established in 2010, by the end of the first semester of the academic year 2018 the START Program has already been held 57 times. From 2017, we launched the step-up program called START+ Program for second and third year students, which has already been held 3 times. This program fees are supported by the Hiroshima University Fund and other patrons, giving more students the opportunity to study abroad with less financial burden.

Moreover, the START Program is offered as a general education credited course (‘Overseas Field Study’), aiming to improve participating students’ global core competency (the core skills needed to succeed anywhere in the world). Self-evaluation sessions are conducted three times (before, during, and after the study-abroad program) and students can plan their actions based on the result of their Global Core Competency. After receiving feedback from supervising teachers, students will refine and put their plans into action. Assessment is made by comprehensively evaluating the development of the student’s Global Core Competency based on their participation attitude, presentation during the program, and report after the program.
After returning to Japan students set personal goals for TOEIC test and continue learning even after they completed the program.

For details of START Program, click here

【Inquiries】
International Exchange Group, Hiroshima University
Tel. 082-424-4346/4551
E-mail: kokusai-ryugaku(AT)office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp
(Please replace (AT) with @.)


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