On July 16 and 17, International Symposium “Inclusive Leadership Development and Transformative Collaboration in Culturally Diverse Environment” was held in the Student Plaza of Hiroshima University under the auspices of Practicing & Developing Science for Diversity & Inclusion and Research Center for Diversity & Inclusion of Hiroshima University. The presenters of the seminars were Dr. Helen Fagan, an Assistant Professor in Leadership Engagement at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and Dr. Naomi Tsunematsu, an Associate Professor of Morito Institute of Global Higher Education of Hiroshima University. They cooperated together to hold the open seminar and workshop.

Dr. Fagan lectured on cultural competence, transformative collaboration, inclusive community leadership development, and coaching in culturally diverse environment. Her introduction of the student leadership development to collaborate with local leaders for the community development of Nebraska in the USA was so empowering. Dr. Tsunematsu introduced her educational and research development of the cooperative and experiential learning of international students through the “Glocal Internship” Course and “Glocal Leadership Development Projects” by international exchange students who participated in the Hiroshima University Study Abroad Program (HUSA) Program from North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. The students have been actively undertaking the group projects to cooperate with local communities.

We had participants from local administrative offices, local industry, and local schools. Professors, graduate students, international students, and Japanese students of Hiroshima University also attended the seminar, and this became a precious opportunity to examine together diversity and inclusion in global society, university, and local society. There was a voice, “This has become my life-changing experience. I have started seeing my future from a new perspective,” “I now see the value of experiential learning that locate students in uncertain situations where they need to seek answers by themselves.” Participants have had a very stimulating and fresh experience to see inclusion and diversity in a new light.