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International co-learning classes were held at Hachioji CampusHachioji Campus

On Friday, October 17, 2025, a joint class between Faculty of Education "Language and Social Activities" and the "Japanese Language Subjects" for international students was held at Teikyo University's Hachioji Campus as part of an international co-learning program. The class was designed to promote intercultural experiences on campus and provide an opportunity for interaction and mutual understanding between Japanese and international students.
At the beginning of the class, Professor Kayoko Arita Center for Japanese language Education explained the objectives of the class, effective methods for intercultural communication, and discussion rules. Afterwards, Japanese and international students were divided into mixed groups and engaged in group discussions. Students first introduced themselves and others to help them understand each other, and then considered how to use and communicate with words while being mindful of using language that is easy for others to understand. Students then individually considered values such as "health," "friendship," "hobbies," "intelligence," and "power," and then shared their views with their groups to reach a consensus. During a group review, students commented, "Some people value power and honor, while others value love and a happy family. I discovered differences in individual values that I hadn't considered before." This provided a valuable opportunity to relativize their own perceptions of "common sense" and "obviousness."
Participating students commented, "There were differences depending on the country, but at the same time, opinions were quite divided even among Japanese people. I learned that different cultures are not limited to 'nationality' alone," "It was stimulating as it was my first opportunity to talk in depth with international students at university. I regret not having interacted with them more before," "I was very nervous at first, but the international students' Japanese was good so I was able to relax and talk without having to worry about anything," and "I wanted to talk more with my Japanese seniors. I hope they hold joint classes again."

Teikyo University will continue to promote international co-learning opportunities and strive to foster multicultural understanding and a global perspective in students.

For more information on Teikyo University's international exchange programs, click here.
For more information about Faculty of Education click here
For more information about Center for Japanese language Education click here

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