NEWS
"International Service-Learning Conference" with partner universities in Asia was held
Update: April 4, 2019
On 4th and 5th of March, Service-Learning Center hosted the "International Service-Learning with Trusted Partners: Reflection for the Future" subsidized from the Top Global University Japan's initiative, of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. Besides invited ICU's partner universities/institutions from India, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, China and Kenya, ICU welcomed more than 130 guests from overseas and Japan, including faculties/staff from 9 universities of Top Global University Japan, those interested in service-learning and volunteer programs, and ICU students who participated in the past service-learning programs.
The conference began with our brand new promotional video, which includes interviews of students and photos/videos of their activities, in corporation with Nogawa Park and Ebisawa Farm (one of the activity sites in the neighborhood of ICU).
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Carol Ma, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) delivered a talk on the subject "trends, collaborations and future of international service-learning." She explained history, current situations and problems of service-learning in the world and Asia. As well as basic information about the service-learning, the speech also included her suggestion and the meaning of service-learning in the educational field.
The partner universities/institutions introduced the background and position of each service- learning program, as well as the collaboration with ICU and actual activities of ICU students and five students who participated in the service-learning programs gave a presentation of learning through reflection, along with the reason for applying and what they did at the service sites.
From the ICU side, Professor Mikiko Nishimura, Sociology of Education, reported how Service-Learning nurtures global citizens at Liberal Arts College in the United States and suggested questions on various issues. Ms. Atsuko Kuronuma, Service-Learning Coordinator/ Lecturer at ICU, introduced the Japan Summer Service-Learning Program (JSSL), joint program with Middlebury College, which students from partner universities in Asia do service activities around ICU and Tenryu Village, Nagano. This program shows a new model of "international" service-learning in Japan and collaboration and reciprocity with partner universities.
After the conference, we held a session for universities in Japan. By using ICU's "Service-Learning Handbook 2019," the discussion included the reality of program management, SL's positioning in the higher education, and learning support for students.
On the first day at the reception, students who participated in the program at the Union Christian College (UCC) in India showed their performance, by singing about their unexpected experience "the 100-year flood." Furthermore, there were dance performance by the Japan Dance Study Group, Japanese tea ceremony, a campus tour, and these were good opportunities for guests from overseas to learn about Japanese culture and ICU.
ICU partner universities and institutions
- India: Union Christian College
- India: Lady Doak College (Lady Doak College)
- Thailand: Assumption University
- Indonesia: Petra Christian University
- Philippines: Silliman University
- China: The Amity Foundation
- Kenya: GLMi
What is Service-Learnig?
What is Service-Learnig? A program that students engage in service activities (volunteering) for a certain period of time at NPOs and public organizations etc. in Japan/overseas and learn through reflection. The ICU exchanges students with the SLAN (Service-Learning Asia Network) Partner universities/institutions.