On November 25, 2021, Vietnam Japan University (VJU), in collaboration with Ochanomizu University, held an online learning program with the participation of the representative of JICA Vietnam Office and students from VJU and Ochanomizu University (Class of International Cooperation).
The opening remarks of the seminar were delivered by Prof. Konaka Tetsuo of Ochanomizu University, the former Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office and Dr. Masashi Yamaguchi of VJU in the belief that by organizing exchange programs, the mutual relationship between the two universities will be strengthened.
In the first session of the program, students from Ochanomizu University provided an overview of the university. Established in 1875, Ochanomizu University is Japan’s first national institution of higher education for women. The University has 3 undergraduate programs and 6 master’s and doctoral programs with the centralization of research and 21st century liberal arts education for women.
After the presentation of Ochanomizu University, VJU students impressed the program participants with a Japanese introduction about VJU. They also arranged a mini session to teach some basic Vietnamese phrases, which Ochanomizu students were very eager to learn.
In the question and answer session about university life, Ochanomizu students were impressed by the fluency in English and Japanese of VJU students and asked for learning tips. VJU students expressed their admiration for Ochanomizu’s act on enhancing women’s opportunities and wished to cooperate with the university to promote sustainable development in Vietnam and Japan.
The second part of the seminar was moderated by an intern student in JICA Office, who is also an MBA student of VJU. In this session, Ochanomizu students delivered a presentation on “Education Challenge/Gap under COVID-19, with the experiences of Cambodia”.
This topic is related to Goal 4 of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is about quality education. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the extended lockdowns have led to school closures which force countries further off-track to achieving their educational goals. Ochanomizu students analyzed the education problems in Cambodia and the impact of the pandemic on education. To support children in Cambodia, Ochanomizu students had a “Cambodia Study Tour 2019” and “Thank you Cambodia” project, in which they had a better understanding of the situation and organized many interesting educational activities for Cambodian children.
The program ended with an engaging discussion session on the above topic and Mr. Ishimaru Hiroki, representative of JICA Vietnam Office delivered the closing remarks with Prof. Konaka and Dr. Yamaguchi, longing for more exchange programs between VJU and Ochanomizu University.
VJU MEDIA