Josai University Educational Corporation

NEWS

Josai Launches Occupational Training Program at Budapest Business School・―Japan within the World, Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders―

“Japan within the World”

From March 5-13, 30 selected undergraduates from Josai and Josai International University participated in an occupational training program at Budapest Business School in Hungary. This program was designed with the goal of fostering human resources that can contribute to society at a global level. It places a particular emphasis on acquiring the ability to view Japanese culture from a broad outside perspective of the rest of the world. This year’s program was conducted as two separate programs: Josai’s “Japan within the World” lecture series and a global internship associated with mentioned program. Also this program was jointly conducted as part of the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders founded in 2006. Of the 30 participants in this year’s program, nine are recipients of the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship.

For the duration of the program, mornings were spent attending lectures at the Budapest Business School and afternoons devoted to visiting famous historical sites and doing fieldwork around the city. The group also studied Hungarian receptivity to Japanese culture by visiting museums in the Budapest area. Through their fieldwork, the students interviewed Japanese nationals living in Hungary and were able to alter their perceptions of Japanese culture through the personal testaments of Hungarian subjects, many of who hold a deep connection with Japan. In so doing, the students were able to engage in a form of intercultural communication by asking such fundamental questions as, “What is Japan?” and “What is Japanese identity?” We are all eagerly anticipating the opportunity to witness the students’growth after grappling with these important questions.

Opening day orientation at Budapest Business School

Opening day orientation at Budapest Business School

Tour of National Diet building

Tour of National Diet building

A panoramic view of the Diet building taken from Budapest ward

A panoramic view of the Diet building taken from
Budapest ward

Interviewing Japanese residents of Hungary (at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of East Asian Arts)

Interviewing Japanese residents of Hungary
(at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of East Asian Arts)

The lectures were given almost entirely in English (and occasional Japanese), with the program utilizing the valuable cooperation of Hungarian students studying the Japanese language. As English is a foreign language for Hungarian students as well, the visit was an opportunity to converse in the “global language” with other non-native speakers, in addition to speaking Japanese with those Hungarian students studying the Japanese language. For students, this program provided an invaluable opportunity for exchange in multiple languages with others from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Students demonstrated their commitment to making the most of this rare learning opportunity by staying up late into the night on the last day of the program in preparation for final presentations which took place the following day.

A look into the classroom

A look into the classroom



成果発表会においてクリスト学長の挨拶(写真左:プログラム協力をいただいたBBSヒダシ先生、写真右:駐ハンガリー山本大使)

Opening remarks from BBS Rector Sándor-kriszt at
final student presentations
(BBS Professor Judit Hidasi (L), Japanese Ambassador
to Hungary Tadamichi Yamamoto (R))

Final student presentations 1

Final student presentations 1

Final student presentations 2

Final student presentations 2

Final student presentations 3

Final student presentations 3

“Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders”

Recipients of the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders, in addition to participating in the above program, interviewed Budapest Business School Rector Éva Sándor-kriszt, and paid a visit to Hungarian Ambassador at Large for Emergency Security Anita Orbárn. Much like Japan, in Hungary the percentage of leadership positions (members of the National Diet, business executives) occupied by women is just 10%, a number that is extremely low compared to other advanced nations. Rector Sándor-kriszt and Ambassador Orbárn are two examples of this rare female leadership in contemporary Hungarian society. Scholarship recipients listened intently to stories of the two women’s experiences and growth process, thereby gaining a sense of their awareness and ambition as female leaders.

Both Rector Sándor-kriszt and Ambassador Orbárn are members of a network of female leaders organized by Chancellor Noriko Mizuta called L-WIN (Leaders-Women International Network). L-WIN has provided much support over the years in fostering female leadership among Josai’s student body, never failing to produce concrete results or increase their membership every year. It is through L-WIN’s support that the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders was able to realize an overseas occupational training program such as this.

In addition, many female faculty members at Budapest Business School were kind enough to contribute to the study by providing candid accounts of their experiences as workingwomen in Hungarian society. Based on the success of these exchanges, we can expect the formation of a new network, this time between Japanese and Hungarian women.

Recipients of the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders surround Rector Sándor-kriszt for an interview

Recipients of the Noriko Mizuta Scholarship for Women Leaders surround Rector Sándor-kriszt for an interview

Mizuta Scholarship recipients visiting Hungarian Ambassador Anita Orbárn (L)

Mizuta Scholarship recipients visiting Hungarian Ambassador Anita Orbárn (L)


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