There are many short-term study abroad programs at Ritsumeikan University. Ritsumeikan is currently cooperating with 6 different universities in Thailand and Indonesia through the AIMS Program (ASEAN International Mobility for Students Program) which is a part of the “Global PBL Program for Innovative Mind and Intelligence” selected for “FY2013 Re-Inventing Japan Project” of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT).
On Tuesday, July 5th, 2016, on Ritsumeikan University’s Osaka Ibaraki Campus, Thai and Indonesian international students presented about culture shock and the differences between Japan and their home countries at the cultural exchange event “DISCOVER Thailand & Indonesia” which was held in the Self-Access Learning Lounge (SALL). This cultural event was held by the international student support club TISA and aspired to give AIMS students the chance to reflect on their time spent in Japan and also to give insight on different cultures and societies. There were a total of 35 students who attended this event, including Japanese students and international students from 6 different countries.

First, the Thai students from Thammasat University presented about Thailand’s culture. They explained the differences they noticed while studying abroad in Japan compared to Thailand introducing the unique differences in university life, public transportation, restroom culture, and more.
Afterward, Indonesian students from Institut Teknologi Bandung described different aspects of Indonesia. They spoke about university life in Indonesia, the must-see sightseeing spots, and also introduced some interested and humorous events and foods.
After the AIMS students’ presentations, participating students made different groups and carried on discussions about what they had just learned. One of the presenting Indonesian students said, “There are many differences between the everyday lives of people in Japan and Indonesia, but I feel we were able to provide new thoughts and discoveries about those differences. Through today’s presentations, I hope we could spark deeper interest in students when it comes to Indonesia.” with an expression brimming with the knowledge that they had achieved their goals through this cultural event and their time in Japan in the AIMS Program.

DISCOVER Thailand & Indonesia

The International Center will hold many more cultural exchange events to intensify and enhance the global exchange of knowledge between Japanese and international students.