On October 24, undergraduate and graduate students and faculty of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ritsumeikan University gathered for a study abroad symposium at Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (BKC) featuring a faculty member from Yale University in the United States and students from the University of Toronto in Canada. The objective of the symposium was to encourage students in the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences to study abroad and engage in international exchange.

In the first part of the symposium, Professor Michael Caplan from the School of Medicine at Yale University presented his research on renal epithelial cells, which was followed by a lively question-and-answer session with the undergraduate and graduate students and faculty of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Professor Caplan has a long-standing friendship with Professor Shinji Asano, who heads the Molecular Physiology Laboratory in the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the two have engaged in laboratory-level exchanges in the past.

The second part of the symposium started with a pep talk in English by Dean Ryo Kitahara on the topic of “Beyond Borders” in which he told the students about the study abroad opportunities unique to the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Professor Michael Caplan joined John Nguyen and Esther Park from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto, who are currently working as research fellows at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yuki Otsuka (D2), Mai Haneda (M2), Ayano Oshima (M1), all of whom did research abroad, and Professor Kikuko Amagase and Associate Professor Yukie Kondo, the college’s study abroad program coordinators, to speak about the appeal of studying abroad from a wide range of perspectives. Mr. Otsuka said that in 2021, when he participated in an original College of Pharmaceutical Sciences program, he ended up having to study abroad online, but more recently, he was able to conduct research overseas and visit local pharmacies, which allowed him to experience the differences between Japan and other parts of the world. Next, Ms. Haneda and Ms. Oshima expressed their desire to continue challenging themselves by pursuing joint research and finding jobs abroad, rather than letting one study abroad program be their only overseas experience. Ms. Haneda’s study abroad experience was also featured on the website of her host institution, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS).

During the question-and-answer session, one student asked Professor Kaplan what he is mindful of in the pursuit of becoming a better researcher, and he told them: “To become a better researcher, you have to ask questions. The craft of science is constantly posing questions about your research topic.” Commenting from the perspective of a future pharmacist, a University of Toronto student added, "As a better pharmacist, I can provide better care. The people I interact with are happier, and that motivates me more than anything else."

Finally, Associate Professor Kondo closed out the symposium with this message: "The concept of ‘Beyond Borders' does not only mean going abroad. It is also important to raise your hand and ask questions at events like this one. I hope you will all identify and seize opportunities that arise in your daily life at Ritsumeikan University.”

The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences hopes that this symposium will encourage more students to take up the challenge of studying abroad and other international activities.