On 17 November, administrators who had recently completed training under the Kyoto University Global Frontier Project for Young Professionals (John Mung Program: JMP) spoke about their experiences at the University Head Office.
In addition to study- and research-abroad opportunities, the University began offering administrator training in FY2013 as part of an internationalization initiative. The move is in line with efforts to enhance research support, one of the strategic priorities articulated in the University's WINDOW concept planning document.
In the JMP briefing -- the first to be broadcast via video conferencing to other offices -- participants in the late-FY2014 to early-FY2015 programs shared their training and everyday experiences and achievements with around 100 fellow administrators, attending from the University's three campuses and the ASEAN Center in Thailand.
The session opened with remarks by Mr Takayoshi Seiki, Executive Vice-President for General Affairs and Personnel, who emphatically stated that an administrator with international skills was an essential component of an international research-focused university.
The first presenter was Ms Ayako Tobita, a senior administrator at the International Affairs Division, who discussed her training at the US-Japan Institute and S&R Foundation, both based in Washington DC, where she had stayed from August 2014 through September 2015.
Next, six staff members who had trained for three or six months at Kyoto University's European or ASEAN office delivered their presentations: Mr Takuya Araki from the Financial Affairs Division, Ms Yuki Yoshimatsu from the North Campus International Affairs Office, and Ms Miyuki Shimizu from the Educational Planning Division, reported on their experiences at Kyoto University European Center's Heidelberg Office in Germany, while Mr Kohei Toya from the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Ms Ai Nakakubo from Kyoto University Hospital, and Ms Mai Kitawaki from the General Affairs Division discussed their time at the Kyoto University ASEAN Center in Thailand.
These were followed by a talk by Mr Daisuke Yamada, Section Chief of the International Affairs Division. He had been stationed from October 2012 through September 2015 at the Bangkok Office of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and his presentation offered details of the office's activities and collaborations with the ASEAN Center.
Each talk included descriptions of the fresh insights gained in the course of the training. Some of the participants had had no prior overseas experience, and they shared how they had coped with the challenges of working and living in an unfamiliar environment, and how they had achieved professional and personal growth in the process.
The Q&A session held after each talk saw active participation from the audience, who were keen to know details of the activities at each institution and what Kyoto University could learn from the participants' experiences.
The session concluded with the presenters urging their colleagues to consider taking advantage of similar opportunities so that they could gain hands-on knowledge of different cultures, and cultivate global awareness.
Report on a year-long stay in the United States
Presentation about the KU European Center's Heidelberg Office
Presentation about the KU ASEAN Center
A large crowd attending the event
Related links
- John Mung Program
http://www.john-man.rp.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/index.html
