On February 4, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) held a briefing session of the overseas SD training program. This training has continued since 2007 for the improvement of international education and general planning skills to promote the systematic globalization of graduate school education through language training, investigation, debate, etc. at overseas universities. This year, NAIST sent 2 administrative staff members to Hawaii Tokai International College (HTIC) to participate in the intermediate training program (Nov.11~Nov.23) and 1 staff member to the advanced training program (Nov.11~Dec.15). At HTIC, every morning intermediate level trainees attended customized lectures and every afternoon they learned about various work functions in the HTIC offices. In nearby universities including University of Hawaii, they interviewed staff concerning themes that had been prepared by each trainee. The advanced level trainee participated in an internship in the International Affairs Office in addition to conducting an interview.
In the intermediate level report, communication methods for a multi-cultural population and the results of an investigation of distance learning in Hawaii were given. Furthermore, in the advanced level report, the trainee explained his participation in the first-ever internship training and how he improved his practical English skills through various experiences such as attending meetings and requests for written bus estimates over the telephone. The trainee also explained what he learned about the differences between HITC and Japanese universities, such as actively using the self-enlightenment and tuition exemption system to study for degree and qualification to improve their career. Further, he encouraged younger staff members to actively join the training and expressed his hope that they try to improve their English skills by training at NAIST.
In the following question and answer session, Executive Directors Mikio Kataoka and Kozo Takahira inquired about the contents of the investigations. Finally, the President Naotake Ogasawara gave encouraging remarks on how he hopes the trainees will utilize the valuable experiences they acquired through this training and try to further improve their skills, successfully ending this briefing session.