The second day of the JIGE Kick-Off Symposium took place on January 25th at the new Kansai University Suita Mirai Campus in Osaka. The day featured compelling sessions, including keynote presentations, panel discussions, and a networking reception.
 

During the first keynote presentation, Dr. Toru Iiyoshi (Kyoto University) shared insights gained from the lessons of the coronavirus pandemic for higher education. His discussion extended to global trends in education, exploring both opportunities and challenges for future progress.

 

Along the same theme, the second keynote speaker, Heather Ward (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), delivered a keynote speech titled "From Place to Purpose: Global Education in the Post-Covid Era." Using the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a case study, she emphasized the significance of COIL and blended mobility programs in the post-COVID era. Additionally, Ward explored possibilities for collaboration between the U.S. and Japan in these areas.

 

Concluding the keynote series, the third keynote speaker, Darla Deardorff (Duke University), highlighted how COIL and virtual exchange programs contribute to the development of intercultural communication skills.

 

The entire day concluded with a panel discussion, where speakers shared insights into their roles and their university's engagement with the JIGE project. They discussed anticipated outcomes and impacts for each university and the broader educational landscape due to their involvement in the blended mobility project. The panelists also reflected on the innovative aspects of the project, as well as the anticipated challenges. The session was chaired by Veronica Onorevole (AAC&U), and the panelists included Prof. Masahiro Yamaguchi (Tohoku Uni.), Prof. Makoto Watanabe (Chiba Uni.), Prof. Helen Gaudette (Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY), Prof. Nori Tarui (Uni. of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa), and Prof. Takao Fujita (Kansai University).