International Programs

Dates - November10th - 29th, 2008
Participants - Mai Ishibashi, Yuuki Adachi, Travis Cote, Michiko Nakatani

For three weeks this past November, two administrators from Tamagawa University in Tokyo, Japan participated in a Professional Development Program at the Tamagawa Nanaimo Campus.

One participant represented the Office of Academic Affairs at Tamagawaga University and the other, Student Services. Aimed at acquainting them with various aspects and practices of assorted universities, colleges and educational institutions on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver, the program offered the administrators a chance to research the "Canadian version" of their position a well as general operations of the Canadian educational system and how that is manifested within the different schools.

During the three-week program, we arranged for the two administrators to live with a local Nanaimo family in a homestay. The homestay was a great opportunity for them to observe Canadian Culture on an intimate level and practice their English skills.

Luckily for these two city-dwelling Tokyoites, both homestay addresses were located in Cedar, admittedly the unofficial "country side" of Nanaimo. Feedback from the homestay visit was positive, both participants stating that they really appreciated the opportunity to experience a "country life".

As circumstances turned out during their first weekend on Vancouver Island, the two visitors had an unexpected opportunity to visit Tofino for one night. They joined a large group of Tamagawa University students from the Department of Agriculture previously scheduled to undertake a west-coast field trip. The weather was typical of Tofino in winter but they enjoyed it nonetheless and quite frankly, what would a first-time visit to Tofino be without rain?

Under the kind tutelage of the folks down at the Nanaimo Curling Club, these two guests also received a lesson in the fine sport of curling. It was a great experience for them and I'm sure will provide plenty of "water cooler talk" with their colleagues back in Tokyo.

In the span of a week and a half, when the business of "working" finally got underway, I escorted the two guests to a total of 9 different educational institutions, from pre-school to University. Among them, Vancouver Island University, Royal Roads University, University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, Dover Bay Secondary School, Glenlyon Norfolk School and Woodbank Primary School, to name a few. At these schools and others, the 2 administrators met with various staff within the organizations to ask questions and try to gain some insight and understanding into how certain administrative protocols are handled. In addition, they were looking to learn something about the principles of Canadian education and how those principles translate into actions within the varied establishments.

Secondary to those objectives, the two visitors were also interested in the actual, physical layout of the various campuses and the types of facilities the schools offered their student body. At North Island College, for example, the students have access to an indoor swimming pool. At Vancouver Island University we arranged for a tour of the Culnary Department and witnessed young chefs prepping meals and making gingerbread houses. The Culinary studies and training on offer at VIU was of special note primarily because such a thing does not exist at Japanese Universities. It was obvious that with such options, a University greatly increases the reach of the "web" it can cast for potential students.

Further, we were all especially impressed with the new library facilites at the University of British Columbia; quite striking and inspiring! The student library at Tamagawa University in Tokyo is the one area and building on their campus that is scheduled for a major upgrade in the very near future and the chance to see UBC's gave these two Tamagawa delegates plenty of food for thought.

The two Tamagawa University representatives have since returned to Japan and have begun touting their experiences and the professional development oportunities the agenda provided to their colleagues in anticipation of the 2009 program.