June 1, 2017
On May 30, a delegation from the University of Southern California’s Business Japanese Course consisting of Master Lecturer Ms. KUMAGAI Yuka (The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences) and ten undergraduate students paid a courtesy visit to Professor TAKEDA Hiroshi (President, Kobe University). The meeting was also attended by Mr. OTA Toshikazu (International Service Committee Vice Chair of the Rotary Club of Osaka-Southwest) and Professor YAMAMOTO Hideyuki from the Graduate School of Humanities.
The meeting began with a greeting from Master Lecturer KUMAGAI, and each student introduced themselves in Japanese. This was followed by an overview of the USC Business Japanese Course. The initial two weeks of the course are spent at the USC campus to develop language skills, learn Japanese business customs, and focus on case studies. The class moves to Japan for the second half of the course to obtain more practical knowledge about Japanese business and society through company visits, business lectures and other activities. During their stay, the delegation members will have an opportunity to collaborate with Kobe University students, including international students, with some activities taking place on Kobe University’s Rokkodai Campus.
The meeting took place in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere, and the participants discussed various topics including the Kansai area’s historic and culturally rich diversity, baseball culture in the US and Japan, and Japanese Major Leaguers. To conclude the meeting, President TAKEDA welcomed the delegation and expressed his hope for the students to have a fruitful stay in Japan, gaining a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and business through course activities.
This visit is expected to facilitate greater academic exchange between the University of Southern California and Kobe University.
(International Affairs Planning Division)
