The Global Education Section on the Center for Entrepreneurship Education held two on-line trade classes with college students from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. KTH is the biggest science and engineering college in Sweden. Science Tokyo and KTH have a tuition‑waiver scholar trade settlement, making each universities common research‑overseas locations for one another’s college students.
Every summer time, The Global Education Section organizes a two‑week abroad coaching program. This trade session was made doable via the connection with Japanese language lecturer Dr. Akiko Shirabe at KTH, which this system visits yearly.
Students from KTH with about six months to 2 years of Japanese‑studying expertise, in addition to Science Tokyo college students enrolled within the 4Q intensive course Online Global Practice, participated within the session. In addition, college students inquisitive about future research‑overseas alternatives joined the session as half of the CEE‑permitted lectures*. Through introducing their campus life, practising Japanese and English, and discussing distinctive expressions and cultural backgrounds, the individuals deepened their mutual understanding in a pleasant environment.
*Center for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE) provides “ENT.B211: Science, Technology, Culture, Society, and Innovation 1” (1 credit score) for undergraduate college students enrolling in 2024 or later to develop alternatives for entrepreneurship training. This course permits college students to earn the credit score by collaborating in following actions designated as “CEE-approved lectures.”
CEE designates on-campus actions which contribute to broad-based entrepreneurship training, equivalent to lectures, seminars, and workshops as CEE-approved lectures. Students can obtain one “Entre Point” after becoming a member of a CEE-approved lecture for 50 minutes and college students who accumulate 14 Entre Points can earn the credit score for the course above.
Session 1: February 12 (Thu), through Zoom, Participants: KTH 8, Science Tokyo 18
Session 2: February 19 (Thu), through Zoom, Participants: KTH 8, Science Tokyo 14
Duration: 1 hour half-hour every
■Activity 1: Themed Breakout Rooms
Participants freely mentioned 5 themes:
“Student Life (KTH/Science Tokyo),” “J‑pop & Anime,” “Games,” “Food,” and “Recommended Spots in Japan & Sweden.”
Students from each universities have been blended in every room, and conversations expanded naturally from their favourite factors inside every theme.
■Activity 2: Everyday Japanese Expressions & Cultural Communication Styles
After studying from Dr. Shirabe in regards to the variations between low‑context cultures (which favor specific communication) and excessive‑context cultures (which depend on implicit which means), Scicnce Tokyo college students launched sensible Japanese expressions which might be hardly ever present in textbooks.
Participants mentioned similarities with their very own languages, conditions the place the expressions may very well be used, and practiced them via function‑play. Each group then shared their discoveries, challenges, and attention-grabbing factors.
■Activity 1: “Color and Culture” Game
As an icebreaker, every group chosen a colour and sketched objects related with it inside one minute. They then defined their drawings and the cultural background behind them.
Example: For the colour crimson, a scholar drew a “baby” and defined the origin of the phrase akachan (“baby”)
Talking about tradition via colours and imagery helped calm down the environment and reveal numerous views.
■Activity 2: Exploring “Intercultural Communication”
After watching a brief video depicting an interplay between a Japanese individual and a foreigner, individuals mentioned in breakout rooms:
・Why misunderstandings occurred (phrase selection, tone, perspective)
・Cultural causes behind Japanese communication types (consideration, hierarchy)
・How they themselves would reply
・Strategies for higher communication (clarifying expectations, and so forth.)
After the session, an non-compulsory free‑speak room was opened for informal dialog by theme.
◇ Participant Voices (Selected)
“I used to get nervous during group work, but this time I took the initiative as a ‘first penguin.’ Asking questions and raising points helped energize the discussion, and I felt real growth.”
“I was surprised by how good everyone’s Japanese was. I also learned that when Japanese people don’t speak much, it doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking—there’s a lot going on internally. It was fascinating to see how cultural differences extend to such subtle areas.”
“I used to think foreigners were always friendly and assertive, but I learned that Swedish people also worry about hurting others’ feelings. It made me feel closer to them.”
“I realized how important daylight is in Sweden and how people value it. Being able to finish work on time and go home at 17:00 sounded amazing. It made me want to live or study in Sweden even more.”
“It was interesting to hear that Swedish people and Japanese people are similarly timid and avoidant of conflicts!”
“It is important to ask for clarification if you do not understand. And that sometimes even Japanese people prefer if it is more concrete.”
“The discussions were great. The main difficulty I had was speaking Japanese because my vocabulary is limited.”
“I really liked the activity where I got to learn new Japanese words and phrases.”