In cooperation with the University of the East in the Philippines, one of Soka University’s exchange partners, an online, overseas short-term training session took place with participation from 26 Soka University students.

Held via Soka University’s World Language Center, this online training aimed to fill a gap left by local training, which could not be conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 10 participants for the first term (February 8–19) and 16 participants for the second term (February 25–March 5) attended the approximately two-week program in which they learned about local history and culture in English, polishing their English communication skills through exchanges with students, discussions, and the mutual introduction of cultures.

The participating students shared their comments as follows:
・“With great support from local staff, faculty, and students, we learned about traditional cooking, dance, and Philippine culture, and it was not just one-way learning. We had opportunities to share what’s attractive about Japan and our culture here. We were able to mutually deepen our understanding. I was also inspired daily by the other participants, who eagerly asked questions online, and we all absorbed the knowledge.” (Freshman from the Faculty of International Liberal Arts)
・“There were many opportunities prepared in order to convey our message in English in a way that could be easily understood, by using presentations and videos. Needless to mention, we saw improvement in our language skills, but I was able to improve my communication skills by thinking about how to convey our thoughts to the other person in a way that is easily understood. Using what I learned this time, I want to ensure that my college years will be fulfilling.” (Freshman, Faculty of Economics)