Greetings from the Director of the Center for Promotion of Internationalization

Professor Hiromitsu Nishizaki
Director of the Center for Promotion of Internationalization

The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the 21st century has been spectacular. With the development of the Internet and the construction of a global transportation network, we now live in an era where we can easily buy plane tickets and go anywhere we want. In such an era, it is a waste to seek opportunities only in one’s own country. When people of different nationalities communicate and cooperate with each other, it leads to the development of multifaceted and multidimensional thinking. The number of international students with such aspirations, who want to pursue higher careers in the future, is increasing all over the world. Among the many universities in the world, the number of international students interested in studying at University of Yamanashi and in Japan is increasing year by year in line with the trend of globalization. Under these circumstances, the Center for the Promotion of Internationalization (formerly the Center for International

Exchange) was established in 2014 as a department to support international students from abroad and Japanese students studying abroad at University of Yamanashi. I was appointed as the second director of the Center, succeeding Professor Mao Xiaoyang, the first director of the Center (currently Senior Vice President of University of Yamanashi), and I am very honored to be in charge of all international affairs of University of Yamanashi.

The Center for Promotion of Internationalization and the international office at University of Yamanashi provide not only Japanese language education, guidance, and counseling for international students in their studies and daily lives, but also support international students who wish to find employment in Japan. We also support Japanese students who wish to go abroad. For example, we offer short-term exchange programs with partner universities abroad, spring and summer language study programs, and other programs fully supported by the university. There is no doubt that studying abroad will enrich your experience. By experiencing different cultures, values, and languages at your study abroad destination, you will broaden your horizons. In addition, interacting with the students and locals you meet in your study abroad destination will give you new stimuli and different perspectives on your own ideas and beliefs. These experiences are sure to be useful in your future career and life. Studying abroad is more than just a chance to study in a different place and in a different language; it is also an opportunity to grow as a person. Therefore, it is an important mission of the Center to support international students who have chosen University of Yamanashi as their study abroad destination, and to support Japanese students at the University of Yamanashi who wish to study abroad.

I have also studied abroad for research after becoming a faculty member at  University of Yamanashi. I was not very good at English at first, partly because I came from a technical college and had never thought about studying abroad, let alone writing a paper in English.
However, after attending international conferences, interacting with researchers from around the world, and experiencing local cultures, I became interested in studying abroad and decided to take the plunge.What I saw, heard, and felt, not to mention what I learned at my study abroad universities, is the foundation of my current work. That is why I want Japanese people to actively go abroad, and I also want international students to actively interact with Japanese people.

From my own experience, studying abroad can be an obstacle. The biggest problem is language. The Center for International Programs provides opportunities to experience cross-cultural communication through G-Philos (Global Co-creation Learning Room). Here, students can communicate in English with international students on the campus of University of Yamanashi. By taking advantage of these opportunities for cross-cultural communication and language learning, students will be able to learn a real-life foreign language and gradually gain confidence in their ability to study abroad. On the other hand, if international students can understand and accept Japanese culture and customs, and find the gap between Japan and their home countries interesting, their study abroad experience will be more meaningful. I also sincerely hope that they will improve their professional knowledge and skills by engaging in cutting-edge research that University of Yamanashi is proud of, and that this will contribute to the development of their future careers.

The Center for Promotion of Internationalization and the international office provide a variety of services to enrich the lives of international students studying in Japan. We also provide consultation services for Japanese students who wish to study abroad. Students, no matter how small the problem may be, we are here to help you. If you have any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us. The Center for the Promotion of Internationalization of the University of Yamanashi will support you to become a global human resource with the ability to pursue your dreams through your experience of international exchange.