Kobe University Newsletter "Kaze"

Vol. 11
October 2021

SPOTLIGHT
Kobe University: A Global Knowledge Basethat will Invigorate Future Society
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Students strive for Carbon Neutral University
EDUCATION
Expand your Horizons:
English-taught Degree Programs at theGraduate School of International Cooperation Studies

Kobe University
As we get ready to celebrate Kobe University’s 120th anniversary next year, here aresome quick facts and figures about one of Japan’s leading comprehensive universities:

Kobe University Magazine “Kaze”
In this issue...
SPOTLIGHT

Founded in 1902 (oldest school of

5 Registered Tangible Culturalcommerce in the Kansai Area)

Properties

3

Kobe University: A Global Knowledge Base that will Invigorate Future Society
Introducing Kobe University’s new president, Professor FUJISAWA Masato.

10 Faculties, 15 Graduate Schools, 10 Libraries & 27 ResearchCenters spread across 7 Campuses

COMMUNITY IMPACT7

Each=1,000 students

Gender Equality Office: Striving for Diversity and an Inclusive University
Interview with Professor Hashino and Professor Alexander on equality and making
the university a better place for all.
Environmental Council: Students strive for Carbon Neutral University
How students are contributing to the university’s green policy.

15,986 students
including 1,184 international students

94,063 staff

STUDENT FEATURE

including 1,668 teaching staff
2,395 administrative staff

11= international students

Kobe University Rowing Club:
Synchronizing their breathing to attain the team goal of Top 8.

EDUCATION

Faculties and Graduate Schools(by academic field)

・Letters / Humanities
・Global Human Sciences
・Intercultural Studies
・Human Development &Environment
・Law・Economics
・Business Administration
・Science
・Medicine・Health Sciences
・Engineering

・System Informatics
・Agriculture/Agricultural Science・Oceanology/Maritime Sciences
・International Cooperation Studies
・Science, Technology and Innovation

13

15

International Voices:
Interviews with postgraduate students Seeta Baral (Health Sciences) and Mariya
Byvakina (Law) about their research, and their experiences in Kobe and Japan.
Expand your Horizons:
English-taught Degree Programs at the Graduate School of International
Cooperation Studies

Cover photo for Kobe University Magazine “Kaze” Issue 11: The Main Building on Rokko-dai 1st Campus.

Why “Kaze”?

Partner Universities
Kobe University currently has 374 partner institutions in 64 countries/regions.

There are two main concepts behind the title “Kaze”, meaning “wind”. Firstly, Kobe University’s goal toinnovate, creating a wind of change. Secondly, our location at the foot of Mt Rokkō, an area known for
the invigorating wind of Rokkō-oroshi that blows down from the mountain range.

EuropeNorth America
30

The calligraphy on the cover of “Kaze” was created by Professor Emeritus UOZUMI Kazuaki, a researcherAsia

of calligraphy at Kobe University.

144
167

Stay connected - search for “Kobe University” on the following platforms:

Middle East
7
South America
8

Africa8
Oceania
10

Contact us:
All data as of May 1, 2021

01

intl-relations@office.kobe-u.ac.jp(International Affairs Planning Division)
02

SPOTLIGHT

Kobe University:

Profile:FUJISAWA Masato,
Kobe University President

A Global Knowledge Base that will Invigorate Future Society-‘Co-creation’ and ‘Collaboration’ are keyWe will also tackle new challenges cultivating the new knowledge andinvaluable human resources necessary to resolve current and futuresocietal issues. This will enable Kobe University to meet the needs of apost-pandemic, knowledge-based digital society with a rapidly aging
population.
As for research, Kobe University will become an eminent research hub
by being open to joint ventures with industries, government bodies andother universities, and of course collaborations within the university. We
also aim to resolve the global issues specified in the United Nations’Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by cultivating the knowledge
and innovation required to excel in cutting-edge research and returning
the fruits of these efforts to society. In addition, we will establish a
resilient innovation ecosystem. This will strengthen our ability to adapt
to the diverse, complex and fluid structure of post-corona society andshifts in academic direction, improve our resilience by flexibly drawing
upon our persistent, continued successes, and bolster our researchstrengths.

On April 1 2021, Professor FUJISAWA Masato was appointed president of Kobe University for the next 4 years.
Formerly the dean of the Graduate School of Medicine, President Fujisawa is known in Japan for his pioneering workin robot-assisted surgery for prostate cancer and kidney cancer. In addition to collaborating on numerous joint
research projects, he was also involved in the development of a surgical robot made in Japan and performed the firstsurgery in the world that used it. We asked President Fujisawa about the responsibilities of his new position and thefuture image that Kobe University is aiming for.
Towards an internationally outstanding center for
education and research
My specialization is urology in Graduate School of Medicine. Even
though I wished that I could have contributed to the developmentof the graduate school and advanced medical care for a little longer
as the dean of the Graduate School of Medicine, I was determined
to devote myself to Kobe University as a whole should I have theopportunity to become president. Kobe University is my almamater and I have an especially strong attachment to and pride in
the university. I will utilize my background in research andeducation, as well as my experiences as director of Kobe University
Hospital and dean of the Graduate School of Medicine to firmly
take the lead as president in managing university operations, whileconsidering both the university’s heritage and opportunities forinnovation.
Kobe University is a comprehensive university consisting of 10
faculties and 15 graduate schools. The coexistence and mutual
cooperation between the humanities, social sciences, naturalsciences, life and biomedical sciences has given rise to a richenvironment for education and research. I believe that it is our duty
as a university to contribute to society by utilizing and applying ourcontinuously renowned education and research resources,
conducting fundamental scientific research to seek the truth
through intellectual activity and creativity, and propagating

03

innovation through applied scientific joint research with local
society, in addition to fostering human resources through ouroutstanding education.
To achieve this, we will keep an eye out for opportunities forcollaboration and co-creation with other universities, investors,
industries and government bodies, revolutionize creativity inresearch, education and business, and attract top-level researchers
from around the world. Through these efforts, Kobe University will
become a world-class co-creation hub for outstanding researchand education.

Collaborating on research and education projects throughmultidisciplinary co-creation
Upon becoming president I drew up a new long-term version for
Kobe University, which is to advance and develop the university asa ‘global hub for the multidisciplinary co-creation of research andeducation.’
Drawing upon the existing strengths and distinctive characteristicsof the university’s various fields of research and education, we willdevelop Kobe University into a hub for the multidisciplinary
co-creation of research and education that is capable of promoting
high level collaborations and joint projects.

Furthermore, we will take measures to provide career support and awelcoming research environment for young researchers and women
researchers in order to cultivate human resources who will contributetowards research and education. In particular, we will strengthen thesystems that enable outstanding students and young researchers toincrease their career potential on-campus, and those that provide
financial support to PhD. students and young researchers.

Education that meets the demands of globalization anddigitalization
In our education, we place great importance upon fostering thediversity, internationality, excellence and adaptability that are necessary
to thrive in a new sustainable society. Kobe University will maximize its
knowledge resources using AI, IoT, big data analysis and fundamental
information technology, producing graduates who are able to create
new values and implement them into society. To this aim, Kobe
University shall defy the boundaries between academic fields,
collaborate with society, and promote practical learning, value creation,
entrepreneurial and data science education that incorporates theknowledge,
skillsandtechniques
requiredforindustry-government-academia co-creation.
In addition, vital aspects for improving our global outlook include
strengthening our support for international education and our study
abroad environment, as well as developing international exchange andjoint education with prestigious universities overseas.
To foster outstanding innovators who can play an active role in digitalsociety, we will fully realize our concept of a ‘global & inclusive campus’.
This involves combining a safe study environment (not only forinternational students but for students of all ages and backgrounds
including disabled and working students) with high-quality programmesand AI/data science education.

Born in Hyogo Prefecture, President Fujisawa graduatedfrom Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine. In
2005, he became a professor at the Graduate School,subsequently going on to be director of Kobe University
Hospital and an executive assistant to the university
president. In 2019, he was appointed dean of the
Graduate School of Medicine.
Robot-assisted surgery on prostate cancer was the firstof its kind to be approved in Japan. Following on fromthis success, President Fujisawa also played a leadingrole in getting robot-assisted surgery for removing a
portion of kidney cancer to be covered by healthinsurance in April 2016.
As Japan’s leader in this field, Professor Fujisawa has aforward-thinking outlook. He is constantly striving to
educate the next generation and to make robot-assisted
surgery more widespread.
He co-developed the first Japanese-made surgical robot‘hinotoriTM’ with the Kobe-based Medicaroid
Corporation, which was approved for medical use inAugust 2020 (see page 6).

04

SPOTLIGHT
Establishing an innovation ecosystem by creating the ‘knowledge’, talented‘human resources’ and outstanding ‘environment’ required for value creation
Kobe University endeavours to offer a diverse and inclusive environment in which every single member can fully contribute their respective
strengths in research, education and administration. My ideal is the creation of an open university with an environment that is welcoming
and comfortable for everyone.

Kobe University co-develops the firstJapan-made surgical robot ‘hinotori ’
TMWorld-first!
-Verification testing for remote surgery-

As for initiatives for a post-corona oriented educational environment, I would like to aim towards becoming a university that transcends
the boundaries of time and space to achieve harmony between real and virtual spaces. We will achieve this by establishing theinfrastructure for next generation ICT education and revolutionizing digital education; including remote learning through online classes
for on-campus, working and overseas students, and blended learning styles such as the ‘flipped classroom’ that incorporate e-learning.

Bolstering Kobe University’s prestige by contributing
towards international society
In order to promote this kind of research and education, it is vitalto create a pipeline through which rich research and education
can flow organically, facilitating multilateral collaborations
between Kobe University and its surroundings, including Kobe
City, Hyogo Prefecture, the Kansai region and local industries. We
will continue to make efforts towards establishing a ‘Kobe
platform for industry-government-academia collaborations inresearch and education’, and promote outstanding research andeducation projects centred on multidisciplinary co-creation. In
addition, I would like to bolster Kobe University’s prestige andincrease its contributions to global society by realizing the 3pillars of development; cultivating the ‘knowledge’, efficient‘human resources’ and outstanding ‘environment’ necessary forvalue creation and its implementation.

On December 14 2020, the inaugural surgery was successfully
performed using the first Japanese-made surgical robot ‘hinotoriTM’.
The radical prostatectomy took place at Kobe University Hospital’s
International Clinical Cancer Research Center (ICCRC). The surgeons
were President FUJISAWA Masato (who at the time was the Dean of
the School and Graduate School of Medicine, and a professor ofurology) and Project Associate Professor HINATA Nobuyuki.
HinotoriTM was developed through a collaboration between Kobe
University and Medicaroid Corporation. It was approved for
medical use in August 2020.
In the cockpit, which is situated away from the robotic arms, thesurgeon can view clear 3D footage of the surgical site while
operating the arms. This enables more detailed surgery to be
performed than was previously possible.

Knowledge creation

Environment creation

Human Resources
creation

CirculationofWealthEstablish an Innovation Ecosystem

Sustainable, concrete management
system for research & education

05

Kobe University is an institution that gives every student
opportunities for self-development and to realize their aims anddreams. I would like for all young researchers and students to have a
dream, passion and a little greed. A small amount of greed can beconsidered a positive thing. I would like our students turn this greed
into the energy, so that when they are at a loss, they can keep moving
forward without missing opportunities and triumph over adversity.
I think students should challenge themselves and not impose limits
on their own success. I hope that all the outstanding students
admitted to Kobe University will push themselves to see how far they
can go. I would like them to keep walking down their own path while
receiving optimum support from the university.
Next year in 2022, Kobe University will celebrate the 120th anniversaryof its establishment. Mirroring the slogan of ‘knowledge, people,
co-creation and cooperation’, all of our staff will pool their strength inorder to bring about creative improvements and invigorate Kobe
University’s core image as a global knowledge hub that will enliven
the bright societies of the future. In a changing society affected by theaftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, Kobe University will becomea regional center aiding local revitalization, while doing our utmost totransmit information throughout Japan and the world in order tobenefit global society.

In the field of robotic-assisted surgery the American-made Da Vinci
Surgical System is well-known, with over 6000 units currently inoperation worldwide. Although there is little difference in theirbasic functions, one merit of hinotoriTM is that there is a greater
degree of freedom to move the arms, making it easy to maintainthe space during surgery. Currently, systems are being developedthat use AI analysis to visualize surgical movements; these include a
training system that allows young doctors to learn from operations
performed by experienced surgeons and a remote system forassisted surgery that uses 5G (fifth generation cellular networks).
Kobe University has established a verification testing facility, thePrecision and Tele Surgery Center, in the ICCRC. This facility is
carrying out the world’s first verification testing for the remote
operation of a surgical robot (hinotoriTM ) using a proprietary 5G
network.

From Kobe to the World: Photoimmunotherapy for Cancer
Trilateral collaboration between Kobe City, Rakuten Medical Japan, and Kobe University
Photoimmunotherapy was developed by KOBAYASHI Hisataka , asenior investigator at America’s National Cancer Institute (NCI). It isa minimally invasive therapy where a specialized agent (Akalux )that binds to cancer cells is administered and then a laser is used totarget and destroy the cancer cells. Kobe University has alreadystarted using this method to treat patients with head and neck
On February 10th 2021, Kobe University’s Graduate School of
Medicine signed a collaborative agreement for the research anddevelopment of new cancer treatments with Kobe City and
Rakuten Medical Japan Inc.
At Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster, various initiatives related tophotoimmunotherapy are being conducted. These include
research into developing ways to apply this therapy to a wider
range of cancers, as well as surgical training for the doctors whocarry out this treatment.

cancers. Next, they will conduct research into the application of thistherapy to the field of urology, including prostate and bladdercancers, while contributing towards photoimmunotherapy-related
education and the technique’s widespread adoption.
President Fujisawa hopes that photoimmunotherapy will spreadfrom Kobe to the world: “First of all, we will use this therapy toadvance head and neck cancer treatment and then focus on
cancers affecting other areas of the body. We have several ideas as
to how we can apply photoimmunotherapy to urological cancers.”

06

Community Impact

Striving for Diversity & an Inclusive University
Kobe University Gender Equality Office- promoting a diverse research environment

Kobe University Diversity Statement (summary)● Kobe University will create an environment for study, education, research and work where each person is treated with respect and can express
her/his/their individuality and talents regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, background,age, educational background, physical or mental characteristics and/or other affiliation and/or identity.
●

Through the promotion of this kind of diversity, we aim to create new knowledge.

For more information, please see the Kobe University Gender Equality Office website:
https://www.office.kobe-u.ac.jp/opge-kyodo-sankaku/en/index.html

What is diversity?

Vision for an Inclusive Campus

Professor Alexander: I think that in Japan, ‘diversity’ is commonly used to refer

Professor Alexander: We are currently striving towards the ‘Vision for anto equality between women and men and sometimes in the context of

Inclusive Campus’ in order to improve Kobe University’s diversity and inclusion.

respecting individuality. However the true definition is much broader and, withWe are working out what facilities would be good to have and what role theregard to gender, it includes not only men and women but all sexualities anduniversity should play in order to create a campus where everyone can fully

genders. I believe that respecting and accepting diversity brings us one step

engage in their educational activities, research or work.

closer towards becoming an inclusive society.

For example, as Professor Hashino mentioned earlier, this includes gender

Professor Hashino: As Professor Alexander said, this is exactly the goal that weneutral toilets, facilities that wheelchair users can access easily, and figuring out

must aim to achieve. The university should focus on what it can do now to

how to create a comfortable environment for people with diverse religions. It

gradually work towards reaching this destination.

would be wonderful if we could become not only a highly diverse university,

In February 2020, I was dispatched to Lumière University Lyon 2 in France as

but an inclusive one that can serve as a leading example for society.

part of my work to promote diversity at Kobe University. At the time, it was theProfessor Hashino: In my classes, I am often telling my students that ‘There areleading university for gender studies and diversity-related research. I really felt

many kinds of people, each with their own individual backgrounds andhow different it was to Japan; first-year students learn about gender history inhistories.’ Especially in the case of Kobe University students, there are many

their required courses, and HR committees aim to consist of a 50:50 ratio of

who go on to climb the corporate ladder and end up holding high-up positions.

men and women. The aspect that most surprised me was the toilets. In the

I would like these people in particular to study history and understand diversity.

building where I worked, there was only one toilet on each floor and this could

It would be good if we had classes for first-year students and above where

be used by either men or women. This may pose difficulties regarding building

students could learn and think about diversity, similar to those offered at Lyon.

security but at that time, Kobe University had not yet considered the idea.

This would provide an important foundation for students regardless of their

I got the impression that the faculty at the university in France were proud ofmajor.

this education and research. Furthermore, it left a deep impression on me
when the Vice President said that this gender and diversity-related education

What individuals can do

and research was not special consideration but obvious one. I gained a fresh

Professor Alexander: Respecting and accepting others is important, however

perspective from observing these pioneering aspects at the French university

it is not easy. Sometimes there are misunderstandings and opposition. How canwith my own eyes.

we overcome these issues? I think that having mutual discussions is important.
People’s thoughts and feelings vary widely even on a single topic. People do

HASHINO Tomoko(Professor, Graduate School of Economics)
Professor Hashino graduated from the Department of Internationaland Cultural Studies at Tsuda University in 1990. She then went on to
study economics at International Christian University’s Graduate
School and quantitative economic history at Hitotsubashi University.
She subsequently decided to become a researcher, receiving a PhD. ineconomics from Hitotsubashi University. She worked as a Research
Associate at Tokyo Metropolitan University and as a Lecturer at
Komazawa University before joining Kobe University’s Graduate
School of Economics in 2004 as an Associate Professor, becoming a full
professor in 2013. Professor Hashino specializes in the Economic
History and Economic Development of Modern Japan. Bridging
development economics and economic history, she aims to develop a
comparative history of weaving districts in Japan.
Her work has been published in numerous journals including Economic
History Review, Australian Economic History Review, Business History
Review and Journal of the Japanese and International Economies.

07“At Kobe University, I would like for everyone to continue
to value themselves as individuals while acquiring the
magnanimity to understand other people.”not need to like each other’s opinions nor do they have to agree. It is merely

Ronni Alexander

necessary to understand each other’s different points of view. This is not(Executive Advisor to the President for Diversity/Director, Kobe
University Gender Equality Office, Professor, Graduate School ofInternational Cooperation Studies)something we can leave to someone else; to be meaningful, it is somethingthat everyone needs to do.

Professor Alexander: Compared to Lyon and other universities abroad, there

Professor Hashino: I agree with Professor Alexander. In addition, it is necessary

are still very few women professors at Kobe University. Although some of theto value yourself first of all. Even though you may be different from others in

Executive Advisors to the President are women (including me), the Executive

many ways, you are one part of the world, and if you improve then the worldVice Presidents and Vice Presidents are all men. Universities cultivate society’s

will surely improve slightly as well. It is important to understand the differences

leaders and they also enable young people to follow their dreams. Therefore,of others while making use of your own experiences at the same time. This will

it is important for there to be people with diverse qualities and characteristics

enable you to relate to the other person’s feelings if you come across someone

on campus, and that the staff and faculty are passionate about their work. In

who is having difficulties. It is important for people to work together to findparticular, I think that good role models are necessary to inspire women to

solutions. At Kobe University, I would like for everyone to continue to value

become leaders. With this in mind, Kobe University published its Diversity

themselves as individuals while acquiring the magnanimity to understandStatement in 2018.

other people.

Professor Alexander came to Japan in 1977 after graduating from Yale
University (BA: Psychology), and began working in Hiroshima. She
subsequently graduated from International Christian University with
an MA in public administration and obtained a PhD. in international
relations from Sophia University. She came to Kobe University in 1989,
first as a research associate and then an associate professor in the
Faculty of Law. She became a professor in the Graduate School ofInternational Cooperation Studies (cross-appointed in the Faculty ofLaw) in 1993. She specializes in Peace Studies (focusing on gender,
militarization, narrative and art). Her work includes peace research,education and activism relating to the overall theme of finding how all
living things can be and feel safe, and live in peace. Her publications
include numerous scholarly articles as well as picture books related topeace.

08

Community Impact

Students strive for Carbon Neutral University

Kobe University’s Environmental Performance(based on the 2020 Environmental Report)

Kobe University students develop carbon neutral proposal &establish student-led Environmental Council

Total CO2
emissions

36,00035,000In a world where sustainable society-focusedmeasures are being promoted in many places, Kobe
University students have been making efforts of
their own. A group of undergraduate and graduate
students, enrolled in Kobe University’s joint law andeconomy programme, devised a series of necessary
steps for a carbon neutral university and submitted
them in the form of a proposal. Kobe University
subsequently adopted this proposal, which has
resulted in students, faculty and staff members
collaborating on activities aimed at reducing carbon
emissions, as well as the establishment of a neworganization called the ‘Environmental Council’ in
April 2021 to serve as a discussion space. Law major
SUGITOMO Yu (Faculty of Law) is one of thestudents who developed the proposal that led tothe establishment of the ‘Environmental Council’.
We asked him about the efforts to realize a carbon
neutral university.
How was the ‘Environmental Council’ established?
Kobe University offers Econo-Legal Studies (ELS), which is an

34,00033,00035,112

69.7

35,35470.1

CO2 emissions intensity

31,0002015

2016

Intensity（t-CO2/1000 ㎡）

85

34,68068.8

33,962
67.4

32,000
2017

2018

80

33,272
65.1
2019

75
70
65
60

Kobe University has been decreasing its CO2 emissions year by year. Now, we areestablishing mid- to long-term goals and measures towards a carbon neutral university.

citizens are selected at random to join meetings where they discuss matterssuch as energy usage and carbon neutral initiatives with support from experts.
A similar kind of event took place in Sapporo City on Japan’s northernmost
main island of Hokkaido at the end of last year. A 20 person citizens’ meeting
was held online with support from Hokkaido University. It would be good if theEnvironmental Council could become the Kobe University version of this.

What has been the response from the University side?
We received a forward-looking response from Vice President KITA Takashi (thedirector of the SDGs Promotion Office) and this enabled us to set up theEnvironmental Council. As the council was established fairly recently in April,

SUGITOMO Yu

we have only just started our regular activities. Thanks to the support that we

Environmental Council Member(4 year majoring in Law at the Faculty of Law)

received from the SDGs Promotion Office, we have been able to have opinion
exchanges regarding SDGs with the Kobe University Committee of the student
NPO organization AIESEC and members of Osaka City University. In addition,interdisciplinary program. In the classes, students from the Faculty of Law
and the Faculty of Economics utilize their respective knowledge andinadequate. We submitted a three-point proposal to overcome

we also had the opportunity to participate in the panel discussion of Kobe

perspectives to analyze contemporary social issues. Last year, there wasthese issues.

University’s online ‘SDG Forum’ event, which Vice President Kita invited us to.

a class on ‘The quest for a carbon neutral society’, which I took. It was

The 1st point is to ‘Become the first comprehensive university ingiven by a visiting lecturer who was an expert from the Institute forJapan with a carbon neutral statement’. In order to make a

Tell us about your future activities.

Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), which is a specializedstatement focussed on the future realization of a carbon neutral

SDGs-related research institute. We were taught specialized knowledge

university, we set a similar short term goal to the Japaneseregarding environmental issues with a focus on climate change.

government, which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46%

However, this class did not end with the students simply learning about

of 2013’s emissions before 2030, and decided upon a plan of

the topic; it gave us a goal that inspired our subsequent actions. Four ofaction to achieve this aim. The 2nd point is ‘The creation of an

us who took the class; MONDEN Shogo (Faculty of Economics),

Environmental Council that university stakeholders, including

MORIYAMA Masatoshi (Graduate School of Economics), ICHIMURA Maki

students, can participate in’ and the 3rd is ‘The enhancement of(Graduate School of Law) and I, decided to submit a proposal to Kobe

practical research and educational programmes on the theme of

University. Together we compiled the ‘Proposal to promote carbon

carbon neutrality’.

reduction at Kobe University’ and submitted it on February 22, 2021,

09

CO2 emissions(t-CO2)

which led to the establishment of the Environmental Council.

What is the role of the Environmental Council?

What are the contents of the proposal?

becoming carbon neutral. By including students among the

To compile the proposal, we reflected on the activities that Kobe

council members, discussion results from the different viewpoints

University conducts based on the Environmental Reports that theyof students and staff and I think this enables us to formulate arelease every year and identified problems with them. Firstly, there arehighly effective roadmap.

no mid- to long-term goals for reducing carbon emissions. Secondly, theRecently, such efforts have been promoted even in Japan. In

structure of the PDCA cycle-based system for achieving goals was

Europe there are citizens’ assemblies on climate change, whereby

It provides a space for us to discuss methods of working towards

I think that low energy initiatives make up a large portion of the university’s
Above: Opinion exchange on SDGs with AIESEC’s Kobe
University Committee
Below: Mr. Sugitomo handing the proposal to Professor Kita
Takashi (right).

The Environmental Council’s
PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) Cycle

Revise roadmap/

medical and research facilities in a comprehensive university. I would like tosubmit a new proposal for this by looking at existing examples, such as
hospitals that are working towards using only renewable energy
sources. This may seem like an ambitious plan, but to work towards
carbon neutrality it is necessary to earnestly tackle issues on a large
scale.

A
Decide mid- to long-term goals/

mid- to long-term goals if necessaryinternal efforts. However, it is difficult to reduce the amount of energy used byMake Roadmap

In the short-term, I would like to create a space for discussion at least 4
to 5 times a year in order to inspire individuals to work towards carbon
neutrality. We are also planning to give guest lectures at nearby juniorP

C

Follow Roadmap
Implement initiatives

Check & Evaluate
Initiatives

Dhigh and high schools, which will help us to achieve a carbon neutral
Kobe University and make waves in the local community. Before I wasa second year university student, I had no interest in problems facing
the environment. However as I learned more about this topic, I realizedthat it is vital for young people to use their strength to tackle
environmental issues. I hope that the Environmental Council canchange young people’s minds about these issues.

10Kobe University Rowing Club:

Kobe University Rowing Club website (in Japanese):https://kurchp.wixsite.com/kobe-u-rowing

Synchronizing their breathing to attainthe team goal of Top 8

What have your club activities been like during thecoronavirus pandemic?
Tamura: We still train 10 times a week and when we can’t use the boat, wefind other things to practice.
Oketani: For about 3 months from April last year, we couldn’t go to thetraining facilities. During that time, I maintained my physical strength bydoing core training at home and going running around the neighbourhood.
Also, we had frequent online meetings so that all club members could
communicate with each other.

The Intercollegiate Championship
What were you conscious of during the training for the 2020
Intercollegiate?
Oketani: We recommenced regular training using the boat in August 2020
but with the Intercollegiate Championships being in October, we really had
to push ourselves during this short training period. I was very anxious about
all the things we hadn’t been able to do during socially distanced training.
Tamura: Only one of the members of the 2020 Intercollegiate team had
experience competing in a four, so I was anxious as to whether we could
manage to reach the finish line. However, we can only move forward if thefour of us synchronize our breathing, so we were conscious of that while

Leader MIYAZAKI Yuto
(4th year Faculty of Engineering)training.

How did you feel when you ranked in the Top 8?
Tamura: The race that placed us in the Top 8 was to decide which teams
would come in 6th to 9th. We had been in last place for the whole race rightRower TAMURA Fumika(4th year Faculty of Law)

Girls’ Leader OKETANI Nanako(4th year Faculty of Global Human Sciences)

up until 200 meters before the finish line. With a last spurt of energy, we
increased our speed to finish in the Top 8 by 0.4 seconds. As the race was so
close I didn’t realise that we had done it until I saw how happy those aroundme were.

In the 2020 Intercollegiate Rowing Championships, the Kobe University Rowing Club’s women’s coxed four finished in
the Top 8 for the first time. We asked members OKETANI Nanako and TAMURA Fumika about their experiences taking
part in the 2020 Championships and the Rowing Club’s usual practice sessions.

What enabled you to win?
Oketani: This was the last race for one of our members before they
graduated. We wanted to win the race for her and rowed our hardest even in
the last 200 meters of the race. I think it is important to have the mentality ofCompetitive Rowing
What kind of competitions are there?

never giving up right until the very end.

Oketani: First of all, there are four categories based on the number of rowers (1, 2, 4 and 8). Competition classes are also divided depending on

in 8th place we would get an award and become one of the Top 8. Therefore

the number of oars- in sculling, each rower has two oars, whereas in sweep rowing each rower only has one oar.

we were able to continue rowing without giving up because we really wanted to get that position.

Tamura: There is a big difference between 8th and 9th place. If we finished

Tamura: In addition to the number of rowers, competition classes are divided as to whether or not there is a coxswain, the member who sits inthe boat facing the bow. It has been said that when rowing at top speed, it feels like you are going over 100 kilometers per hour. In the 2020
Intercollegiate, we ranked in the Top 8 in the coxed four sweep boat class (a coxswain, and four rowers with one oar each).

What kind of training do you do?

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Future Aims
What are your future goals?
Oketani: Our goal is to finish in the Top 6 in the four event in mid-September’s intercollegiate.

Tamura: We practise 5 times in both the morning and the evening, for a total of 10 times a week. The length of time we train varies depending

Finally, do you have anything you would like to say to the readers of this article?

on what we are practising but we usually spend about 2 hours rowing the boat on water and around 1 hour and a half doing on-land training.

Tamura: At first I was unsure about whether to join the rowing club because I didn’t want to do

Oketani: Our manager takes video of us rowing so after training we have a meeting and look at the footage.

something tough or tiring. However, making a decision and taking that first step can transform

Tamura: Rowing is a sport that requires a lot of perception. When rowing the boat, each member perceives things differently. However, we

people. So I would like to tell everyone who is hesitating about doing something to make thecannot move forward unless everyone synchronizes their movements. I think that in order to row the boat even faster, it is necessary for thedecision and then channel all your effort into it.

whole team to make an effort to unify their perceptions. Therefore, we value the meetings where we can ask each other questions like ‘I feel like

Oketani: There is a free atmosphere at university where you can try taking on all kinds of

we should do this at that point, what does everyone else think?’ and compare and adjust our opinions.

challenges. I chose to do so through this club but I think there are many other ways that you can

Oketani: The place where we train has lodgings so before the coronavirus pandemic we would stay overnight and train. Now, we commute

challenge yourself at university. I would like everyone to broaden their interests and find somethingfrom our homes to the training facilities as part of the measures against infection.

they want to do.

Interviewer NAKAO Marina
of the Student PR Team
(3rd year Faculty of Law)

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International Voices

Q

Approximately 1,200 international students from countries around the world are currently studying at Kobe University.
In this corner, our international students introduce their native countries and offer some insights on studying abroad in Japan.

student,
Seeta Baral PhD.
Graduate School of Health Sciences

Q

student,
Mariya Byvakina PhD.
Graduate School of Law

What were you doing before you came to Kobe University?

What were you doing before you came to Kobe University?

I started studying Japanese when I was 12, and I liked it so much that I ended up

Right after completing my undergraduate studies, I started working in a hospital in
Nepal. A year later I came to Japan with my family and spent some time learning

doing a degree in Asian studies at the Novosibirsk State University. After that I

about Japanese culture and lifestyle. I travelled many places in Japan and tried so

worked for a couple of years as a Japanese-Russian translator/interpreter as well as

Qa Japanese language teacher.

many Japanese foods. I was using this time to experience new things in life. Aroundthis time I started to look into universities’ postgraduate programs and decided

Why did you decide to come to Kobe/Japan?

that I wanted to continue my education in Japan. Fortunately, I was accepted by

I wanted to continue my education and study more about international relations in

Q

Kobe University.

Northeast Asia. Since my major was Japanese language and Japanese history, I

Q

Why did you decide to come to Kobe/Japan?

decided to go to Japan for my master’s and applied for the MEXT scholarship.

I was looking for a country which is comfortable and safe, and Japan is known as

What kind of research are you doing at Kobe University?

one of the safest countries in the world so that aspect attracted me the most. After

I am researching Russia’s foreign policy towards Japan in 2010s. I am mostly

travelling in Japan, I decided that Kobe city was best for me as I prefer clean,interested in the narratives Russia creates around its relations with Japan and theuncrowded places. I found Kobe University while I was searching for universities inways said narratives are used for the legitimization of the existing political regime.

Kobe that offer graduate programs in English. I decided to apply due to its goodQ

reputation and beautiful surroundings.

What kind of research are you doing at Kobe University?
Malnutrition is one of the biggest global issues, especially in lower and middle

As a food lover, Seeta’s hobby is cooking andperfecting recipes- check out the photo below! Shealso loves travelling to peaceful places where she canappreciate the beauty of nature.

In Russian foreign policy the Japanese direction doesn’t play such a big role as policy
towards the USA, China or even the European Union. However, since Japan is one of
the global economic and cultural leaders, all high-level meetings with its leaders canbe used by Russian government through all the media it controls as ‘prestige

income countries. I was also curious about the effect of disasters on malnutrition.

boosters’, because prestige and international

When a disaster occurs, children are highly vulnerable, so I was interested in finding

recognition are as important for Russia asassociation between disasters and malnutrition. I conducted research on the

security. So in my research I mostly look at

effects of disasters (floods) on malnutrition in children in rural areas of Nepal.

how major events in Russia-Japan relations

Lately, I am researching about the effectiveness of nutritional packages inare represented in Russian media, how the

improving feeding practices and minimizing the occurrence of malnutrition.

narratives directed to the domestic audienceQ

differ from those directed to the international

What surprised you when you first came to Japan?

one, and how all the above mentioned

Q

First of all the cleanliness surprised me when I first came here, as well as thecorresponds with the real policy.

sophisticated technology that makes everything easier. Also people’s kindness,

What surprised you when you
first came to Japan?

punctuality and sincerity, which are on the next level here. The excellent service

Q

provided everywhere in Japan always surprises me.

Well, that was so long ago I don’t really

What are your future goals and dreams?

remember. I was 14, and I was participating in

I would like to conduct further research related to malnutrition. After graduation I

an exchange program with Iyo, Ehime

will return to my home country and utilize the knowledge I learnt here to help

prefecture. It was my first time abroad, so I

make decisions in favour of malnourished and malnutrition-prone children. I am

guess everything was surprising. The green oflooking forward to working on projects that are helping developing countries toimprove their health sectors.

Mariya enjoys travelling, visiting historical sites andgoing to art exhibitions. Although she is busy
working towards her PhD. right now, she also likes
reading books that are not related to her studies
when she has time.

Hometown: Katari, Nepal

Left: Hiking in the Altai Mountains, south cental Siberia.
Right: Mariya with Kusama Yayoi’s pumpkin on Naoshima Art Island.

the trees was incredibly vivid; the smells were unfamiliar (Japan smells mostly of
incense, laundry detergent and an empty train car if you ask me); even buying

Hometown: Novosibirsk, Russia

drinks from a vending machine was exciting (we didn’t have those in Russia backthen).
I have taken many study and work related trips to Japan since then, so when I●●

finally came here to study at Kobe University, Japan felt familiar and even a little
bit like home. Or at least that’s what I thought until my first encounter with a wildboar. I guess this is the most surprising thing about Kobe – the sheer amount of
wildlife you can see on the city streets, especially in the Rokko area. Even though
I spent half of my childhood camping in the mountains with my parents, theOn a field trip to rural Nepal for her research.

13

Sitting in the lap of the Himalayas, Katari in Nepal’s
north-eastern Udayapur district is known as the gateway
to Mt. Everest. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery andabundant nature. The city also serves as a transit point forgoods from India to Nepal’s mountainous regions.

Qbiggest animal I ever saw in the wild back in Siberia was a ground squirrel.

What are your future goals and dreams?
My biggest goal and dream is to finish my PhD, graduate and find a job inacademia or in an NGO.

Novosibirsk is the third biggest city in Russia and themost populous one in Siberia. This industrial city is
located halfway along the Trans-Siberian Railway, rightwhere it crosses the great river Ob. Despite what people
usually tend to think when they hear “Siberia”, thesummers there are hot and can reach 30-35°C.

14

EDUCATION
Expand your Horizons:
English-taught Degree Programs at theGraduate School of International Cooperation Studies
The world is facing a range of transnational issues, including poverty, armed conflicts, global warming, and the spread of infectious diseases.
The Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS) aims to contribute towards the development of the international
community by cultivating highly motivated and well-rounded students equipped with the tools to deal with these issues. New approaches tointernational cooperation are necessary to adapt to an ever-changing world, and GSICS’ versatile, multidisciplinary curriculum reflects this.
Students specialize in one of the following methodologies while acquiring wide-ranging knowledge of the other fields: Economics, Laws,
Political Science, International Relations, Educational Development, International Health, and Disaster Risk Management. In addition tomastering basic methodologies and conducting research, students are encouraged to take a practical and applied approach to international
issues.
In an effort to better meet the requirements of a changing world and to
make their unique multidisciplinary environment accessible to as many
students as possible, GSICS offers courses and full programs in English atboth Master’s and Doctoral levels. The school has a truly global
atmosphere with international students making up around 50% of thosecurrently enrolled, the majority of whom come from developing countries.
This makes for an enriching learning environment that broadens students’minds and contributes to their understanding of diverse cultures andways of thinking.
The range of courses available in English at the Master’s level includes
subjects such as Human Capital Development, Polar law, Japanese Politics,
Medical Anthropology, and International Pandemic Policy (for a full,
up-to-date list, please see the GSICS website). Successful graduates of the
Master’s Program in English will obtain one of the following degrees:
Master of International Studies, Master of Economics, Master of Laws, orMaster of Political Science.
The doctoral program in English aims to cultivate talented individuals
who can carry out highly specialized research in an autonomous andindependent manner, and by so doing, make significant contributions to
the international community. Students receive guidance from theiracademic supervisor as well as instruction in advanced researchtechniques. Those who pass the final examination and have their thesis
approved will be granted one of the following qualifications: Doctor ofPhilosophy, Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Doctor of Laws, or Doctorof Philosophy in Political Science.
GSICS also offers various internships and training opportunities withgovernmental and international organizations, including OECD, UNICEF,UNESCO, and World Bank. This enables students to experience first-hand
how government policies are implemented locally and internationally indeveloping countries and learn situational methods of interviewing anddata collection. Graduates often go on to work in many different fields
and countries, using the invaluable skills and varied experience they haveacquired at GSICS to contribute towards international cooperation anddevelopment.

More about GSICS:
GSICS website:
http://www.gsics.kobe-u.ac.jp/index.html
GSICS 2021 Brochure:
http://www.gsics.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/files/GSICS_
brochure_en.pdf

Students gaining valuable fieldwork experiencein Cambodia (top & bottom) and Uganda (middle)

15