Overseas Students Symposium
October 15, 2008

Chairperson:

Ms. Kotoko Ogawa (International Student Adviser)
Participants:

Ms. Kazumi Sashida,

Mr. Yota Arita, Ms, Ying Wei, Ms. Mo
Yang
Arita: I studied at the University ofSingapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School(LKY) of Public Policy from August of
last year to June of this year.
Ogawa: And you are Arita?
Arita：Oh…yes. I’m Yota Arita.
All：(Laughter)
2.

About

the

Study

AbroadExchange System
Ogawa: OK, for starters please tell us
how you learned of the exchange

1. Introductions
Ogawa:

Let’s

begin

with

programs?

self-introductions. My name is Kotoko

Sashida: Even before entering Tokyo

Ogawa and I am the Study Abroad

University, I learned of the programs

Officer.

from the university homepage. To

Sashida：Although I have met most oflearn more, I called and asked about

you, I am Kazumi Sashida. I spend thethe programs. Additionally, I learned alast year as a visiting student at

lot from the write ups of exchange

Columbiaof

students that were in the school’s

International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

exchange student information circular

Wei：I am Ying Wei. I came to Tokyo

last year.

University

Wei：At SIPA, in September or October

University’s

this

past

School

April

as

an

exchange student.

a number of faculty members from

Yang: My name is Mo Yang. I arrived invarious graduate schools came to our

April of this year as part of Beijing
University’s Double Diploma Program1.
Through support from the JapanFoundation, Tokyo University hosts
Master’s level students from Beijing
1

University’s School of International
Relations. At present, students are notyet being sent from Tokyo University to
study at Beijing University as part of thisprogram.

campus to give an orientation session

studying abroad in order to acquireon their schools. Although there wasn’t

newanyoneunderstanding by studying with people

from

Tokyo

University,Iknowledge

andbroadenmyreceived the information I needed at

who hold different values.

this event.

Sashida: I was mainly thinking about

Ogawa: Can you describe the selection

bolstering my qualifications. As I’ll

process?

soon be entering the job search

Sashida:Afterreviewingmymarket, I felt that this would enhance

application documents, I was granted

my value as a job candidate.

an interview. Through the selection

Wei: I also thought that I’d like to try

process, I got the impression thatand experience studies in a variety ofprominencecountries if possible. Since graduate

was

given

to

Englishschool is a two year journey, I felt that
becoming an exchange student would
ifone

doesn’tactually

be a way to effectively utilise this timecome to Japan, there will

and maximise my experience.

always be many things
that one does not know.

Ogawa: I see. And what attracted you
to study public policy at anotherproficiency and motivation.

university?

3. Motivation and Success Rates
Ogawa: By the way, what prompted
you all to join an exchange program?
Arita:

I’ve studied at

the Hongo

campus since my undergraduate days.
So I felt that I’d like to try and study
somewhere else overseas. In thecourseofdeliberating,I

becameattracted to the prospect of studying in
Asia

which

has

experienced

remarkable growth in recent years.
Singapore, where English is widelyused, seemed like the perfect choice.
Yang: As for me, a friend who wasstudying at LKY as an exchange
student encouraged me to consider

Wei: SIPA has a specialised area ofstudy that focuses on East Asia. In my
undergraduate studies, my focus wason China. So this time, I thought I
would like to study about Japan. The
90’s was a highly eventful period forJapan’s economy so understandably in
America the study focus is on that
period.

Recentdevelopmentsaresomewhat neglected. So naturally, if
one doesn’t actually come to Japan,
there will always be many things that
one does not know.
Yang: In my case, I wanted to see andexperience Japan firsthand. If possible,
I want to take in all the sights of Japan

from the crammed commuter trains tovaluable.

the

Shibuya

Sashida: At SIPA, there are a large(laughter). In China, there are anumber of courses that are not offerednumber of preconceptions about Japan.

at Tokyo University. I was able toI am considering applying for a career

attend courses that dealt with topics

in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or

such as energy and the environment.

some related career so I wanted toAlso at SIPA there are many famous

endeavour to understand the true

scholars such as the international

Japan.

politics scholar Kenneth Waltz that I

oddcharactersin

Ogawa: What did you discover during
your studies?

I also learned about

Yang: In our textbooks, Japanese aredifferences in how people

portrayed as diligent and courteous

thought about and framed

people who function in a state of

their discourse. That wasconstant exigency. In reality, this isextremely valuable.

true but the textbooks don’t explain
why Japanese are like this. By coming
to Japan, I could understand some of
the rationale for this. For example, due
toahistoricaldependenceon

American financial support, it wasnecessary for Japanese to operate in astate of exigency.
Arita: In my case, I was interested in
how Japan was viewed from a foreign
perspective and what kinds of opinions
foreigners held in the process ofstudying public policy. I found I could
do this at LKY. Of the 65 students in
the MPP course that I attended, only 5
wereactually

benefitted

from

from

Singapore.

variousInational

perspectives. Beyond such perspective,
I also learned about differences in how
people thought about and framed theirdiscourse.

That

was

extremely

had the pleasure of learning from.
Ogawa: What impact do you think thisstudy abroad experience will have on
your future?
Wei: By having the chance to meet
many

kinds

of

people,variouspossibilities have emerged. Even interms of employment, I’ve now cometorealise

that

there

are

many

possibilities beyond those that I was
thinking about before I came.
Arita: That holds true for me too. In
Japan, the words “public sector” and“civil servant” are synonymous. At LKY,
very few individuals had aspirations tobecome civil servants. I learned that
there are more facets to employment
inthepublicsectorthan

justgovernmental employment.
Yang: This study abroad experiencehas been the greatest challenge of my

University

life. I have become a stronger person

Ogawa: Comparatively speaking, what

thanks to this experience. I no longer

is the biggest difference between

fear new environments. For example,

Tokyo

after this experience, I feel I have

University?

developed the resilience to succeed in

Yang: I think the biggest difference is

a

I’ve

the background of the faculty. In

developed a fondness for Tokyo andBeijing University, the vast majority ofhope to find work here.

professors are academic scholars so

new

work

environment.

University

andBeijing

their lectures center on theory. In
Tokyo University, there are many
professors

who

have

vocational

experience and so we can benefit bylearning

from

their

first-handexperiences and by hearing about thenewest developments. Moreover, in
my department at Beijing University,case studies are seldom used as part
Sashida: I’ve become fairly aggressiveof the study format. I think Tokyoin expressing my opinions. At SIPA,

University is also more proficient ineven in daily activities, without such athis regard.

skill one becomes prone to exploitation(laughter). Without clear expressing

Ogawa: How about compared to LKY?

oneself, documents that you needArita: At LKY, the school facilities areprocessed just sit collecting dust. I feel

far superior. Also, the students are far

I have developed a much keener wit

betterfor dealing with such matters. In terms

discussions. On the other hand, I thinkof future work prospects, I fell quitethat Tokyo University’s merits include

adamantwork

a broader selection of elective courses

overseas. In this regard, I’ve been

and faculty that boasts a depth ofbusy tapping into my current network

practical experience.

about

tryingtoatactivelyengaging

inand exploring ways to go about doingso.

Ogawa: How about compared to SIPA?
Wei: At GraSPP there are various study

4. Comparing Tokyo University

groups such as the Macro Economics

withand Econometric study groups in the

SIPA 、 LKY

andBeijingEconomics

canin Singapore also offers 24 hour homeassume the role of the teacher anddelivery. The diet isn’t too hard forteach the rest of the students. I felt

Japanese to get acclimatised.

that in SIPA, compared to class work,

Ogawa: McDonald’s home delivery…

students seemed more focused on

nice! How about life outside of studies

searching for work. While in Tokyoand making new friends?

University, students prioritise their

Arita: On the weekends, there werestudies first.

quite a few parties organized by

Sashida:program.

RegardingAnyonecurriculum

classmates that I attended. At LKY,

differences, in SIPA, TA sessions forexchange students from around Asia

select courses are pre-arranged eachmake up the majority of the students.

week. Also, in terms of practical

Without really being conscious of it

relevance, case studies are the norm

happening, I soon realized that I was

regardless of the course. For example,

part of a community of exchange

in statistics, the most recent data fromstudents. In terms of extra-curricularactual public opinion surveys are used.

activities, every week there were two

Wei: Also, because SIPA’s students

or three guest lectures that I often

come from diverse backgrounds, we

attended. LKY has a privileged status

can learn a lot from their experiences.

in Singapore. Because of this, we also

Sashida: True, studying together with

had unique opportunities such as

such individuals is a real benefit. They

being invited to the Presidential Palace

are a valuable resource for consulting

and attending a lecture given by Tonyon things like career issues, improving

Blair.

the effectiveness of group work andmaking better presentations.
5．LifeOgawa: Let’s examine the life of an
exchange student. For starters, what
was life like at LKY?
Arita: Since I am not the type thatstudies in a library, I studied at home.
I had my meals at a nearby food courtthat housed various different foodOgawa: How about life at SIPA?

stalls. Meals only cost JPY200-300 but

Sashida:they were quite tasty. And McDonalds

Because SIPA students are admitted

It

was

reallyenjoyable!

free into Manhattan’s Museums, I

Ogawa: I see. Did you two find it

often had the chance to attend events

difficult to connect with Japanesesuch as the opera. However, during thestudents?

schoolwere

Wei: After class there are quite a few

anddrinking parties but the parties here

term,

crammedourbothschedules

withstudies

are usually fixed seating so it is really
only possible to speak with theIt was a bit daunting at

people next to you.

first, but by giving

Japanese students take the initiative

myself a push andtolaunching in, I soon got

converse with… At Tokyo University,used to it.

the number of Japanese students is

ask

questions,Though when
it’s

easy

to

overwhelmingly high; however, atinvolvement in group work activities

SIPA, everyone is a foreigner so it

which are frequent at SIPA. In terms of

makes for a vibrant environment.

meals, eating out is expensive, so

Yang: In my case, at Beijing University

usually I purchased groceries from a

I had a number of Japanese friends so

nearbywhen I got here I didn’t find it

supermarket

andcookedmyself.

problematic. However, because the

Ogawa: I see. And how about life

group mentality is strong in Japan, it

outside of studies?

can be quite difficult to break into a

Sashida: I also got caught up in job

group. But it turned out better thansearch activities there. It seemed as if

expected. I’ve often been invited along

every day, some company was visiting

to drinking parties and have made athe school to carry out recruitment

few Japanese friends that I feel I can

activities. There were also a greatshare anything with.

number of social events and I often
participated in events and special

Ogawa: Tokyo University students are

sessions for exchange students. Since

indeedmost of these events were stand andexchange students.

prettyfriendly

towardeat mixers, all one needed to do wasstand in front of a group of people and6．Advice to Juniors

say “hi”. It was a bit daunting at first,

Ogawa: Everyone had trials in terms ofbut by giving myself a push andaccommodations, right?

launching in, I soon got used to it.

Arita: Yeah, it was a challenge. At the
beginning, I booked a room for thefirst term in a youth hostel style placeexchange program?

but upon entering, I discovered that

Sashida: Go for it! Most overseas

the environment was not suitable forstudents harbour the same feelings ofstudying. Luckily, I found a more

insecurity but there is no shame evensuitable place that I shared with a

if you fail. If you fear failure, you areclassmate.

passing up on a chance for personal

Yang: I too looked for a place on mygrowth. I’d hope that you approachown. It was really interesting hunting

yourfor a flat on the internet.

light-hearted way where you can laughSashida: Fortunately, I got a room inat your missteps.

the dorms. A senior from last year told

Wei: As expected, language ability is

me to start the process as early as

not so much of an issue. I think having

possible. So as soon as I received mya bold spirit is essential.

acceptance notice, I enquired andYang: I’d advice those that come after

began the application process. That’s

me to acquire an economic foundation

how I got in.

before coming. I don’t come from anoverseas

experienceinaeconomics background so I felt that
Ogawa: What would you suggest doing

studying economics here was reallyto make life easier?

difficult.

Sashida:Becauseyou

becomeArita: As a graduate student studying

consumed in studies, I think you

abroad, it is imperative to really apply

should make the effort to keep your

yourself to your studies.

eyes open for other opportunities. For

All: You got that right! (laughter)

example, until the day of the event, I
didn’t know that the President of IranOgawa:was coming for a visit.

great…you’ve sold me on it!

Arita: I think it would have been agood idea for me to learn more about
Japan before going.
Ogawa: Is there something you’d liketo do while in Japan?
Yang: I’d like to try a home stay. Last
summer I’m going back to China but
next year, I’m going to try it.
Ogawa: Do you have a message for
those

who

are

considering

an

Study

abroadsounds