Faculty of Arts and Society welcomes students from Hirosaki University, Japan

Students from the Hirosaki University Aomori Prefecture in Japan recently came to Charles Darwin University (CDU) to spend time improving their writing skills and their spoken language skills. 

The six students spent eight days under the guidance of Faculty of Arts and Society Discipline Head in Education, Enabling & Linguistics Dr Raelke Grimmer, having the opportunity to join regular lectures within the linguistics discipline and undertaking an English for Academic Purposes program. 

The students were joined by Hirosaki University Professor Juni Suwa, Director of Hayabusa College for part of their stay. 

There was also a strong focus on ensuring the students were able to experience what Darwin has to offer as their arrival coincided with the Darwin Festival.  They also enjoyed a visit to the Darwin Museum and Art Gallery as well as the Royal Flying Doctor Service Darwin Tourist Facility.

The students also took part in an Arts on-Country Immersion program which was held over five-days out in Kakadu National Park.

The Arts on-Country Immersion program was led by CDU’s Academy of the Arts Lecturer in Australian Indigenous Arts, Dr Aly de Groot and Senior Lecturer, Greg Williams. 

The Japanese group were also joined in Kakadu by 5 students from across Australia currently participating in CDU’s first Microcredential course – The Pedagogy of Indigenous Knowledge Sharing Through Creative and Cultural Practices.

Dr De Groot said the program was highly meaningful for the students.  

“The students actively engaged with First Nations cultures and peoples, gaining a valuable understanding of their histories and contemporary challenges and successes,” Dr de Groot said. 

Dr Grimmer said overall the program was successful. 

“Following the success of this visit we look forward to further collaboration with Hirosaki University and the possibility of regular visits to Darwin,” Dr Grimmer said.  

 “Thank you to the Global team for their support in making this first visit a success.”