Kagoshima University Center for International Planning (KUCIP) attempted to find the current addresses of former international students who previously studied at the university the past ten or more years. We also conducted a questionnaire survey in fiscal 2007 in an effort to find the current well-being of these students and form a network of international alumni.

 

To conduct the survey, the center made a list of these former international students based on their past registration and tried to find their current addresses and telephone numbers. Some current international students at the university also cooperated with this survey. To those former students whose current addresses became known, questionnaire forms were sent in English and Chinese. The details of the questionnaire survey can be seen in the annual report (2007-2008) published by the International Student Center of Kagoshima University.

 

Of the surveyed 847 former international students, the center was able to send the questionnaire forms to 359, of which 132 responded. The center then made up a mailing list of those respondents who wished to receive letters from the university. On a trial basis, the center sent them simple mail magazines on two occasions, in November 2007 and March 2008.

 

Of the 132 respondents, those with the doctoral degree numbered 99, due to the fact that it was relatively easy to gain the Ph.D. for former international students. As for their current occupations, researchers and college faculty members were predominant. One probable reason for this is that many of the respondents were once in the graduate studies specializing in agriculture and other natural science areas while they were in Japan.

 

As for the level of teaching and understanding regarding the education they had received in Japan, those former international students responded that it was fairly good, but the language barrier was a serious problem with some saying that technical terms in Japanese were difficult to understand. The students’ responses apparently varied in this regard, depending on whether those students with language problems received support from outside or whether the ability to read and write in Japanese was required in their studies and research activities.

 

As for utilization of their experiences and achievements, many responded that the technical knowledge and skills they had acquired in Japan were useful in their current occupations. But there were also not a few respondents from developing countries who said that, after they were back home, they felt impeded due to the lack of advanced research equipment, budgetary limitations and other constraining reasons.

 

Furthermore, as for support and services from universities for former international students, the survey received many requests, especially those from developing countries, for support for a short-term visit to Japan so as to obtain advanced knowledge and experiences through research exchanges with their former instructors and by other activities.

 

Based on this investigation implemented by KUCIP, I hope to further develop this follow-up-project on former international students and firmly establish their network for the purpose of university globalization in education and research for receiving talented students from abroad, promoting joint researches and establishing joint programs.

 

Takashi Aikou, M.D., Ph.D.
Executive Director for Research and Community Cooperation & General Manager of Kagoshima University Center for International Planning (KUCIP)

 

Results of the survey

• Introduction (PDF:147KB)
• I   Survey purpose and method  (PDF:158KB)
• II  Outline of survey results (PDF:263KB)
• Former international students survey card at Kagoshima University (PDF:184KB)

 

 

Related Web site: Kagoshima University Center for International Planning

 

 

 

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<<Functions of Alumni Association Overseas Branches>

 

The Alumni Association of Tokai University aims to promote exchanges among its members and improve its social activities while contributing to the progress of the University. These objectives also apply to its overseas branches. Around 1965, Tokai University began accepting students from Thailand in line with the Japanese government’s Colombo Project. After graduation, these Thai students returned home to establish the first overseas branch of the Alumni Association in Thailand in 1972.

This was followed in 1976 by the establishment of the second overseas branch in Taiwan; students from Taiwan were also an early part of the University’s international student acceptance program. These overseas branches have been doing fairly well as they are in countries and cultural regions with a similar way of life to that in Japan, a country where former students maintain a strong attachment to their alma maters. Typical examples are these two branches and one set up in South Korea in the mid-1990s. There, former students and their families try to keep in touch with one another and their former teachers. They value ties not only with their alma mater, but also with Japan, as some of them send their children to Japan to study. Whenever I had an opportunity to meet these former students at the general meetings of these overseas branches held once a year or so in their countries, I could not help but notice their sincere goodwill for their alma mater.

 

<Activities Beyond the Boundary of the Alumni Association>

In addition to these branches in Thailand, Taiwan, and South Korea, the Alumni Association has branches in Hawaii, Russia, Bulgaria, and Denmark. In October of this year, it will open another office in Hong Kong. Talks have also started on setting up branches in China, from which the number of students to Japan is surging, and Germany, from which Japan has been accepting students since the days of the German Democratic Republic. The Association set up an office fourteen years ago in Bulgaria, which recently joined the EU. Besides normal Association-related activities, this Bulgarian branch also maintains close ties with the Japanese embassy and groups of Japanese expatriates there, and introduces the Japanese culture and promotes exchanges with the local people. Further, it serves as a liaison for the transfer of fish farming technology, holds seminars on management at Japanese firms with the cooperation of alumni and takes part in other activities that transcend the normal framework of the Alumni Association.

 

<New Development>

From my experiences at these seven overseas branches, I have learned that some of the alumni are not only physically distant from their alma mater, but also mentally distant. To stimulate activities at such branches, we believe it is necessary for the University to take an active role in supporting value-added activities.    

Human mobility is greater than ever, with the use of the Internet spreading at an unprecedented pace. Many networks of alumni are being formed using e-mails and homepages. Since 2005, Tokai University has been providing its multi-angled network service “Tokai University Net” that links its alumni, current students and the School. At the School’s Center on International Student Education, the staffers use e-mails to keep track of students who have completed the Japanese language course.

 

This year, we plan to invite leaders of the overseas branches in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong to Japan for a meeting to enhance ties among these branches in Asia. The Alumni Association is evolving from a place to see old friends to a place where new friendships begin.

(August 2008)

 

 

 

Web site: Tokai University Alumni Association

 

 

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IUJ implemented a western-style alumni information tracking database in 1995. The goal of the database is to provide campus and the vast alumni network with a human network resource for friendships, university ties, business partnerships, and global issue collaborations.

 

While the IUJ staff is responsible for keeping the actual database updated and consistently formatted, alumni, former exchange students, and now former faculty members may inform campus either by email or online of their address changes, professional and personal updates. They can also search for friends, colleagues, and potential professional partners.  Campus staff and faculty too are able to find volunteers for classroom speakers and research collaboration, for new student recruitment efforts and for PR for the university.

 

Online, alumni can volunteer for various programs, share their areas of expertise, inform the campus of updates, and ask questions to IUJ staff. After their information is updated, they are invited to use the powerful online search tool to find their friends, discover other alumni in their area, and network with those in their same industry or line of work. Email reminders to individuals and groups, newsletter reminders, and word-of-mouth encouragement are all used to remind alumni to update their information when it changes. And as IUJ alumni are very mobile in their international professions, this information is in constant need of updating.

 

Networking among alumni is encouraged at many different levels. With over 35 alumni chapters world wide, each with a chapter chair and vice chair, the groups are encouraged to meet at least once a year in September at an event called “World Wide Friday.”  Alumni all over the world, on one previously announced Friday evening, are asked to have a social gathering to share their IUJ memories, reunite with those they knew as students, and meet people from other classes to strengthen our global ties. Sometimes, prospective students interested in IUJ are encouraged to attend and meet alumni for first-hand information exchange.

 

Beyond World Wide Friday, chapters often gather to welcome back or send off an alumni moving in our out of the region, to enjoy dinner with IUJ faculty or staff, or even for city soccer tournaments. Chapter leadership is changed every 2-3 years to encourage participation and ownership in the chapter as a group. 

 

Another important networking program, aimed at helping spread the word about IUJ to prospective students and beyond, is the IUJ Ambassador’s program. These volunteers are sent IUJ materials and asked to help distribute them to a new audience. Recent alumni who volunteer as ambassadors are also asked to host information sessions to informally talk to prospective students about IUJ, their experiences, and answer questions about campus life, the application process etc.  IUJ highly values our Ambassadors.

 

The IUJ Alumni Experts program tries to identify valuable “resource alumni” from world organizations or from industry for collaborative research, campus lectures, and campus projects.

 

IUJ Alumni are currently donating money for an Alumni-sponsored scholarship for current students. The goal is to recognize students in financial need who will commit to promoting not only campus interaction, but interaction among alumni all over the world after graduation. This program has just begun, and we hope to introduce our first Alumni Scholars in Fall 2008.

 

The IUJ Alumni Newsletter is still paper-based, and is mailed out twice a year. The costs associated are seen as an investment into strengthening our ties among alumni and with alumni and campus. Returned envelops indicate alumni who have relocated, and are followed up with an email request for an update so as not to permanently lose contact. The alumni newsletter, too, serves to strengthen ties through its “Business Connections” article series, “Alumni in World Affairs” series, and spotlights of interesting alumni doing well in their profession that others may like to get to know. The most popular section of the newsletter is undoubtedly the ClassNotes section where promotions, marriages, births, deaths, travel, experiences, reunions, etc. are shared. 

 

Of course, the Internet is an invaluable resource for our alumni spanning over 110 countries world wide. The Alumni Webpage features event info, photos, campus updates, fundraising updates, and more. Email helps get quick information out to those who have registered their email addresses, which is more than 75% of the over 2,500 alumni. Groups on such internet sites as LinkedIn help with professional networking as well. Email groups by class and region, help alumni keep in touch and interact no matter the time or location. Alumni share recent photos of Disneyland trips, stories of meeting each other on airplanes, and of course invite people all over the world to gatherings either for IUJ or personal events. These email groups are updated twice daily to keep them as fresh as we can. There is even a group for those in the Job hunt!

 

IUJ Alumini Services (PDF:39KB)

The Alumni Relations office is a member of all the class and regional groups, and can share the joys and updates exchanged just among classmates easily.

 

Current students make use of the information we collect on our alumni through a Sempai-Kohai volunteer linkage program called A-CAN: Alumni Career Advisors Network. Current students can contact alumni on the volunteer list for questions about their company/organization, profession, career path, etc. etc. Since 1997 virtually all IUJ graduates have “volunteered” for this program showing their willingness to continue relations with campus career counseling and services efforts.

 

Keeping in touch with IUJ alumni is a true labor of love. It is an intense job but rewarding when alumni thank campus staff for helping them reunite with long lost friends, find an address to send a baby gift, or for helping find an alumni in Bangkok who knows a good restaurant near the hotel another is staying at.

 

Among the highly valued benefits of being an IUJ student is becoming an IUJ alum. There is much work to be done, and that can be done to fully utilize this powerful IUJ resource. But IUJ is happy to boast a set and working infrastructure on which we can build.

 

By Gretchen Shinoda, Director, IUJ Alumni Relations

June 2008

 

 

Web site: International University of Japan Alumni Relations

 

 

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Saitama University and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies jointly held a meeting of the alumni association in Beijing, China, on Oct.19, 2007. Among the noted attendants were Vice President Michihiro Kaiyama of Saitama University, Vice President Tatsuo Oyama of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Vice President lu chun of the Western alumni association, and Deputy Director Yasushi Tsuruo of the Beijing office of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The occasion also drew more than 60 people who had graduated from these two institutes.

These alumni and alumnae are now active in China, working in such places as the government agencies, universities, and research organizations.

At the opening of the meeting, greetings were given by Mr. lou ye dong of Saitama University, Mr. li xi wei of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Vice President lu chun, Vice President Kaiyama, Vice President Oyama, and Deputy Director Tsuruo. The alumni association plans to further promote friendship among the graduates and step up exchanges with Saitama University, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Saitama Prefecture, and Japan.

 

 

Group photo of the meeting of alumni association

 

 

(From the left: Vice President Kaiyama of Saitama University, Vice President Oyama of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Deputy Director Tsuruo of the Beijing office of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)

 

 

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• Background of establishment
  Since 1970, as many as 1,200 overseas students have studied at the University of Fukui. Of these members, about 800 have returned home and 150 have remained in Japan where they have obtained jobs. The international student center retains information on their addresses and e-mail addresses, sending its network magazine “Kokoronet” every year to those students who have graduated and returned home. The magazine, first issued in 2001, carries messages of these students.
  Access the following for more details:
  http://ryugaku.isc.fukui-u.ac.jp/english/kokoro/kokoro_net.html

 

• Alumni Society establishment
  The first convention of the University of Fukui Alumni Society was held on Nov.30, 2003, in which a declaration of establishment was adopted to launch the society officially. The event was attended by 91 overseas students including 13 who had returned home.
  Access the following for more details:
  http://ryugaku.isc.fukui-u.ac.jp/english/kokoro/dosokai/dosokai.html

 

• Branch network
  As of October 2007, branch offices of the society were set up in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Xi'an, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beijing, Taiwan, and Hamburg.
  Access the following for more details:
  http://ryugaku.isc.fukui-u.ac.jp/english/kokoro/dosokai/renraku.html

 

(Branch activities)
1) Exchange of information among branch office members, personnel exchange and cooperation
2) Exchange of information with other branch offices, personnel exchange and cooperation
3) Human and information exchange with the University of Fukui, industries and government offices in Fukui Prefecture
4) Human and information exchange with the University of Fukui International Student Association(UFISA) (comprising students currently at the university)
5) Economic, cultural, and friendship exchanges
6) Others

 

 

 

Visit of mission from the Shanghai branch office (an example of branch activities)
A mission comprising 16 members of the Shanghai branch office came to Fukui Prefecture where they met with academic, governmental and private-sector representatives to promote exchanges, for five days from Oct.1 to Oct.5 this year. A subsidy was provided by the Japan Students Services Organization under the “THE NAKAJIMA FOUNDATION to promote international students’ interaction in the community.” The mission attended the 3rd University of Fukui overseas student international symposium: Construction of A Network to Promote Exchanges between the Shanghai Branch Office and Fukui Prefecture in Academic, Industrial, Governmental and Private-sector Areas” (which attracted 107 visitors). They also held talks with officials at the prefectural government office, exchanged ideas with 13 local businesses, toured factories, and held the annual meeting of Shanghai branch office. As 12 of the 16 mission members were company presidents and entrepreneurs, their talks with the local businesses often went into details. All considered, the mission was successful for both the Shanghai branch office and people of Fukui Prefecture.

 

 

• Future plan
  Our alumni society plans to set up more offices in Brazil, Bangladesh and other countries. The second exchange mission to Japan will likely be organized by the Xian branch office with emphasis on promoting the exchange of regional cultures.
  

 

• Inquiries: International Student Center, University of Fukui  Deputy Director of the Center  Prof. NAKASHIMA, Kiyoshi
  TEL&FAX: 0776(27)8903 E-mail: knaka@anc.anc-d.fukui-u.ac.jp
• Web site:
  International Students Center, University of Fukui  http://ryugaku.isc.fukui-u.ac.jp/english/index.html

 

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A convention to establish the Chiba University-China Alumni Association was held at the international conference room of China Agricultural University in Beijing from 4 p.m. on August 5, 2007.

 

From Chiba University, President Kozai, Vice-President Miyazaki in charge of education, Director Yamauchi of Center for International Research and Education, Director Ueno of Center for Frontier Science, Professor Niikura of Center for International Research and Education, Professor Lu Yun of Faculty of Engineering, Associate Professor Zhou of Center for Language Education, and Manager Fujisaku of Dept. of Students Affairs attended the convention. They had taken part in the celebration and preparations of the convention as well. Many Chinese alumni also attended the convention, including those from China Agricultural University, Hunan University, and other institutions from Shanghai, Hunan, and Nanjin, with which Chiba University has held years of friendly relationships. These alumni totaled approximately 100.

 

Chiba University has a long history of accepting Chinese students. There are records indicating the acceptance of Chinese students by Chiba medical school, which is the predecessor of Chiba University’s Faculty of Medicine, around the end of the Qing Dynasty in the early 1900s. It has been a century from then, and the university is now home to about 500 Chinese students. They are the largest group by country.

 

Several attempts have been made by the university’s departments to set up a Chinese alumni association so far. The university has frequently kept in touch with its former Chinese students who had recently went back home, and we had received strong request to set it up from many alumni members. At the same time, they responded enthusiastically to our proposal to establish an alumni association. Through systematic preparations that lasted over half a year, we are now able to set up this Chiba University-China Alumni Association.

 

The association will organize friendship gatherings for its members in China and Japan, while stimulating cooperation in education and research areas and expanding support by promoting systematic cooperation and contact with the university. For the time being, it will be planned to engage in promoting mutual friendships, gathering/supplying information, preparing a membership list, public relations and supporting foreign students.

In the convention, the establishment of the alumni association and the code of the association were approved by alumni members. Chairman and vice-chairmen, three secretariat officers, and nine directors including regional representatives were also approved. Dr. Chang-En Wang was approved to assume a post as chairman, chief professor at the National Natural Science Foundation of China, who completed a doctor’s study in medical research in 1988 at Chiba University.

 

At the convention, greetings were given by President Kozai and other distinguished guests from the Japanese embassy to China, the Beijing research liaison center of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, China Agricultural University, Hunan University, and representatives of Chinese students studying in Japan. Further, recent activities at Chiba University were presented in the PowerPoint format by Vice-President Miyazaki, who is in charge of dealing with the alumni association.

 

After the meeting, the attendants moved to a banquet hall at China Agricultural University to celebrate the establishment of the alumni association.

 

Lastly, let us introduce a Chinese poem that Chairman Chang-En Wang of the alumni association presented at the convention as a lasting sign of deep friendship between Chiba University and the association.

 

 

(Translation: People with whom we learned together come from Chiba, to confirm our strong friendships. In this rare occasion, we seek harmony, in spite of our differences as we strive for a higher achievement.)

 

At the convention to establish the Chinese alumni association: Greetings by President Kozai.

At the convention to establish the Chinese alumni association: Presentation of a friendship Chinese poem by Chairman (Chang-En Wang)

 

Group photo of the convention to establish the Chiba University-China Alumni Association
(International conference center at China Agricultural University, August 5, 2007)

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• Background of establishing the alumni association
  Nagaoka University of Technology has about 200 students from overseas. This represents about 8% of all the students in the university. As the university is specialized in technology, many of our former international students from Asian countries/regions have come to Japan to study technology, and contribute to technology development of home countries/regions after returning home. There have been few communications between former international students after graduation and only networks built were those of who are close to each other. Within the university, there are close communications among the laboratory students, but those international students unfortunately don’t know other international students from other laboratories. After their graduation, they have virtually no opportunity to contact each other even they are from the same country/region. As our international students are excellent, building network among these excellent human resources is important for both their home country’s/region’s development and for the relationship between their country/region and Japan.
  We started with creating a list of graduates, and found many of the graduates cannot be contacted. But for Indonesia, there is a person who plays a major part of the alumni. Through this person, we were able to get in touch with many of graduates and held an alumni reunion. It was important to “meet” alumni rather than sending letters or exchanging e-mails. The reunion party turned out to be very successful and found 18 graduates. We believe these graduates have strengthened the connection with the university. Graduates expressed that they were delighted to meet each other for the first time in several years. We also felt that they are happy to know that we still remember them.

 

• Activities in the past and for the future
  On June 24, 2006, the first Indonesian alumni reunion was held at the Hotel Horison Bekasi, near Jakarta. Attendants were 55 graduates and their families, 27 teachers, students and researchers from the university, and Indonesian manager of The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) as a guest. During the meeting, graduates reported their recent activities and their roles in the society, while the university staff updated the graduates on university with presentation.
  From July to August, we have tried to reconfirm former international students from Indonesia. All the 18 members who attended the reunion were confirmed but 5 former students could not be reached.
  From October to December, we launched the alumni blog. As of January 2007, 90% of our goal has been achieved. The blog mainly consists of messages posted by our international student alumni and current students. Future challenges will be how the blog can be more attractive to the readers while discussing with blog administrator.
  To commemorate the reunion of Indonesian international student alumni on June 24, we are editing reports from alumni. As all the former international students are active in the front lines of their respective fields, it was not easy to collect reports. Nonetheless, a few of them have contributed their works and we are editing them together with documents and pictures from current students, teachers and Division of International Affairs. It will be issued in the end of March 2007.
  
• Inquiries: International Student Center, Nagaoka University of Technology
• Web site:
  International Student Center, Nagaoka University of Technology http://echo.nagaokaut.ac.jp/index_e.htm
  

 

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“In touch with Kobe University even after graduation!”

 

Supports to international students must be given during their stay at the university and also after their graduation. In fact, approaching former international students is very important from the follow-up point of view, as well as from building overseas network of human assets point of view as intangible property of the university. As a part of following up the former international students, building international students’ network is the first task to address, but when compared to Japanese alumni association, the operation of the network could be challenging because the alumni association is not unifying and physical distance between the university and former international students widens after graduation. Although organizing alumni should be voluntary, establishing and operating alumni association for former international students in overseas is not as smooth as we would like them to be and needs a certain degree of supports from the university. If the university were to follow up the alumni, promoting organization of alumni and establishing support system is important.

 

• “The 3rd Kobe University International Students’ Homecoming Day”
  In 2001, we started to build a full-scale international students’ network to support our international students while increasing the awareness of the importance. The first Homecoming Day was held in 2002 and continuously held every other year to hold the 3rd Homecoming Day in 2006.
  For more information (Japanese Only) → http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/info/topics/t2006_08_02_03.htm

  

 

• “Kobe University International Students’ Alumni Net in Japan”
  Before holding the 3rd Kobe University International Students’ Homecoming day, we held International Alumni Network Meeting twice in 2005. During the meeting, the importance of Japan-based graduate networks was discusses and resulted to establish “Japan based international graduate association” in July 2006. Through the discussion, we came to realize that former international students are not only working in their home country/region, but also in Japan. This association is expected to play a major role to connect overseas alumni as well as current international students and the university.
  For more information (Japanese Only) → http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/info/topics/t2006_08_02_03.htm
  
  

• “Kobe University International Alumni-Net in China”
  Improving Kobe University Alumni association in overseas is also important. South Korea and Taiwan were the first country/region to form and run, but there were no alumni association in China. Establishing an alumni association in china was on top of the list of our issues for FY2006. After several discussions with our Chinese alumni, we found that there was Kobe University in Shanghai-East Alumni Association in operation. We have decided to combine these alumni with other alumni to form Kobe University International Alumni-Net in China.
  
  
         
  For more information (Japanese Only) → http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/info/topics/t2006_10_24_01.htm
  

 

In order to sum up these network building activities and to prompt to form other branches of alumni, we held the 3rd Kobe University International Students’ Homecoming Day. During the day, we held a panel discussion regarding overseas network building with our former international students living in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia as panelists.

 

• Inquiries:  Kobe University International Student Center, or International Student Office
• Web site:  
        Kobe University  http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.htm
        Kobe University International Student Center  http://www.kisc.kobe-u.ac.jp/english/i_topics.html
  

 

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