Event Report: “Dialogue with the World: The University of Tokyo Global Leadership Program (GLP) + Relevant Language Studies Information Session”

On Friday, March 14, 2025, the event titled “Dialogue with the World: The University of Tokyo Global Leadership Program (GLP) + Relevant Language Studies Information Session” took place as an opportunity for prospective students, their guardians, and current students to learn about the University of Tokyo (UTokyo)’s Global Leadership Program (GLP) and related language studies.

The event, moderated by Naoko Hosokawa (Project Assistant Professor, GlobE), began with a welcome message from EVP Kaori Hayashi. In Part 1, Professor Yujin Yaguchi, Director of GlobE, and Professor Mari Yoshihara engaged in a dialogue where they reflected on their own college years and discussed the importance of students finding their own “comfort zone” within the university life as well as the transformation and growth that emerges from venturing out and encountering the foreign in a “contact zone.” Going over some of the study abroad and international education opportunities available at UTokyo, they encouraged participants to explore their own “Contact Zone”. 

In Part 2, Associate Professor Yuki Ohara and Assistant Professor Sam Bamkin from GlobE introduced the Global Leadership Program-I (GLP-I). The GLP-I offers a variety of learning opportunities for students to understand global issues, for which there is no single answer and to gain leadership skills needed to make a positive impact on the society. Along with a short demonstration of discussion-based classes, current GLP-I students shared their insights and offered support and advice to prospective students. 

Part 3 offered an overview of the Global Leadership Program-II (Trilingual Program) (GLP-II(TLP)) by Professor Masami Nakao, Vice Director of GlobE, along with an introduction to the language education for the 1st- and 2nd-year students by Professor Torahiko Terada, Vice Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Professors who teach GLP-II (TLP) courses conveyed the joy of learning languages and exploring the cultures other than your own. Students’ demonstrations highlighted their progress in language proficiency over approximately a year and a half, inspiring and encouraging the prospective students.

Before and after the presentations, individual consultation sessions were conducted at booths arranged by each language department and GlobE. Professors and students attentively addressed questions from participants.

Event detail:
https://globe.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/news/news_20250314event.html