2015.4.2

Report

Study Trip to Heidelberg University and the University of Strasbourg (2015.3.21-3.26)

  • Asian & Transcultural Studies

    • From March 21 to 26, 2015, the Asian Platform for Global Sustainability and Transcultural Studies (AGST) organized a study trip to Heidelberg, Germany and Strasbourg, France.

    In March 2015, eight graduate students (MA and PhD level) from the Graduate School of Letters went on a study trip to two European partner universities in Heidelberg and Strasbourg. They were accompanied by the newly appointed senior lecturer Björn-Ole Kamm who had been teaching in the Graduate Programme for Transcultural Studies of the Cluster “Asia and Europe,” Heidelberg, before coming to Kyoto University.

    The study trip sought to strengthen the ties between the three universities and was part of an on-going partnership strategy to increase collaboration, especially concerning student exchange, and to prepare a joint degree master program. The eight participating graduate students were asked to make themselves familiar with the study and research environments in Strasbourg and Heidelberg so that they could take up roles as mediators and contact persons for future exchange students to come from or go to one of the two European partners.

    The students met with study coordinators, lecturers and fellow students from both universities and engaged in many hours of exchange, which was conducted not only in English but also in German, French, and Japanese as the students on both sides brought this range of languages to the discussion table. In Heidelberg and Strasbourg the students could furthermore visit historical sites, famous institutions such as the National Library in Strasbourg or Heidelberg’s castle, so that they received a broad impression of both cities. While the discussions with researchers and coordinators offered an overview of what to expect content-wise from a semester at one of the European partners, the talks with students currently enrolled there allowed the Kyoto delegation to learn about student life in Heidelberg and Strasbourg.

    A detailed outline of the study trip is given below.

    Date Contents

    Mar 22

    Whole day
    A study trip to Heidelberg Castle and Old Town

    Mar 23

    9:45
    Cluster of Excellence “Asia and Europe”, Heidelberg University
    *Visit to the Karl-Jaspers-Centre
    *Attendance at a presentation meeting about the Cluster’s structure, research framework and teaching environment (Master Transcultural Studies [MATS] & Graduate Programme for Transcultural Studies [GPTS])

    13:00
    Meeting with the coordinator of MATS & GPTS and graduate students

    14:00
    Visit to the Studentenkarzer (historical student prison) and Kyoto University European Center, Heidelberg Office

    15:30
    Visit to the Centre for East Asian Studies, participation in a presentation about the Japanese Studies department and contact with students

    Mar 24

    14:00
    Visit to the University of Strasbourg
    *Tour of the university grounds
    *Visit to the National Library
    *Meeting with graduate students of the Japanese Studies department

    [Instructors]
    Dr. Björn-Ole Kamm
    Project Specific Senior Lecturer (GSL, Kyoto University)

    [Contact person at Heidelberg University and University of Strasbourg]
    Dr. Jule Nowoitnick (Coordinator MATS & GPTS)
    Dr. Sandra Schaal (Scientific Manager Strasbourg)

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    [Photos]