9/13日（火）～16日（金）長野県駒ケ根市にて本学学生13名（医療情報、社会福祉、健康栄養、薬、看護、子ども教育、球探足球比分）参加による国際交流研修を実施しました。長野県駒ケ根市にあるJOCA（公益財団法人青年海外協力協会）とJICA（独立行政法人国際協力機構）のご協力を得、視野の広いグローバル人材となることを目標にプログラムで体験的に学ぶことを目指しました。本年3月に訪問を試みたもののオンライン実施となった経緯があり、今回現地に赴くことができた喜びは格別です。プログラムでは、協力隊体験談、異文化理解、SDGｓワークショップの他、海外派遣の隊員シミュレーションとして課題解決策を考える等、参加者同士の積極的なディスカッションが必要でした。また、「駒ケ根市に人を呼ぶには？」をテーマに、3グループに分かれて市の中心地や高原、キャンプエリアでフィールドワークを行い、外からの視点でそれぞれのアイデアを生み出しました。一日中歩き回った締めくくりはキャンプ場で焚火ＢＢＱです。3月にオンライン研修で知り合った長野県看護大学の学生さん6名が私達の滞在を聞きつけ、会いに来てくれました。今回のプログラムでは地元の元気なお母さん達や、親切な街中の店主、お話ししてくれる運転手さん等々、現地の方々とお会いすることが多く、画面越しでも写真でもない交流は人の温かみを思い出させてくれるものだと多くの参加者が感じたことでしょう。また、本学学生同士でも、学科、学年の壁を越えた交流ができ、相互の刺激とともに、いろいろな発見や気付きを得る機会になったことと思います。高崎に戻る日には、駒ヶ岳千畳敷カールから雲海に浮かぶ南アルプスの山々を望み、全員で自然の雄大さと美しさを味わいました。

本研修実施に当たり関わってくださった全ての方に感謝申し上げます。

From 13 (Tue) to 16 (Fri) September, an international exchange programme was held in Komgane City, Nagano Prefecture, with the participation of 13 students from the university’s departments of Medical Information, Social Welfare, Health and Nutrition, Pharmacy, Nursing, Child Education and Agriculture. With the cooperation of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Association (JOCA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture, the students aimed to broaden their perspectives of global affairs. We were very pleased to be able to make this project become true since our previous attempt to hold it in March, was cancelled due to the COVID spike. The active learning program included discussions among the participants, such as finding solutions to problems simulating actual conditions faced by the members of the corps deployed abroad. In addition to the cooperative corps experience, cross-cultural understanding and SDGs workshops were held. Under the theme “How to attract people to Komagane City?” as the target theme, the participants were divided into three groups and conducted fieldwork around the city in order to come up with out-of-the-box ideas and perspectives. We ended the city activities with a bonfire BBQ at a campsite with the participation of six students from Nagano Prefectural College of Nursing, whom we had previously met in a March online training. During this program, we were able to meet many local people, such as energetic local mothers, kind shopkeepers in the town, drivers who were willing to talk to us, etc. Many participants felt that the interaction, which was not through a screen or a photograph, was a reminder of the warmth of people. The exchange among the students of the University also transcended the barriers of department and year, providing mutual stimulation and an opportunity to make various discoveries and realizations. On the day we returned to Takasaki, we enjoyed the view of the Southern Alps looking down at a floating sea of clouds from Komagatake Senjojiki Karl, and all of us savored the grandeur and beauty of nature.
We would like to thank all those who were involved in the implementation of this training course.