OYUNAA PUREVDORJ

Name	OYUNAA PUREVDORJ
Country	Mongolia
Year / month of graduation	March 2019
Degree obtained	Master and PhD
Position / organization as of March 2021	Education Specialist

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

I actually started my study in Hiroshima University in 2006 as a Master Study student, and graduated in 2008. In 2006, I had a chance to enroll in the university with Japanese Government Scholarship. During my study, I had a great opportunity to develop myself and dig into the breadth of knowledge. As the Master study built a firm foundation for my research and professional identity and established effective intellectual relationship with my supervisor, I have decided to continue PhD study in the university later on. The university also has well established student support system and fully accessible learning environment where anyone’s educational development can be fulfilled.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

Hiroshima University really made me to grow professionally and personally. Before the enrollment, I was a lecturer in one of the teacher pre-service universities of Mongolia; and had a strong motivation to study mathematics education and teachers. As I have been motivated to study and explore more in mathematics education, I was provided plenty of opportunities to interact with world known mathematics education scholars, access to high ranking journals and references, participate and present in international and Japanese conferences and seminars, share my research results with outstanding Japanese professors, international students and get feedback.

These opportunities helped me to find out core interest in research field and conceptualize my study topic as mathematics teacher professional knowledge and context that situates this knowledge. Advises and careful supervision of the university professors taught me the latest perspectives of the mathematics teacher knowledge and techniques in quantitative and qualitative analysis. Throughout the study, my professional writing and researching have also improved.

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

I enjoyed my stay in Hiroshima, in particular, liked a lot Hiroshima Spring with blossom of Sakura and Fall with colorful Momiji. Saijo town – small town of the university campus – keeps my memories and experiences. Riding bicycle in green and peaceful town was the best feeling and still be. There are also many beautiful sightseeing places around Hiroshima. Significant one was the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum that represents unimaginable nature of nuclear weapons. Tour to the Miyajima has always been the best experience.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

Since the graduation from a Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation (IDEC), I have been working in education sector of Mongolia as an education specialist/expert. I mostly work for education programmes and projects jointly implemented by Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia and international development organizations such as Asian Development Bank, World Bank. What I learned in the university really characterizes how I do my work. Research skills I acquired during my study in the university helped to reveal the problems in the system, identify their causes and effects, access international best experiences using different resources and determine the best possible solutions. Research topic of mine helps me to develop a policy on improving school teacher quality and promote professional development in the country. This policy reflects valid results of my research. Knowledge and understanding I learned from international development and cooperation courses help me to effectively communicate with international development organizations and discuss recognized ideas. Writing skills learned from academic writing courses in the university helps me to produce reports that meets the standards and requirements of the international development organizations.

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

I highly recommend the university as I have experienced how it nurtures student intellectual growth and development and environment I lived for several years. This is the university for anyone who like to pursue peaceful and encouraging academic study and experience of Japanese culture. Also I made many friends through getting involved with student life and event, and learned a lot from them. Academic culture such as lab seminar and meeting is very helpful to absorb various ideas from other students with diverse background. So, this is must-go university.

Sommay SHINGPHACHANH

Name	Sommay SHINGPHACHANH
Country	Laos
Year / month of graduation	March 2020
Degree obtained	Ph.D of Mathematics Education
Position / organization as of March 2021	Lecturer of mathematics at Khangkhay Teacher Training College

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

I was told by others, when I was a first year student of university, that Japan is one of the best countries in terms of educational quality, justice, honesty, human right, and long history of country development. I absorbed those information and created my own beliefs, dream and hope to study in Japan since then. In 2009, I applied Japanese scholarship called JDS (Japan Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship) and my dream came true. I got a scholarship for my master in Osaka University.

During my master degree, I had a chance visiting Hiroshima university as a presenter of my research. I also read the profile of Hiroshima University and I realized that this University is the right one for mathematics education and became my dream again for my Ph.D. Later, through my efforts, in 2017 my dear Prof. Takuya Baba accepted me as his Ph.D. student and I was so delightful incomparable with anything else.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

At Hiroshima university I studied about mathematics education as a big theme. Within mathematics education there are several areas and levels. During my study I had an opportunity to explore Mathematics teacher professional development, Mathematical knowledge for Teaching (MKT), Realistic Mathematics Education (RME), Mathematical Enculturation, Ethnomathematics, Lesson Study, Number sense, value of mathematics, primary and secondary mathematics curriculum, students conception about mathematics, students’ understanding of integer and etc.

Furthermore, my professors and my Lab mates also shared me some important research findings of their interested research area. Those area of studies become background of my knowledge to push me forward when I return home country. At this point I realized that to be professionals in our field we must not only study in the school or university, but also be autonomous learner that is lifelong learning. Learning as like doing research, it is never ended. In relation to the professional learning, the research of my Ph.D. is about lesson study in the title of Identifying Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning and Issues in Lesson Study Approach in Laos.

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

Besides my study, I also enjoyed very much staying in Hiroshima especially visiting Miyajima Island, Atomic bomb and historical Hiroshima castle for sign seeing. These places are famous in Hiroshima prefecture. By visiting those I enjoyed and knew how Japanese people live, struggle, and develop in the past before becoming Japanese today. During summer time I and my friends enjoyed playing and swimming at the sunset beach.

Around Hiroshima university, there is also very kind house owner who gathered international students to have Barbeque at his house including other kinds of Japanese food. I enjoyed the food and chatting with many international students there very much.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

I work at Khangkhay Teacher Training College. I have two main duties teaching and office work. Regarding the teaching, I suppose to teach mathematics or mathematics teaching methodology. Additionally, due to a small number of preservice teachers, I was assigned to teach Lesson Study subject to several levels of preservice teachers. For example, kindergarten level, primary, and secondary level of preservice teachers.

In relation to what I had learned from Hiroshima university, mathematics education, especially Lesson Study, becomes my valuable knowledge to teach my student teachers as well as sharing with my colleagues. To sustain Lesson Study and following the Ministry of Education and Sports’ strategy, I design curriculum of Lesson Study subject and create Lesson Study handbook/textbook for my preservice students. Although I don’t have an opportunity to teach mathematics teaching methodology or pure mathematics, I and my colleagues make a group doing research within mathematics subject. I also motivate my colleagues to make lesson study groups in other subject areas.

Recently, in December 2020, I organized research seminar in the area of mathematics education called KMERG (Khangkhay Mathematics Education Research Group). This is a very good start of academic work in my workplace specifically for mathematics teacher educators. In addition, I continue attending international conferences in mathematics education. For example, I participated WALS 2020 through online. By collecting those documents and continuously doing research, hopefully, I could propose myself to be associate professors in the next 3 years.

My second work is the vice unit of policy and inspection in personnel office of KhangKhay Teacher Training College. Of this work, every year I and my head unit organize a meeting to assess some documents of those who submitted proposing their academic position like lecturer assistants, lecturers, associate professors or professors. After checking those documents at the college level, we invite inspectors from the Ministry of Education and Sports to check again based on their criterion before proposing to ministry for consideration of issuing certificate of the academic position.

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

To those who are considering to study in Japan, I personally really recommend you to study at Hiroshima university because the professors in this university are very knowledgeable in their fields. They will make you become professionals in your interested subjects or area. Besides the knowledge, your professor will make you become a leader in your belonging laboratory or even when you return home country.

More importantly, Hiroshima University provided thousands of books in the library and millions of articles related to your research interest with very convenient facilities. I could say that Hiroshima University is one of the best universities in Japan.

KAO Sovansophal

Name	KAO Sovansophal
Country	Cambodia
Year / month of graduation	March 2021
Degree obtained	Doctoral Degree
Position / organization as of March 2021	Vice-chief Office, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

Made in Japan has been the most preferable brand of the products and being able to pursue my higher education in Japan has also been my longtime academic aspirations. Japan is the country with modern technology, and this is in line with my research interest in science and technology policy. Moreover, I am influenced by the Cambodian graduates from Japanese university.

These role models are equipped with practical knowledge not only in the subject matter but also in research. They have been contributing significantly to the sectoral improvement upon returning to Cambodia, and I want to be part of them. Hiroshima University is one of the flagship university offering diverse fields of study including education. In this regard, since I am from the education sector, Hiroshima University has been the most suitable institution. Having completed my master’s degree here, I am fascinated by not only the academic but also social and environmental aspects of Hiroshima University. As consequent, I am back to Hiroshima University to pursue my Doctoral Degree.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

During this three-year course at Hiroshima University, I have learnt and studied a lot. Academically, I could accumulate experiences to become a researcher. One of the outcomes of doing doctoral degree at Hiroshima University is to become an experienced researcher in the field of your expertise. Therefore, I have learnt a lot about the process of planning, conducting, writing, and publishing research articles in both regional and international journals. Second, I have learnt crucial knowledge in my field of research. Simply put, for my doctoral dissertation, I have been working on how to promote upper secondary school students’ interest in science so that they are aspired to uptake into STEM majors at higher education. With abundant learning and researching resources, therefore, I have learnt a lot about STEM promotion policy in the international and local contexts. In addition, Also, I have studied other academic related theme through participation in on-campus trainings and workshops. Besides academic work, I have also learnt much about Japanese people and Japanese cultures and civilization through accommodating myself in the community. I have also participated in several extracurricular activities of Hiroshima University including, but not limited to, peace exchange program and other cultural activities.

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

It has been an exciting experience for me to return to Hiroshima in 2018 after I left here in 2013. Apart from my academic life, there are many social aspects of Hiroshima and great Japanese citizens that I truly admire and make my stay here enjoyable. I cannot describe how much I appreciate Hiroshima. What I love the most about staying here is the friendly, helpful, and honest Japanese citizens. Like the other parts of Japan, Hiroshima is also one of the peaceful and clean places to stay. The lessons I have learnt in my social life in Hiroshima will also remain deeply embedded in my heart and in my memory. These lessons have shaped and sharpened my character as a global citizenship and made my stay here very meaningful life chapter.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

In Cambodia I am involved in three main job functions—department work, project related tasks, and Cambodia Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and Hiroshima University Collaboration Center. First, I am currently the vice-chief of admission office of the Department of Higher Education (DHE). Under this duty, I am taking part in the policy discussion involve in setting the admission criteria, orienting students in choosing major in higher education, and taking the consideration in improving STEM enrolment. Second, I am also the head of the former Development and Innovation Grant. Furthermore, under the second World Bank project, I am also a team member from the department to participate in any discussion, particularly for research and STEM improvement aspects, to prepare this Higher Education Improvement Project. Last, I am also the coordinator for Cambodia MoEYS and Hiroshima University Collaboration Center. Therefore, the crucial and practical knowledge gained from Hiroshima University would help my utilization plan as follow. First, since one of the main targets of MoEYS is to promote STEM enrolment in higher education, my knowledge in this subject matter would help contribute to the realization of MoEYS policy agenda. Moreover, what I have learnt at Hiroshima University would enable me, at the greatest extent, to implement the on-going project to improve higher education sub-sector in general and STEM education, in particular. Second, I would enhance my leadership potential to take higher leadership position to participate in higher level of policy discussion as well as education strategic planning and any other initiatives to help improve Cambodia higher education sub-sector. Third, as research promotion is one of the key agendas of MoEYS, I would utilize my competence gained from Hiroshima University to help promote research culture and research activities at higher education institutions (HEIs). I would help strengthen the implementation of the research promotion policy particularly in STEM of MoEYS under the new World Bank project. Last, I would continue to serve as the bridge for mutual understanding between Hiroshima University and HEIs in Cambodia. Therefore, I would support MoEYS and Hiroshima University Collaboration Center to achieve the goal of exchange students between Hiroshima University and Cambodian HEIs.

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

Having been educated at Hiroshima University for five years, I strongly recommend Hiroshima University to all prospective students to pursue their higher education for several key reasons. First, Hiroshima University is one of the comprehensive universities which can significantly develop individual potential in diverse fields of, but not limited to, science, engineering, medicine, and education.

Second, Hiroshima University significantly develops and enhances not only students’ expertise in the field but also their research skills. Students are comprehensively equipped with subject matter knowledge as well as research aspiration and research capacity upon graduation. Third, Hiroshima has abundant of resources for learning and doing research which can enable students to maximize their potential. Last, Hiroshima University is highly recommended for students who like a peaceful and natural friendly campus in Higashi-Hiroshima city.

SUN LianHua

Name	SUN LianHua
Country	CHINA
Year / month of graduation	March 2006
Degree obtained	PH.D
Position / organization as of March 2021	Associate Professor/School of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

I chose Hiroshima University because as a leading higher institution it provides great opportunities for the researchers around the world to conduct study on linguistics and Japanese language education.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

I earned Ph.D. at Hiroshima university with the focus on sociolinguistics and Japanese language education. My doctoral dissertation is entitled “A Sociolinguistic Study of the Chinese-Korean Addressing Terms”. In the dissertation, I investigated the linguistic life of ethnic minorities in a multi-ethnic country from a sociolinguistic point of view, especially how the addressing terms of Chinese-Korean changed over the past hundred years, and clarified the relationship between the changes of addressing terms and social environment.

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

I can never forget the pleasant six years’ life in Hiroshima. I can never forget the annual Higashi-Hiroshima Sake Festival I attended. I can still remember the taste of the delicious local sake and the famous “Bishu-nabe”, a Saijo specialty cooked only by sake, salt and pepper. I dream of going back to enjoy Hiroshima Oknomiyaki and Oyster dishes. Besides this, the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima, the fireworks display and the autumn leaves are all carved in my mind.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

After graduation from Hiroshima University in 2006, I joined in the faculty of Dalian University of technology, a prestigious higher institution in China. Currently, I am serving as an associate professor of Japanese linguistics in the School of Foreign Languages. Equipped with the expertise of Japanese language and sociolinguistics learnt in Hiroshima University, I am responsible for Japanese linguistics and sociolinguistics for both Japanese Majors and graduated students. Up to date, I mainly conduct comparative study on the use of addressing terms and linguistic landscape between Japan and China from a sociolinguistic perspective. I have established academic collaboration with professor Nobuharu SATO, Hiroshima University.

In addition, as a representative of the international collaboration program in Dalian University of technology, I organize students to participate in the “Japanese Language and Culture Study Program” in Hiroshima University. I am devoted to promoting the international exchange between our university and Hiroshima University.

Attending the China-Japan- South Korea -North Korea International Academic Symposium in Yanbian University, China

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

As an alumnus of Hiroshima University, I am proud of its commitment to creation of new forms of knowledge and pursuit of peace. In class and daily life, whenever available, I will recommend my beloved Alma Mater to the people around me. Up to now, recommended by me, two of my students have earned PhD at Hiroshima University, one of them is pursuing PhD there. They all agree that Hiroshima University is an ideal place to study and research, because of its open academic environment, international atmosphere, abundant teaching resources and library resources. Hiroshima has its unique natural environment and traditional lifestyle, which also provide students a valuable opportunity to learn Japanese traditional culture. I will keep recommending Hiroshima University for further study.

TIN NU NU WAI

Name	TIN NU NU WAI
Country	Myanmar
Year / month of graduation	September 2019
Degree obtained	Master of Education
Position / organization as of March 2021	Lecturer, Sagaing University of Education

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

I chose Japan to study abroad because Japan is one of the top countries for quality education through early childhood to a higher level. I believed that study in Japanese universities would provide a solid foundation for my professional life as a teacher and a researcher. Besides, Japan is famous for its people who are hardworking and attachment to disciplines and hospitality. It is also well known for its safe, clean and secure environment. These facts made me inspire to learn in Japan. Hiroshima university provides different courses relating to the education field. I believed that these courses could help me acquire the constructive attitudes, knowledge, and abilities essential for my professional development. The University provides a supportive learning environment through essential facilities to study and live comfortably, such as libraries, restaurants, health care centers, and counseling centers. The beauty of the relaxed campus is also one of the attractions to study at Hiroshima University.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

I have learned a lot from Hiroshima University. Different courses from the University make me broaden and improve my knowledge and skills of academic areas and other essential professional development skills. I studied education courses that provide valuable knowledge and experience regarding theories and practices of education. I know more about how people from different countries try for education to be a sustainable and prosperous world.

My perspectives on education have been widened through lectures. I could also learn various methods of research both theoretically and practically from different classes. Moreover, academic writing classes and educational statistics classes support me to improve my research skills. Significantly, the weekly seminars with the main professor helped me enrich knowledge and analytical skills regarding research and academic area. I also studied different cultures of Asians through Asian culture class. This course enhanced my understanding of differences in cultures and how to live together with differences. Especially, I studied and researched in the Early Childhood Care and Education field. The lectures and visits to early childhood education centers widened my understanding of early childhood education’s importance theoretically and its practices. I wrote a thesis titled “A Study on the Effect of Play-based Curriculum on Cognitive and Non-cognitive Abilities of Kindergarten Children in Myanmar.”

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

I enjoyed staying in Hiroshima. I have many memorable experiences during my stay in Hiroshima. One of the most unforgettable experiences is my first experience of presenting my research at the Japan Comparative Education Society Conference held in Hiroshima. I put much effort into this presentation with the great support of my professor. I felt really excited to present in front of the audience. I received constructive feedback from the audience and had a good time. I could also learn research and presentations of students and researchers from different universities. These experiences encouraged me to enjoy academic conferences.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

I am a lecturer at the Department of Educational Psychology, Sagaing University of Education, Myanmar. Knowledge and skills acquired from the Hiroshima University help me a lot in my professional life. Since I am a teacher and I learned the Education development course, I have been using academic skills directly in my workplace. I have learned not only academic skills from the professors but also their pedagogical skills. After a two-year study, I have changed some of my teaching styles, lesson preparation and presentation after my master’s degree at the Hiroshima University. For example, I prepared questions and quiz at the beginning and end of a lecture to induce students’ interests and assess their understanding, resulting in improvement of students’ motivation. As a University teacher, I need to supervise undergraduate students’ term papers and graduate students’ thesis. I can apply what I have learned such as academic and research knowledge, supervision of students. Besides teaching-learning, I continue to research in the academic field using the skills acquired from the Hiroshima University. Moreover, I share my academic experiences and daily life experiences in Japan with my colleagues and students through workshops and classes. Therefore, my students’ perspectives can be broadened through my experiences. Significantly, I have a chance to use my knowledge of my specialized academic area, Early Childhood Care and Education. We are trying to establish an Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) course at my University. I can apply the knowledge and experiences from the studies at the Hiroshima University and from my research experience.

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

I do recommend Hiroshima University for others to choose. I am conviced the Hiroshima University provides all students with excellent support for their students’ lives and beautiful experiences for their future. All staff at the University are recognized as warm, supportive and proficient. Learning academic knowledge and skills from proficient professors provides satisfaction for valuable experiences for their future. The staff from the support office are always ready to provide support for students. Hiroshima University is perfect for international students because of its excellent support to international students. We can also learn about different cultures and widen our network through various events and communication with international students. All in all, Hiroshima University always welcomes students with its cool and seasonal beauty of the campus.

Robb J.Y. Lee

Name	Robb J.Y. Lee
Country	USA
Year / month of graduation	March 2019
Degree obtained	Master’s Degree
Position / organization as of March 2021	English Language Teacher; A Public International JHS/SHS in Hiroshima

This article was written in March 2021.

Why did you choose Japan, and Hiroshima university for your study?

After finishing my undergraduate degree in the United States, I wanted to gain experience living and working abroad in a foreign country soon after finishing my undergraduate degree in the US. I chose to study at Hiroshima University’s (Graduate school of IDEC) because the program allowed me to study in English and also that I could connect with Japanese students, professors and that I could also network with many foreign students from countries all over the world. It was an amazing opportunity for me to connect what I do professionally as an English teacher, with amazing people who are linguistically and culturally diverse.

What did you learn and study at Hiroshima university?

In my studies at Hiroshima University, my area of study was in Educational Development, and my thesis focused on short-term study abroad and its relationship to transformational learning on subjects in university who had little or no experience traveling or living abroad. With the help of the Hiroshima University international study abroad programs department, IDEC staff and especially my advisor, Professor Ayami Nakaya, I was able to conduct field research on my subjects during a short-term study abroad experience to Indonesia. It was amazing to see and experience the process of transformational learning during study abroad through the eyes of the participants.

Students are deciding their roles for a volunteer activity.

Without the advice, hard work and constant support of my professor and staff at Hiroshima University, I would not have been as successful as I was completing my Master’s thesis and degree.

Did you enjoy your stay in Hiroshima?

In all honesty, I have been living in Hiroshima for several years, and I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate and enjoy living and working in this wonderful area of Japan. The weather is fairly stable compared to very cold or very hot parts of Japan, and the food is very delicious, especially the oysters, okonomiyaki, and many types of ramen noodles. I could say a lot more about the delicious food here in Hiroshima, but I would run out of space in writing this article. As for my best experience while living in Hiroshima, I would have to say that there is always something memorable and unforgettable every year that I live here, so I don’t really have just one memorable experience. However, I can just say how thankful and grateful I am to constantly be able to meet many amazing and inspiring people around me. Maybe that is the best part of living in a foreign country and an amazing place like Hiroshima.

Please tell us your current work. Does what you learned or studied at Hiroshima university help you?

First established in the Spring of 2019, I currently work at a new and innovative junior and senior high school in Hiroshima prefecture. My experience studying with many international students at Hiroshima University has proven to be very valuable in my current work, because I can leverage what I have learned about the value and importance of logical debate, local curriculum development in schools, human resource development for education in different parts of the world, and current trends and challenges for the development of higher education in university and college. In addition to the valuable knowledge learned at Hiroshima University’s graduate school of International Development and Cooperation (or IDEC), I have made many friendships and connections with people from Southeast Asia, Africa, East Asia, the Middle East and from Europe. With the help and support of my international friends and colleagues, I have been able to connect my current students to not only different parts of the world, but to also connect with new and innovative ways of communicating and thinking.

Do you recommend Hiroshima university for others to choose?

If you are looking to expand your knowledge in a certain field, or if you are looking to meet many innovative people from different parts of the world, then studying at Hiroshima University is a great place to be. The campus and surrounding environment are very clean and safe, and the people of Higashi-Hiroshima are very welcoming and friendly. Hiroshima university is very supportive of international students and their efforts to study or to do research here in Japan. It is always challenging to live and study in a foreign country but studying in Japan and especially in Hiroshima can be, for lack of better words…positively transformational. Mahalo and thank you very much.