ISW Program Held on January 26 to 30, 2026

From January 26 to 30, the Graduate School of Dentistry hosted the international exchange program International Student Week (ISW), welcoming a total of six dental students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) and Wonkwang University (South Korea).

The first day began with an orientation conducted by Associate Professor HIROSE from the Department of Microbiology. This was followed by a welcome lunch hosted by Dean NAKANO. Assistant Professor Rosyida from the Department of Orthodontics at Universitas Gadjah Mada also joined the welcome lunch as an accompanying faculty member. During the lunch, lively conversations unfolded on topics such as the food cultures of both countries, previous experiences in Japan, and student life, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere.

In the afternoon, Professor MURAKAMI, Director of the Center for Global Oral Health at the University of Osaka Dental Hospital, led a guided tour of the university hospital.International graduate students from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology accompanied the group as a guide, facilitating active communication by responding to questions from the students.

After the tour, Assistant Professor Rosyida paid a courtesy visit to Professor YAMASHIRO, during which they exchanged views on potential future collaboration in the field of orthodontics. She commented, “It was a very fruitful discussion, and I truly appreciated the opportunity to meet with him. I look forward to reporting back to my university.”

From the second day onward, the schedule featured a series of mini-lectures, clinical division visits, and facility tours. The students showed strong motivation throughout the program, listening attentively and asking insightful questions.

A welcome party was also held during the week, where students from Universitas Gadjah Mada and Wonkwang University gave presentations introducing their home universities, providing a meaningful opportunity to deepen mutual understanding regarding cultural backgrounds, educational environments, and student life. Later, the students continued interacting outside the program, even dining together—an episode that highlighted the friendships fostered during the welcome party.

Participants provided positive feedback, such as:
“Before joining this program, I had already heard excellent reviews from my professors and seniors, and the experience fully met—and even exceeded—my expectations.” and “Every professor and lecturer in this program explained everything with great enthusiasm, and I truly felt welcomed.”

Graduate School of Dentistry at The University of Osaka will continue to actively promote international exchange and collaboration through programs such as ISW, with the aim of fostering dental professionals and researchers who can play active roles on the global stage.

The next ISW program is scheduled to welcome students from the University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)fromMarch 9 (Mon) to March 13 (Fri).