International Student Week (ISW) Successfully Held！

From June 22 to June 26, our Graduate School hosted the international exchange program International Student Week (ISW). We welcomed a total of six students from three universities: The University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University, and the University of Sydney this time.

The University of Sydney had previously been unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts, making this its long-awaited first participation in the program and marking a welcome expansion of the program’s network of exchanges.

The program began with an orientation session led by Professor Hata. The students quickly got comfortable with one another, and the welcoming lunch hosted by Dean Nakano provided an excellent opportunity for lively conversations about topics such as food cultures in their respective countries and their experiences visiting Japan. The gathering was filled with a warm and friendly atmosphere throughout, providing an excellent start to the program.

Starting on the second day, a variety of activities were organized with the generous support of our faculty members, including laboratory tours and clinical department tours.

This year, participants were also given the opportunity to visit classes during practical training sessions and observe actual lectures. The experience allowed them to interact with our students, which proved to be both valuable and memorable.

In addition, the students were exposed to cutting-edge research and technologies at our institution. They showed particular interest in AI research and periodontal regenerative therapies, expressing great enthusiasm for the innovative research being conducted in these fields.

The participating students shared many positive reflections on their ISW experience. Among their comments were: “The program has greatly increased my interest in and understanding of dental research.” “ISW inspired me to consider pursuing a PhD, something I had not been particularly interested in before.”, “This experience will become a lifetime memory for me.”

We also held a welcome party with our students. Students from participating universities gave presentations introducing their institutions. Many of them were enthusiastic about Japanese culture and shared their experiences in Japan, which captured the interest of our students and prompted attentive and engaged listening.

Although the number of participants was smaller than usual, the more intimate setting provided greater opportunities for meaningful interaction. Students appeared to enjoy communicating in English and were actively engaged in conversations throughout the event.

After successfully completing the five-day program, the participants received their certificates of completion. The students expressed their gratitude for the warm hospitality they received and for the valuable opportunities to interact with our students and researchers. Many commented that, although the program was relatively short, they had enjoyed an extremely rewarding and memorable experience. Their remarks highlighted the overall success and meaningful impact of the program.

The next International Student Week (ISW) will be held from August 3 to August 7. We are looking forward to welcoming students from Newcastle University (United Kingdom), Hannover Medical School (Germany), and Ankara University (Türkiye).

We are confident that the upcoming program will once again provide a week filled with new friendships, stimulating academic exchanges, and exciting discoveries.