The Language Education Center at Nagoya University held the " Nagoya University Short-term Japanese Program" from February 3 to 17, 2025. It had been three years since this program was held online in the spring of 2022, and about six years since it was held in person in the summer of 2019. The long-awaited in-person program welcomed 18 students from 12 partner universities.

In the morning Japanese language classes, students were divided into six groups of three and engaged in interactive activities, such as discussions and presentations. On the final day, students created posters on topics of their choices and gave presentations in groups. Although the students were nervous about presenting in Japanese for the first time, they gave impressive presentations that astonished the audience. After the presentations, one student remarked, "I strongly felt my personal growth in the process of preparing for the presentation. The sense of accomplishment after completing my presentation gave me great encouragement for my future studies and challenges."

In the afternoon activities, the students experienced dressing in kimono and visited the "Disaster Mitigation Research Center" to observe base seismic isolation structures. Other activities included experiencing the tea ceremony, interacting with Nagoya University students, home visits, and trips to the Museum Meiji-Mura and Inuyama Castle. Through these activities and exchanges, participants were able to deepen their understanding not only of the Japanese language but also of Japanese cultures.

Participants shared their comments such as, "The learning and encounters at NUSTEP will be a valuable asset for my future studies and life.", "Coming to Japan was a wonderful decision.", and "Nagoya has become my second hometown.", etc. We hope that the experiences gained through NUSTEP will help participants in the next new steps of their lives, and we aim to continue offering enriching programs in the future.

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