* The years below means academic years. In Japan, an academic year starts in April and ends in March.
2024
During the 2024 academic year, our Interprofessional Service Learning (ISL) program expanded its global network with the addition of Monash University (Australia) as a new partner, joining our existing collaborations with Symbiosis International University (India) and the University of Leicester (UK). We welcomed and sent out 20 students each, resulting in a total of 40 participants in the program.
Throughout the program, students engaged in field studies and interacted with buddy students in their host countries, working together to address health-related social issues. They also presented their findings and shared their experiences. By collaborating with buddy students from different cultures and backgrounds, participants gained valuable practical learning and broadened their perspectives, further strengthening our international connections.
Participating students’ reflections (excerpts from post-program reflection sheets)
In particular, I studied environmental issues during our group work. Through this process, I realized that social problems are complex and arise from the intersection of various factors. In Japan, I especially came to understand how environmental preservation often conflicts with commercial activities, and how traditional systems that have been safeguarded for generations are beginning to break down due to challenges like a declining birth rate, an aging population, and changes in demand. As globalization progresses, I learned that the most important thing in addressing these issues is for each individual to recognize their significance and actively engage with them. Additionally, I strongly felt that young people are increasingly being asked to leverage their individual expertise and unique qualities to collaborate. To generate creative ideas, it is essential to make use of different perspectives and skills that each person brings. Furthermore, I realized the importance of the public health concept of leaving no one behind.
Through the GRIP program, I learned that social issues are deeply connected, and sustainable solutions require a holistic approach. For example, fighting poverty also means improving education and promoting gender equality. Environmental protection is linked to people's well-being and economic stability. In the future, I want to apply this understanding by considering sustainability in my work. Whether in business, policymaking, or community projects, I will think about long-term solutions and collaborate with different sectors to create meaningful impact, I also realized the importance of working with diverse people to solve complex social challenges, which I will keep in mind throughout my career.
I was particularly impressed by the learnings on how to collaborate with members from different backgrounds and specialties, and their attitudes. While different backgrounds and specialties can sometimes lead to ideas that are unexpected to me, they can also lead to conflicts of opinion. I realized that being aware of the differences between my background and that of the other person led me to think about the reasons for the conflicts and to respect the other person's opinions while also carefully explaining my own ideas. Since my specialty is nursing, it is likely that I will need to continue to collaborate not only with other health care professionals, but also with people from non-medical backgrounds. However, I believe that what I learned in this program will be the foundation of my attitude and way of thinking in this kind of professional collaboration.
I learnt about disaster preparedness. How things go, what all we have to be prepared for, and how prepared Japan is. I have also learnt about the ways we can escape from a disaster. So when a disaster occurs in the future, I'll try to help more people with what I have learnt here.
Through the GRIP program, I gained valuable insights into homelessness in Japan, particularly the issues of accessibility to resources and invisible homelessness. Despite available support systems, many individuals struggle to access them due to social stigma, cultural pride, and bureaucratic barriers. I also understood how economic structures influence homelessness differently. Unlike India, where homelessness is often linked to extreme poverty, Japan’s issue is tied to an aging population, employment instability, and the collapse of the asset bubble. This highlighted the need for tailored solutions based on economic conditions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Through the GRIP program, I gained valuable insights into cross-cultural approaches to social issues, particularly homelessness in India and Japan. I learned about policy frameworks, community-driven initiatives, and the role of government and NGOs in addressing homelessness. Engaging with diverse stakeholders enhanced my analytical skills and deepened my understanding of systemic challenges. In the future, I will apply these learnings to contribute to policy research, social impact initiatives, or corporate social responsibility projects. The program has reinforced my commitment to evidence-based decision-making and innovative problem-solving, which will be instrumental in my career in finance, consulting, or policy analysis.
Communication and translation have been a real challenge across the trip, and I want to remember what helped me communicate when there was a language barrier. I am going to apply this to my practice as a midwife in a diverse area. I have learnt more about public health and provision of care for the elderly and will apply the principles of supportive care to my practice.
I have strengthened communication of difficult public health concepts to diverse, multi-professional and global audiences, appreciating that English may not be their first language. I have learnt that the Japanese public health system structure has a notable benefit for more autonomous public health leads in municipal areas. I have seen the application of PH concepts in practice, like the diffusion of innovation theory, to galvanize behavior change for health promotion activities like improving physical activity. I have reflected on differences in rural and urban healthcare provision in Japan and the UK.
I practiced social problem-solving skills by identifying issues at different locations by interviewing residents and workers. I have developed skills in teamwork, leadership, and risk management, and have addressed challenges and used my influencing skills to advocate for action. I have learnt the importance of clear communication, including non-verbal communication, and respecting cultural practices. In the future, I will look for more opportunities to meet people from different cultures and understand their perspectives. I will share learning and our experiences with public health colleagues.
2023
In 2023, we are planning two types of ISLs in collaboration with Symbiosis International University in India and the University of Leicester in the UK. Field trips of Chiba University students in the counterpart countries are scheduled for February 2024. The students at Symbiosis International University and the University of Leicester are supposed to visit Japan in March 2024. The application will open in June 2023. We will inform here when the application was opened.
2022
The GRIP program in 2022 academic year started in January 2023. After the online pre-learning, 10 students from Chiba University visited the Symbiosis International (SIU, deemed university) participated Interprofessional Service Learning (ISL) for 10 days in February. In March, 10 students from SIU will visit Chiba University for about 10 days, and all participants conducted the final presentations in Metaverse.
From the post-program interviews for participating students
While preparing for the presentation, there were many questions that came up, for which we didn’t have any answer. Working together for the presentations led us to think deeper, and prepare the presentation in a very efficient way. The final presentation was also the final official meeting of us with our buddies. It was good to see them again. Moreover it was our first time using oVice. oVice was a great application and its usage for the final presentation was very appropriate. It was fun.
So my overall opinion is the GRIP program was a fantastic program. I think it gave us an opportunity to go abroad, and it gave me an opportunity to reflect on many things like I had to learn values of socialization, time-based thinking, problem-solving, all these are very important in my career as well. I have no other suggestions like this. I just wish that this moment or this memory would last a bit longer. I think just the time, rest of everything was fine.
We are now getting more confident to present ourselves in front of others also, and we are like having that thing in our behavior to cooperate with others and the knowledge we have gained from there and the things we have observed, behavioral things we have observed from there, we are trying to implement it in our behavior like the calmness, discipline – all these things we have seen in the Japanese people. (Omission) We are growing, like we are growing not only from the knowledgeable perspective, but from the personality also we are growing after this program. We are more confident now for everything.
Overall, I had a lot of fun. We don't have many opportunities to go to India, so my experience was very precious. I had a lot of experiences like visiting slums and streets that we cannot visit on an ordinal trip. I really appreciate this opportunity.
Before participating in GRIP, I thought that we, a developed country would provide support to other countries. But I figured out that the local people have their own systems, stories, and original environment. I saw that families help each other even in the slums. I felt that it is important to provide support that meets the needs of those people, rather than the one-sided support that we think they need.
When I heard about the problems of children with disabilities and children in slums in India at first, I felt a little bit sorry and thought that reducing the number of people in such situations would be the solution. However, I realized that there was a difference between solutions for society and solutions for individuals, and each person had a different aim. After all, I thought that the social structure is complicated and that the perspective of the problem changes by actually talking to the local people and people who are in the situation. (Omitted) There are times when short-term support is necessary, but there are times when it ends up being useless. So, now I think that it is important to address social issues with a long-term, final goal in mind.
I was surprised that Indian students were surprised by the number of elderly people in Japan, and I learned about support for homeless people in Japan through joining field studies of Indian students in Japan. I wouldn't have been able to experience these on my own. Therefore, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn with SIU students even in Japan.
It was quite hard to make a presentation as a group with students from other departments and different grades. But I also enjoyed listening to people who were different from me. I think it's good that I've changed from the feeling of “I have to talk to someone different from myself” to thinking “The studies in other faculties also look like fun.”
