Philosophy and Concept
Currently, Waseda has more than 2,000 international students, the largest number among private Japanese universities (the second highest of all Japanese universities after the University of Tokyo). Most local students, however, feel that they have little opportunity to make friends with these international students beyond campus or department borders, as many of them are enrolled in a specific graduate or undergraduate school.
International students likewise miss out on chances to interact with local students, and tend to stick with their fellow international students during their stay at Waseda. Both local and international students' needs for exchange are the same, yet until now there has been no facility in place to meet these very important needs. Many such voices from the students, faculty, and staff began to reach the main office of the university. In order to fill the gap between the ideal and the reality and to take advantage of the already international environment at Waseda, ICC will play the role of the exchange initiator to promote active and dynamic exchange on campus.
We find the words "Waseda is a melting pot of diverse cultures" in our school song, indicating that our founder believed in the importance of exchange with other cultures even at the dawn of Japan's internationalization.
ICC offers such an environment, where all students can interact regardless of nationality or culture, and through that interaction, deepen their understanding of each other's cultures and from there generate new values and interests.
We have prepared a brand-new lounge and various programs to provide international students with opportunities to learn more about Japan and Waseda, while local students can become more sensitive to other cultures. ICC's activities are lead by selected student staff members in order to truly serve students' needs.
