{"id":88695,"date":"2026-07-07T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T01:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=88695"},"modified":"2026-07-07T10:13:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T01:13:28","slug":"waseda-summer-session-welcome-party-promotes-networking-amongst-participants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/88695","title":{"rendered":"Waseda Summer Session Welcome Party Promotes Networking Amongst Participants"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Waseda\u00a0University International Conference Hall became the focus of global academic exchange as it hosted the orientation and welcome reception for the\u00a0Waseda\u00a0Summer Session on June 15<\/span>th<\/span>, 2026.\u00a0Waseda\u00a0University\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Global Immersion Program (GIP)<\/span><\/a>\u00a0held the event, which attracted a diverse group of scholars.<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The short-term exchange orientation transcend<\/span>\u200b<\/span>ed<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0traditional study-abroad frameworks, operating on five core tenets: to introduce the international student body to Japan\u2019s distinct cultural and academic landscape; to cultivate enduring global networks over an intensive six-week period; to provide profound immersion into the dynamic urban fabric of Shinjuku; to advance cross-lingual communication; and to foster environmental engagement through collaborative fieldwork. Welcoming over 200 visiting international students alongside an equal number of local peers, the reception highlighted the high degree of student autonomy and linguistic\u00a0proficiency\u00a0that define the\u00a0Waseda\u00a0community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The energy of the event was palpable, filled with a vibrant mosaic of languages, expectations, and excitement. What\u00a0immediately\u00a0stood out was the high degree of autonomy driving the event. The welcome party was\u00a0almost entirely\u00a0organized and managed by\u00a0Waseda\u00a0student staff in bright green uniforms. The students directed traffic,\u00a0facilitated\u00a0conversations, and\u00a0showcased\u00a0the impressive linguistic capabilities and independent culture that signifies the inclusivity of\u00a0Waseda\u2019s\u00a0academic environment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The spatial arrangement of the event was carefully managed to encourage face-to-face conversation naturally.\u00a0As participants entered, we were given name stickers and a sheet of paper with \u2018People Bingo\u2019 written on it.\u00a0The ice-breaking game featured a grid of characteristics and experiences that students might share across borders. Prompts ranged from daily habits like, \u201cDo you eat breakfast every day?\u201d to more complex background traits like, \u201cDo you speak more than three languages?\u201d These unique and hilarious questions swiftly became the hook for further conversations, as participants were guided by bilingual student hosts to separate meeting rooms where we were encouraged to take snacks and chat in groups.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2018People Bingo\u2019 proved to be a genius event. It gently engineered a friendly, low-pressure environment where even the most hesitant or shy individuals were encouraged to approach strangers. Urged on by the natural momentum of the room and the enthusiasm of more extroverted peers, the\u00a0initial\u00a0quiet quickly dissolved into a steady hum of laughter and chatter. The adaptation of Japanese teatime with the accompaniment of Japanese snacks is a very traditional and effective way to comfort the local peers and international guests.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had the privilege of speaking directly with several international attendees with a striking variety of backgrounds. I spoke with students hailing from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Thailand. We joked about the ways of greeting each other and exchanged information on how we study Japanese. Despite immense differences in our linguistic levels and diverse backgrounds, conversations flowed surprisingly smoothly. When words\u00a0failed to\u00a0convey our stories, we enthusiastically relied on hand gestures, Google Translate, and Google Maps to share our stories.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>Attendees viewed this welcome party as a rare and precious opportunity to interact with peers they otherwise would never cross paths with. Lin, from Vancouver, Canada, shared that she specifically chose\u00a0Waseda\u00a0for its abundant networking resources in the renowned major,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Political Science.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ian, from the University of Connecticut, accompanied by his\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span>Japanese\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>friend Sawaki, navigated the application process personally to expand his perspective in the sciences as they discussed the differences between the four<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>campuses:\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>Waseda\u00a0Campus which houses the central administrative buildings and Faculty of Political Science and Economi<\/span>\u200b<\/span>c<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>s, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Commerce, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of International Research and Education; Nishi-Waseda\u00a0Campus which fully integrates<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Faculty of Science and Engineering; Toyama Campus that<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u00a0is<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0dedicated to\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences; and Tokorozawa Campus which focuses on<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Faculty of Human Sciences and\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>Faculty of Sport Sciences.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For others, the draw was Japan itself. Clarice from the US and\u00a0Niflo\u00a0from Queen Mary University of London both spoke passionately about their fascination with Tokyo\u2019s unique lifestyle and culture. Compared to other parts of the world, the tranquility of Tokyo provides a satisfying learning environment for international\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>students<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Universal shared experiences quickly bridged the geographical gaps during the ice break activities. Students from the US bonded with local Japanese students over the abrupt shifts in Tokyo\u2019s early summer weather, laughing off the humidity and the mutual shock of experiencing minor earthquakes as a “local greeting.” A film\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>student, Wang, from China expressed her deep admiration for Japanese cinematic aesthetics and was eager to see how Waseda\u2019s summer curriculum would approach the subject. Meanwhile, students like Rizan and Akbar from Indonesia, studying law and electrical engineering, expressed\u00a0a strong desire\u00a0to explore future career opportunities in Japan. They are learning Japanese with enthusiasm and are looking forward to communicating with the local students with the newly learned language<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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When the natural momentum of conversation slowed, the student staff were always nearby to bridge the gaps. Staff members like Nirai drew on her experience\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>i<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>n overseas education as she understood firsthand how intimidating it can be to build a network in a foreign country. They warm-heartedly guided smaller groups together to ensure no one was left on the periphery. They also carried the flow of clearing up the scene after the events ended with a touch of hospitality, which warmed my heart as a guest.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The impact of the event was clear. Groups of newly acquainted friends were already making plans to grab dinner together in Shinjuku, exchanging social media for future international collaboration. The exchange of contacts laid the foundation for a network of cross-cultural knowledge and opportunities. The\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>organizing<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0administrative staff of the event from the Intercultural Communication Center (ICC) and Center for International Education (CIE) also expressed their warm welcome to students from overseas and that the annual event has become a\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>routine at\u00a0Waseda\u00a0that forges the foundation of an educational network all around the world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tokyo in the fresh eyes of international guests provided me with an enchanting new perspective on my own campus. The event was a profound display of diversity and a testament to\u00a0Waseda\u2019s\u00a0massive investment in bilingual, globalized education. The students I spoke with deeply cherished this\u00a0initial\u00a0opportunity to build an educational network, their excitement for the coming\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>six weeks radiating across the hall. When we choose to step out of our comfort zones and cross language barriers, incredible potential\u00a0emerges\u00a0for collaboration. As a current\u00a0Waseda\u00a0student, I\u00a0sincerely hope\u00a0they experience everything\u00a0Waseda, and Tokyo, have to offer to the fullest.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>The\u00a0Waseda\u00a0Summer Session is an annual program. Further information can be found on\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/inst\/gip\/summer-session<\/span><\/a>\u00a0.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:\u00a0Jingshi\u00a0Xiao<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\u200b<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I am a<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0student contributor<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u00a0studying science and<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0practising\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>spoken<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Japanese<\/span>\u200b<\/span>\u00a0here at\u00a0Waseda<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>I s<\/span><\/span>pend\u00a0<\/span>most of my<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>\u00a0time at Nishi-<\/span>\u200b<\/span>W<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span>aseda\u00a0<\/span>\u200b<\/span>Campus, where I\u00a0write<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/span> articles and enjoy hand-poured Japanese style coffee.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Waseda\u00a0University International Conference Hall became the focus of global academic exchange as it hosted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":88707,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,117],"tags":[263,370,376],"class_list":["post-88695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-topic","tag-campus_scenes-en","tag-contributor-en","tag-international"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88695"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88713,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88695\/revisions\/88713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}