{"id":90101,"date":"2026-11-12T15:00:32","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T06:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=90101"},"modified":"2026-11-12T19:32:49","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T10:32:49","slug":"outside-the-classroom-learning-comes-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/90101","title":{"rendered":"Outside the Classroom, Learning Comes Alive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Outside the Classroom<\/span>, Learning Comes <\/span>Alive<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u2013 Professor Miki <\/span>Ikoma<\/span> and the Leipzig Program: Fostering International Learning \u2013<\/span><\/h2>\n

As soon as <\/span>s<\/span>tudents <\/span>arrive in the city<\/span> of Leipzig, Germany, <\/span>they are <\/span>immediately<\/span><\/span> immersed in the <\/span>German-speaking world. From <\/span>everyday interactions<\/span> with locals<\/span> to <\/span>exchanges<\/span> with <\/span>students and<\/span><\/span> life<\/span> with homestay families <\/span><\/span>\u2013<\/span><\/span> the <\/span>language<\/span> they <\/span>have<\/span> learned in <\/span>a classroom setting<\/span><\/span> is put to the test as<\/span> their own<\/span> in the real world<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>Professor Miki Ikoma<\/span><\/span><\/a> of the<\/span> School<\/span> of Political Science and Economics<\/span> has been <\/span>providing her <\/span>students with<\/span><\/span> such experiences<\/span><\/span> for <\/span>over ten years<\/span> throu<\/span>gh the Leipzig Pro<\/span>gram.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to<\/span> promoting<\/span> study abroad programs that send Waseda students to study at international partner universities<\/span> as exchange students<\/span>, Waseda University also offers the <\/span>Faculty<\/span>-Led Education Abroad Program Gran<\/span>t to<\/span> support student participation in overseas programs planned and conducted by Waseda faculty members. T<\/span>hese programs can encompass a wide <\/span>range of educational activities, <\/span>including <\/span>language programs<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>seminar <\/span>participation<\/span><\/span>,<\/span> <\/span>and fieldwork, providing students with opportunities to put the knowledge and language skills they have <\/span>cultivated <\/span>in the classroom to the test in real-world settings <\/span>while encountering<\/span> different perspectives and ways of thinking.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>exchange<\/span> program with Leipzig University is one such example. <\/span>Here, sustained teaching efforts by a Waseda professor have <\/span>combined with<\/span><\/span> students\u2019 own initiative, allowing them<\/span> to <\/span>gain<\/span> learning experiences that would be hard to come by in the classroom. <\/span>We interviewed Professor Miki <\/span>Ikoma<\/span> about her motivations for starting the program and the value it has offered students over the years.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

*Check out the following article to read the perspectives of the students who took part in the Leipzig Program accompanied by Professor Ikoma<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u21d2<\/span><\/b>“The World Was Closer Than I Thought”: How the Leipzig Program Shaped the Futures of Three Waseda Students<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning <\/span>T<\/span>hat Starts by Going Abroad<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Leipzig Program grew out of a history of exchange between Waseda and Leipzig University. Now run jointly by the School of Political Science and Economics and the School of Law, it has become firmly established as a learning experience encompassing presentations, discussions, and daily life. During the program, students are tasked with giving presentations in German and taking part in discussions held in a mix of Japanese and German. Additionally, through language and culture tandem sessions and homestays, they gain sustained experience using the language in everyday situations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the moment you step outside in the morning, you can\u2019t get by without using German. The participants truly spend the entire program, from start to finish, surrounded by the language.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, w<\/span>hat students have learned in the classroom connects with the real world<\/span> from <\/span>the<\/span> very first moments of <\/span>the<\/span> program.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Visiting St. Nicholas Church during a tour of the city with Leipzig University students<\/p><\/div>\n

How Being Understood Transforms Learning<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the heart of the program is providing students with the experience of being understood in another language.
\n\u201cSpeaking and finding that you<\/span>\u2019re understood <\/span>\u2013 that experience really makes a big difference. That<\/span>\u2019s when students realize that what they\u2019ve been learning hasn\u2019t been for nothing.<\/span>\u201d
\nAs opportunities to use German in Japan are limited, these moments of success leave a particularly strong impression. More than providing a simple sense of accomplishment, these moments renew students<\/span>\u2019 faith in the learning process itself.
\n<\/span>\u201cIt<\/span>\u2019s a different kind of feeling from speaking English. Being understood in German is, I think, a truly special experience.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Participants regroup at Leipzig Central Station<\/p><\/div>\n

Short-Term Experiences, Long-Term Change<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Even a stay of just a few days to a week can have a considerable impact.
\n<\/span>\u201cMany students start to become more motivated even before they embark on the trip, thinking, <\/span>\u2018If I<\/span>\u2019m going to go abroad, I want to make it count.<\/span>\u2019 And the changes after they come back are significant as well.<\/span>\u201d
\nSome students, frustrated at not being able to speak as well as they had hoped, use that experience as motivation to recommit to their studies, taking more German courses to build their skills. For many others, it broadens their interest in studying abroad, something they had not seriously considered before. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this way, a short-term experience can become a turning point that shapes students\u2019 future paths.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

On the Berlin subway<\/p><\/div>\n

A Program Designed to Encourage Student Initiative<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The program is built on the premise that students will act autonomously. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we arrive, I basically leave things up to the students. Interactions with locals start naturally from the very first day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Exchanges between students grow and develop on their own, without excessive professor intervention. This environment is what turns the passive learning of a classroom-based curriculum into an active, self-driven experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Students giving a presentation introducing Waseda University<\/p><\/div>\n

New Possibilities for Faculty<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This approach also challenges the idea that leading students abroad is necessarily a heavy burden.
\n<\/span>\u201cIt<\/span>\u2019s not as if you have to keep a close eye on every little thing. The students take the initiative, so you can leave a lot to them.<\/span>\u201d
\nWhile respecting students<\/span>\u2019 independence, faculty members can focus on ensuring their safety and supporting their learning from the sidelines. In addition, speaking with professors and colleagues at the partner university can provide the Waseda faculty with new insights they can apply to future teaching and educational programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cInteracting with the faculty there has been extremely valuable.<\/span>\u201d
\nThe relationships of trust built through ongoing exchange may also lead to future student exchanges and educational partnerships. Over time, these accumulated efforts ultimately produce more learning opportunities for students.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Exchange with Leipzig University students<\/p><\/div>\n

Why There Is No Substitute for Going Abroad<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Professor Ikoma describes why learning on location matters.
\n<\/span>\u201cThere<\/span>\u2019s a lot you really can<\/span>\u2019t understand without going abroad yourself.<\/span>\u201d
\nStudents come to see the setting in which a language is used, the customs and traditions behind it, and the way people relate to one another. Through homestays and everyday conversations, they encounter perspectives and ways of thinking that textbooks cannot fully capture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCasual conversations reveal the ways in which people from a certain country think. Noticing those things is a key part of learning, too.<\/span>\u201d
\nChanging one\u2019s environment even for a short time can have a large impact on what students can pick up about a language. In this respect, the program offers an exceptionally high return on educational investment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Waseda students presenting on Japan\u2019s declining birthrate and aging population<\/p><\/div>\n

Helping Students Take the First Step<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

These opportunities are made possible by the Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Grant.
\n<\/span>\u201cEven a subsidy of 50,000 yen makes it much easier for students to take that first step.<\/span>\u201d
\nFinancial support thus helps to turn students<\/span>\u2019 motivation into concrete action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even relatively modest support can have a significant impact in creating turning points in each student<\/span>\u2019s learning journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Visiting Market Square during a tour of the city with Leipzig University students<\/p><\/div>\n

Sustaining and Expanding the Program<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the same time, initiatives like this are limited by funding.
\n<\/span>\u201cA lot of students are interested, so I<\/span>\u2019d like to see the program expand a little more.<\/span>\u201d
\nDespite growing demand, the number of opportunities that can currently be offered is limited. Yet the changes this program brings about, such as increasing motivation to learn and connecting to future study abroad experiences, extend beyond individual students.<\/span><\/p>\n

Small-scale support can become a catalyst that shapes students<\/span>\u2019 futures, and over time, these efforts help raise the level of international education across the university as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Taking part in a group discussion<\/p><\/div>\n

Nurturing Students to Connect with the World<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cI see it not just as a language program, but as a place for students to experience firsthand the connections between language, culture, and people,<\/span>\u201d says Professor Ikoma.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each individual experience may be small, but that single step can change how students learn, broaden their horizons, and eventually grow into the ability to connect Japan with the world.
\nThe challenge now is to make these opportunities available to even more students and to expand the possibilities they offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Grant<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Waseda University\u2019s Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Grant supports student participation in overseas programs planned and conducted by faculty members. Not limited to language programs, the grant is used for a wide range of educational activities, such as seminar participation and fieldwork, providing students with opportunities to put the knowledge and language skills they have cultivated in the classroom to the test in real-world settings while encountering different perspectives and ways of thinking. In the exchange program with Leipzig University in Germany, led by Professor Miki Ikoma of the Faculty of Political Science and Economics, sustained teaching efforts by faculty have gone hand in hand with students\u2019 own willingness to take on challenges, opening the door to new learning experiences and future paths.<\/p>\n

Instructor Profile<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Miki Ikoma<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Professor, School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University. Specializing in German linguistics and German language education, Professor Ikoma has led overseas programs for over ten years. Centered on exchange with Leipzig University, she is committed to hands-on international education.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Outside the Classroom, Learning Comes Alive\u00a0 \u2013 Professor Miki Ikoma and the Leipzig Program: Fostering Interna […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":90108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,117],"tags":[376,214,175],"class_list":["post-90101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-topic","tag-international","tag-intl-office-en","tag-students-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90101","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=90101"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90112,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90101\/revisions\/90112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}