Activity Report- The “Summer School of Basic Japanese Studies” and the “Industry - Government - Academia Collaboration Internship Program” (July 1 - August 10, 2026)

The Inter-University Exchange Project Summer Program ran for six weeks, from July 1 to August 10, 2026, and brought together 11 students from five universities: the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), the University of Washington (UW), the Georgia Institute of Technology (GT), the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and Huron University College.

From July 3 to July 14, a two-week "Summer School of Basic Japanese Studies" was held in cooperation with the Center for Global Engagement. The program combined Japanese language classes in the mornings with Japanese cultural discussions with Kobe University students in the afternoon. Lectures and Area Studies paved for deeper insight into the history and culture of Kobe.

Students were divided into beginner and intermediate classes. Lessons focused on Japanese expressions used in daily life and were conducted mostly in Japanese, giving international students more opportunities to practice and improve their language skills. At the end of the 7-day intensive Japanese lessons, students presented what they learned in the form of a final presentation.

Lectures/Excursions

Before the internship week, students visited the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution Museum, where they gained a deeper understanding of the historical earthquake that affected the Kobe–Kansai area

Afterwards, the students listened to a discourse on the molecular make-up of Kobe beef with a lecture from Prof. Ueda, a distinguished professor in the said field.

A fun tour of the Kikumasamune Brewery also took place observing how prized brewery masters create one of the world’s best sake.

Internships

The next three days were filled with internship immersion as the students were divided into groups to be sent to the Kobe City Government, Maruyanagi and Suzette. The students learned the basics on factory production and marketing as well as establishing inter-cultural linkages between Japan and the world.

Maruyanagi

Maruyanagi is a renowned food company in Japan that specializes in healthy and traditional Japanese foods. It is also known for pioneering steamed beans production as well as kelp or Tsukudani in Japanese. Its mother factory is located in Kobe Japan. Participants were tasked in creating a presentation on internationally marketing the company’s products as they have markets all over the world.

Suzette

Suzette is a known confectionery company and is also located in the Hyogo prefecture. It’s known for its major brands such as Henri Charpentier, Casaneo, and Backhaus Irie. Participants were challenged to present in Japanese a concept that would target international customers. In addition to the factory tour in Nishinomiya, the students visited several stores of their own choosing in Kobe and Osaka, where they compared and analyzed various products.

Kobe City Government

At the International Division, Kobe City Government, the students wrote research papers on Seattle, which is a sister city of Kobe, and analyzed Kobe City’s English-language brochures and tourism websites, among other activities.

“I was very glad to be the one picked for this internship. It showed me what work is done in the government building. The leaders were very nice and explained everything very well.” - Kobe City Government internship participant

Kobe University’s Food Resources Education and Research Center

Internship continued with two days at Kobe University’s Food Resources Education and Research Center, where they experienced farm work and life on the farm. They learned about the rigorous and strict process of raising Kobe beef cattle, as well as seeing the latest agricultural technologies being developed by researchers in Kobe University. The first day culminated with a Kobe beef barbecue feast provided for by the Dean of Graduate School of Agricultural Science.

”While it was very hot, I loved the interactive activities and the variety of things that we got to do on the farm. Shirai Sensei’s bbq was also a blast and I could tell everyone loved it! it was also great getting to take the bicycles out and explore the Japanese countryside, which wasn’t really possible where we were living in Kobe. The facilities were also really nice, i definitely wasn’t expecting to be able to use the whole building just for us to stay overnight.” -participant

Pasona

Awaji Island in Awagi Global League (Pasona) 3-day internship. Together with other students from universities around the world, they immersed themselves in a packed program that included cross-cultural workshops, hands-on farming experiences, group discussions addressing local issues from multicultural perspectives, and presentations.

“Pasona Awaji Island. It felt like a very professional environment with a good balance of work and free-time, although quite intense. I valued the lectures given and the opportunity to talk with and make friends with students from all around the globe.” - participant

Kewpie

The last two days of the internship were allocated for touring the Kobe factory of the world-renowned Japanese mayonnaise brand- Kewpie. Here they learned about the company’s history, manufacturing process and global export operations. They also experienced making their own mayonnaise as a fun hands-on activity. On the final day, the students gave presentations on market research and marketing strategies related to their home countries.

“Short but very satisfying experience into one of the world’s biggest condiment company.”- participant

The program ended with a final presentation from the students reflecting on their experiences, key learnings, and celebrated the knowledge and connections they had gained throughout the program.

Main Takeaways

“I really loved the program because I was able to learn about Japanese culture and work ethic, experience lots of cool places and activities around Japan and make friends with lots of people I met!”- Lizzy Heeren, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“This program opened my mind to living and working in Japan. After this program, a part of my heart will always be in Kobe.” - Maile Schilling, Huron University College

“This program gave me more than simple memories: it sparked a paradigm shift in how I see the world, myself and the boundless possibilities ahead of me.” - Ray Kwak, Georgia Institute of Technology