The University of Alberta’s Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research serves as the managing body of the Prince Takamado Japan Canada Memorial Fund and also as the Canadian secretariat for the Japan Canada Academic Consortium, a network of universities across Canada and Japan, which organizes annual student forum for students. The Centre, directed by Dr. Aya Fujiwara, promotes the exchange of undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and teachers and to encourage a movement of ideas and knowledge between the two countries.
A message from Lesley Cormack, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta:
“The Prince Takamado Japan Centre’s (PTJC) promotion of the Japanese language and culture in Canada aligns with the University of Alberta and Faculty of Arts’ commitment to enabling bold and productive opportunities for dialogue, meaningful national and international collaboration, cross-disciplinary research and creative activity. The PTJC is helping to facilitate stronger academic links between Japan and Canada by fostering new teaching and research opportunities. The PTJC’s most successful and sustained programs have advanced Japan-Canada student mobility through extensive collaboration with other universities and sponsors.”
www.ualberta.ca/ptjc
www.jacac.com
Erika Rodning, 2015, University of Alberta:
“Following my involvement with the Forum, I travelled to Japan for a month-long backpacking trip around the country. I was able to connect with a dozen of connections I had made through the program, and the information I had learned about the country came to life before my eyes. My travels… are merely the beginning of a long relationship to come with Japan – something I can attribute to JACAC.”
www.ualberta.ca
www.ualberta.ca/ptjc
Gabriel Chen, 2012/2013, University of British Columbia:
“Participating in JACAC really expanded my network as I met people from all over Japan and Canada. I created many strong friendships… Whenever I travel in Japan or Canada, I try to visit some ex-JACAC participants and they are always happy to give me a tour of their city. I also have had a few participants visit me in Vancouver, and I had a great time showing them around.”
Kenta Natsume, 2016, Hosei University:
“After the forum, I started being interested in environmental issues more because the theme of the forum was energy and society… I simply try to be eco-friendly more after the forum. Personally, I noticed that it is a good thing to interact with people with various backgrounds in order to broaden horizon. For example, one of the Canadian participants have so different ideas from mine. That is why I decided to study abroad… in the U.S. as an exchange student.”
Takaya Tokuyama, Kwansei Gakuin University:
“It was so surprising to me how closely KGU and Canada have been helped each other for a long time… JACAC helped me deepen the understandings of the detail about the relationship between my university and Canada. I decided to take more Canada studies courses to develop the knowledge that I could gain in this forum. The most impressive thing on this program is all friendship and connections that I could build. All the participants are absolutely amazing people, and they all seek their interests with a big passion for their dreams. Working and spending time with those passionate people were so fabulous that I already miss all of them.”
