2022 Activity Report
March Activity Report
31 March 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Student life at the University of Lviv during the war (4)
On March 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the University of Lviv with European Parliament President Roberta Metzola. Students from other nearby institutions of higher education gathered at the University of Lviv for the exchange.
When asked how Ukraine should deal with an aggressive neighbor like Russia in the future, Zelenskyy said that the full EU and NATO membership would ensure the civilizational and security protection of our country, also said, "we will be the winning country. And we will be subject. It is very important to change the paradigm that has existed for many years. We are making Ukraine a powerful subject in Europe so that it is not said that Ukraine is somewhere near Russia, but so that everyone says that Russia is somewhere near Ukraine."
As for education in Ukraine, he said the war-ravaged country needs to renovate its educational network, and its educational space and curricula will be more in tune with today's world.
"Education should be what you want to go to – with your mind and your feet. It is necessary to have an attractive infrastructure. The level of the teaching staff is also important," Zelenskyy said.
President Metsola said that her own path to politics began with the student movement, and that no matter how difficult times may be, there is nothing better than to study at a strong educational institution with a rich history.
According to her, in these difficult times, it is crucial to have someone at the head of the state who has principles, vision, ideas, and a love for his country and its people.
President Metsola expressed her confidence in Ukraine becoming a member of the European Union, expressing that " Europe and the EU are your home too."
She stated that Europe will be with Ukraine until the war is over and that "and only Ukraine can decide when the war will end. We cannot talk about peace without justice, without freedom, without sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said.
The above is written with reference to the report on the official presidential website. Освіта в Україні має стати більш сучасною – Володимир Зеленський і Роберта Мецола поспілкувалися зі студентами Львівщини. 4 березня 2023 року – 16:58 [https://www.president.gov.ua/news/osvita-v-ukrayini-maye-stati-bilsh-suchasnoyu-volodimir-zele-81437] ( accessed March 27, 2023 ).
It is a simple and honest wish that "I pray peace will come soon," but we must also consider what kind of "peace" that is.
February Activity Report
28 February 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Changes in “the image of Ukrainians” over the past year
In case some of our students are interested, here are some excerpts from a research reported this month titled "HOW THE WAR CHANGED ME AND THE COUNTRY. SUMMARY OF THE YEAR."
The research was conducted by Ukraine research institute “Rating” (Соціологічна група Рейтинг [https://ratinggroup.ua/]), and published on 21 February. The aim of this research was “to show to what extent the views, assessments, and life of Ukrainians have changed in various spheres during the year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.” The "Ratings" conducted a joint research with NHK, which also released its findings on the same day (see the link at the end of this activity report). The following quotes in “” are from the research. I have chosen these excerpts at my own discretion, and they are not the full text.
“People's memories of February 24, 2022 reveal shock, confusion, uncertainty, unpreparedness. Despite this, these days, a year after the full-scale invasion, the confidence in victory is 95%, compared to 56% in January 2022. The majority (63%) believes that victory requires at least six months or even more time.”
They said that “A significant increase in social self-esteem is recorded. ” Ukraine’s self-esteem is “4.6 points out of 7, which is 1.5 times higher than the 2021 indicator.”
“The main emotion respondents feel when thinking about Ukraine is pride. As a result of the full-scale invasion and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people, this indicator has more than doubled - from 34% to 75%.”
It is written that there have also been changes in self-identification of their own nationality. “the absolute majority of respondents identify themselves as citizens of Ukraine (compared to 2021, the indicator has increased from 76% to 94%). Half identify themselves as Europeans (double growth).”
“22% of Ukrainians switched to more frequent use of the Ukrainian language during the year of the war.” 82% of Ukrainians answered their mother language is Ukrainian, and 60% of them answered that they used Ukrainian at home (that means without public pressure). This result showed the large contrast with people who use both Ukrainian and Russian (28%) and who use Russian (12%) (However, since the answers are self-assessments by the respondents, the data should be considered to be solely about their self-consciousness on what language they think they are using. The purpose of the survey is also a survey of Ukrainian attitudes.) Up until now, it is usually said many people in Ukraine use Russian language, but based on the data from the research, at least from Ukrainians’ understanding, we should say Ukraine is not a multilingual country. (Further research is needed to objectively determine which languages are being used.)
There is also a report on the financial situation, “two-thirds of respondents note a deterioration in their financial situation, one-third states lack of changes. At the same time, almost 40% (against 14% at the end of 2021) have experienced an increase of confidence in the future.”
“The priorities for country’s recovery are the restoration of enterprises and jobs and the reconstruction of damage, because most Ukrainians want to work, not to receive social assistance.”
“Ukraine is going through a difficult period of its development, rethinking its role in history. In general, the war has contributed to increasing the trust of citizens in state institutions. Trust in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has grown from 65% to 97%, in the President - from 36% to 90%.” As of January 2022, only 14% of the respondents «fully support» and 22% «somewhat support» the president, while 18% «somewhat do not support» and 44% «do not support at all» the president. As of this month, 59% «fully support» and 31% «somewhat support, » with disapproval being an absolute minority. In addition, 65% of respondents said they want the President to be reelected (besides his pledge to serve only one term.) On the other hand, 54% of respondents are dissatisfied with the National Assembly, more than the 37% who are satisfied, and if there are upcoming elections, voters will look for candidates other than the current parties.
“One of the direct consequences of the russian invasion was the strengthening of Euro-Atlantic moods among Ukrainians,” “These days, 87% support Ukraine joining the European Union, 86% - NATO.” This is an unprecedentedly high approval rating. At the same time, 74% believe that Ukraine is moving in the right direction (11% believe it is going in the wrong direction). “While in 2021 the majority of citizens had a negative image of the state, now more than half speak of a distinctly or moderately positive image.”
As for PSYCHOEMOTIONAL CHANGES, NHK also have showed the resuls, so I will not mention them here.
Please refer to the end of the following link for an explanation of the survey method, subjects, etc., if necessary.
Комплексне дослідження: ЯК ВІЙНА ЗМІНИЛА МЕНЕ ТА КРАЇНУ. ПІДСУМКИ РОКУ. Соціологічна група Рейтинг [https://ratinggroup.ua/research/ukraine/kompleksne_dosl_dzhennya_yak_v_yna_zm_nila_mene_ta_kra_nu_p_dsumki_roku.html] (Accessed March 5, 2023, the same applies hereafter).
Рік війни: як змінився портрет українців і України. Середа, 22 лютого 2023, 15:00
(Reference articles, press coverage of the research) [https://www.pravda.com.ua/columns/2023/02/22/7390482/].
(in Japanese) ウクライナ市民 8割が「心身に不調がある」と回答 NHK意識調査 (2023年2月21日 4時06分) [https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230221/k10013986201000.html].
Опитування: 8 з 10 українців мають проблеми зі здоров’ям. NHK WORLD, Ukrainian NEWS (вівторок 21 лют. 17:39) [https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/uk/news/20230221_11/].
January Activity Report
31 January 2023
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Life in Lviv during the war
More than 500 thousand internally displaced people were accepted in Lviv oblast, while 225 companies have relocated to there and recruit 4000 people. (На Львівщині прийняли понад 500 тисяч переселенців // galinfo [https://galinfo.com.ua/news/na_lvivshchyni_pryynyaly_ponad_500_tysyach_pereselentsiv_394965.html].) It can be assumed that many displaced people are in Lviv, the largest city in Lviv oblast. Prefabricated dwellings have been built on vacant lots in the city and are occupied by some displaced people, but at the same time, the price of rental housing has reportedly increased. In addition, Demand seems to be for short-term stays, but hotels and other temporary stay facilities also seem to be filling up.
According to the data as of January 31th, 2023, in Lviv it cost 13500UAH for the rent of a one-room apartment which is not clear whether it is a “one-room”, “1K”, or “1DK” in Japan, but probably refers to a room with a kitchen separated from a living room that also serves as a bedroom. On the other hand, the rent of the similar apartment in Kyiv, the capital city, which were always the most expensive, have fallen to 9000UAH. The median price for a two-room apartment is 16000 UAH in Lviv, 12000 UAH in Kyiv, and for a three-room apartment, 19000 UAH in Lviv and 18000 UAH in Kyiv. （Оренда квартир у Львові дорожча ніж в Києві – дослідження // Економічна правда [https://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2023/02/3/696695/]）
This could naturally benefit landlords in Lviv, but would be a less welcomed phenomenon for Lviv residents, whose incomes have traditionally been lower on average than those in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, it is said rooms on lower floors are becoming more popular in Kyiv.（Кияни стали орендувати квартири на нижчих поверхах через обстріли та електрику // Економічна правда [https://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2023/02/2/696645/]）
In the past, the higher floors were more popular and therefore more expensive, mainly for security reasons (as well as preference and value issues such as a good view, a good feeling, and a symbol of status,) but now it seems that the popularity of the upper floors has dropped due to the image that the upper floors are more at risk of being hit by missiles. It is also said that the popularity of the lower floors, which seem to be less likely to be hit by missiles, has risen. According to the data from the report, rental apartments on the first through tenth floor receive 50% more attention than those on higher floors, with the rooms on the first to fifth floor being particularly popular.
Thus, it seems that when war breaks out, people's attitudes toward housing change and the effects on real estate values are truly apparent.
TUFS Open Academy ; Free Online Japanese Language Course (Spring 2023) for Ukrainian Students
Following on from the spring and the fall semester of this academic year, TUFS will offer free online Japanese language courses for Ukrainian students in the coming academic year.
Application period is from Wednesday, February 15 to Sunday, March 19, 2023(JST).
Language courses
- Live Lesson Online Japanese Course
Class day : Friday 8:00PM-9:30PM(JST) / 2:00PM-3:30PM(EEST)
Level : Elementary 1 to Advanced 2
Course Period : April 7 to July 21 ※Total of 15 lessons
Culture course
- Learning about Japanese Society
Class day : Monday 8:00PM-9:30PM(JST) / 2:00PM-3:30PM(EEST)
Course Period : April 3 to June 26 ※Total of 12 lessons - Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
Class day : Tuesday 8:00PM-9:30PM(JST) / 2:00PM-3:30PM(EEST)
Course Period : April 4 to May 16 ※Total of 6 lessons - Reading Modern Japanese Literature
Class day : Wednesday 8:00PM-9:30PM(JST) / 2:00PM-3:30PM(EEST)
Course Period : April 5 to June 28 ※Total of 12 lessons - Creating an Online Theater Play in Japanese
Class day : Thursday 8:00PM-9:30PM(JST) / 2:00PM-3:30PM(EEST)
Course Period : April 6 to July 6 ※Total of 12 lessons
For the details, please see the description of each course at the following websites.
Courses in the spring semester
【Japanese】
https://www.tufs.ac.jp/social_international/open-academy/online-jpclass/spring.html
【English】
https://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/social_international/online-jpclass/spring.html
Ukrainian students wishing to take the course for free need to apply using the special form below. Please note that if you apply using the regular form, you will have to go through a separate procedure in order to take the course for free.
Application Form for Ukrainian Students
December Activity Report
31 December 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Student life at the University of Lviv during the war (3)
The everyday changing situation of the power & water outage continues with days when the power supply is only provided for a few hours (4 hours minimum).
There are time slots divided into 4-hour periods. Each group is assigned alternately to three periods; when the power supply is guaranteed, when there may or may not be electricity, and a power outage period. Every day these shifts keep changing. The days do not change but are fixed all the time. According to the plan, some parcels have electricity all the time, but that was explained as they are sections belonging to an electrical grid with a critical social infrastructure (referred to as Group 0, as opposed to power outage Groups from 1 to 3).
The exam period has begun at the University of Lviv. Since the Corona pandemic, online exams have become the norm. Still, they shifted it to the traditional face-to-face system because adjusting it to the power outage hours that vary by district is impossible. In addition, students had become so accustomed to online exams they were nervous about the face-to-face ones.
Defending the Master's thesis is also at the end of the year since the Master's program at the University of Lviv is only 1.5 years long. 1.5 years may seem like a lot of work to write a Master's thesis, but the University of Lviv seems to think that a shorter period of study gives the impression that it is easier to get and attract students.
November Activity Report
30 November 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Student life at the University of Lviv during the war (2)
Power outages accompanied with water outage increased in the city of Lviv due to damage to power facilities caused by missile attacks. Initially, the authorities divided the city into three groups of planned power outages by district (street). Each blackout lasted five hours and was assigned on a daily basis. Whether or not the power would go out depended on the situation at the time. Later, due to further destruction, the planned blackouts became unworkable and emergency blackouts were randomly done. Later, since the situation was said to have improved, the power outages were scheduled twice a day in every four-hours slots. Originally, slots for power outages were assigned, but due to the deteriorating power situation, slots for power supply were assigned.
The latest groupings and outage time allocations, as well as the current outage status, can be found at "Why No Electricity?" (Чому немає світла? [https://poweroff.loe.lviv.ua/]).
It seems that only the issue of electricity is often discussed, but power outages almost always mean water cuts at the same time (there may be differences between municipalities). Also, although I am not sure of the relationship, it seems that heating also stops during power outages. Since the housing complexes don’t have very well fitting doors, rooms get cold as soon as the heating is turned off.
From a student perspective, this blackout poses some very fundamental problems. First, at the University of Lviv (and probably at other universities as well), many classes are conducted online. However, because of the different power outage times for each student and faculty member, there are always some students who are unable to attend classes and some faculty members who are unable to conduct classes. Particularly, in small rural municipalities, power outages are likely to be more frequent, so students at hometowns will have higher rates of absences.
Considering this situation, it appears that the coming regular exams will be given in person at the university, but not conducted online like since the Corona disaster. Students are very nervous because they are used to taking exams online (especially the younger students who have only taken online exams).
What will happen to online classes if the situation deteriorates further? Even if the status quo is maintained, it seems to me that there would still be considerable obstacles to conducting classes.
By the way, what was the power supply like in Japan during the World War II? Come to think of it, I have not heard much about it. Also, in modern Japan, when the power goes out, is the water cut off? I have never heard of this either. I wonder that we may not very much know the workings of our living infrastructure.
October Activity Report
31 October 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Student life at the University of Lviv during the war
In Ukraine, elementary, junior high, and high schools are allowed to come to school for classes only if they are equipped with air-raid shelters. The term "air-raid shelter" conjures up images of Japanese air-raid shelters during the Pacific War, but in Ukraine, many multi-story buildings have basements, and these basements, which are usually used for storage, are also recognized as air-raid shelters. Therefore, the term "air-raid shelter" does not necessarily mean a special facility. Since there is no subway system in Lviv, where the ground is soft, the basements of these buildings are considered to be the main type of air-raid shelters.
At the University of Lviv, it appears that classes are offered in a combination of face-to-face and distance, depending on the grade level. According to the published reports, the classes for the first-year students are held face-to-face, the one for the second through fourth-year students are mixed, and all classes above the master's level are done online. However, there are some major problems.
First, there is an institutional problem. On the timetable, remote classes and face-to-face classes are sometimes scheduled consecutively. Since universities do not have internet access, students have to travel between the classroom and their homes with internet access, during the short breaks between classes. This increases tardiness. The same problem existed at the time of the Corona disaster although the timetables were initially set up considering this, it seemed difficult to coordinate, and they ended up with mixed schedules. Now there is no consideration (this is just a partial example. There may be differences among faculties and majors).
The other is an air raid warning. Obviously, this is a problem when there is an actual air raid, but once an alert is issued, classes will not be held until the alert is lifted whether or not there is an actual enemy attack. Even remotely, classes will be interrupted or cancelled, but in the case of a face-to-face meeting, the university will also be closed (students will be evacuated).
The same applies to stores of all types, which are asked to vacate the premises while the warning is in effect. The sale of goods is also prohibited (the same applies to outdoor sales).
It is not understandable that among the public transportation systems in the city, electric transportation (trams and trolly buses) are suspended, but buses are not. What is the difference? Also, it seems that long-distance transportation will not be stopped. In Kieu, it seems that due to power shortages, the trolley buses are being replaced by regular buses, but Lviv is not yet at such a severe stage. Some railroad lines are also replacing electric locomotives that pull trains with diesel locomotives, but we haven’t acquired information as to railway situation in Lviv. Half of the passenger routes to and from Lviv station are non-electrified from the beginning.
Warnings are issued to all municipalities located on any ballistic trajectory, for example, in the case of missiles. In other words, it is often issued even if the missile does not actually fly overhead. The duration of the warning is often one or two hours, but it can be from several tens of minutes to a few hours (the siren for the warning is sounded first, and the siren for the cancellation of the warning is sounded in the end. It doesn’t keep sounding for hours. You can find out the status of the national alert on the website (https://alerts.in.ua/). According to the official announcement, the alarm tends to last longer in the case of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs). This is thought to be due to their slow flight speed. The sound of the alarm is similar to the siren of the Japanese disaster prevention administrative radio.
By the way, the Ukrainian government and other countries have determined the drones made in Iran, which the Iranian government has flatly denied exporting and yet the clever Russians have revealed the story. The Russian military operates the "Shahed-136," the mainstay of Iranian-made UAVs, under the name "Gerani-2" (Герань-2, Geran-2). I do not know where the "2" comes from, but "Gerani" means “owl” in Russian (scientific name: Geranium). I wonder if students majoring in Russian at our university have noticed this. Russians cannot pronounce the so-called "ha-hi-fu-he-ho" and say "ga-gi-gu-ge-go" ("Harry Potter" was "Ghari Potchel"). Thus, they pronounce Tehran, the capital of Iran, "Tegeran" (Тегеран). Oh, "Gelani" unexpectedly showed up. The Iranian government is disappointed by the cleverness of the Russians.
Now, there are other problems besides alarms. If you are unlucky, you will be caught in a power outage (in the case of the city of Lviv. In other municipalities, you may be lucky and still have a power outage.) In the case of remote classes, it is very likely that only a part of the students, not all of them, will be affected by the blackout, so only those students will not be able to participate in the class. If a faculty member is affected by a power outage, the class will be cancelled unless the faculty member can find a nearby location with internet access on his/her own.
Because of this situation, class delays will be chronic. Currently, classes on weekdays are scheduled even on Saturdays, which are normally closed. Since this is difficult to understand, careless students sometimes miss classes due to misunderstanding.
Unfortunately, classes are not being held properly, and a decline in educational standards seems inevitable. On the other hand, many universities outside of Ukraine have increased their quotas for international students as part of their support, so there seems to be an explosion of opportunities for mainly female students to study abroad. However, male students are subject to severe restrictions. Currently, for some reason, the requisite for permission to leave the country are kept secret and not made public, but it seems that the recommendation of the university or education-related ministry is meaningless, but only the recommendation of Ukraine's Ministry of Education is required. No explanation is given as to why students are loathed and restricted from leaving the country while men are allowed to leave under various other names (e.g., "volunteer").
The students who entered universities at the Corona Disaster have not been able to attend proper classes for a long time and have had little opportunity to attend school, making it difficult for them to build friendships.
The city of Lviv was also attacked by several missiles that slipped through the air defense grid in October. The Ukrainians seem to think that Russia will lose by March. They need to make sure that they win on the battlefield and not lose on the council floor. That is how Ukraine lost the successful battle in 1659. Japan also almost lost on the floor against Russia in the early 20th century. They are a heedless opponent who reveals their true character to carelessly spill the beams soon, but it means they think they can get away with it even if they are found out.
September Activity Report
30 September 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
【Online Japanese language courses for Ukrainian university students in the fall semester】
Following the spring semester, TUFS offers online Japanese language courses in the fall semester. The application period closed in this month, and a total of 68 students applied. 56 of them are from Ukraine, which indicates that the course is effectively used to provide learning opportunities for students who cannot (or will not) go abroad to study. We received applications not only from Lviv National University, which has an agreement with our university, but also from various universities in the East and West area. I think it's because of information from students who took the courses in the last semester.
At present, Ukrainian universities are in a wartime situation (partly due to Covid-19) where face-to-face classes are almost never held, and the quality of education in some fields is declining as an unavoidable consequence. In addition to the reason for taking refuge from the war, students who had previously had limited opportunities to study abroad now have an explosion of opportunities to do so, and this has naturally led to an increase in the number of students applying to study abroad.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's legal relations regarding exit restrictions are in turmoil, and as of September, the Border Agency has declared that male students will not be allowed to leave the country (the legality and the legal procedure leading to the decision is unclear and unexplained). As a result, male students are not allowed to study abroad as of September. In addition to this, there are students who are willing to study but choose not to study abroad for various individual reasons, such as doubts about leaving the country on their own during wartime, not wanting to leave their families behind, etc. Therefore, I think online courses are meaningful for students to obtain quality educational opportunities without having to study abroad.
August Activity Report
31 August 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Online Japanese language courses for Ukrainian university students in the fall semester
Following the spring semester, online Japanese language courses will be available in the fall semester. As part of TUFS' efforts to support Ukrainian students, the course will be open to students in Ukrainian institutions of higher education free of charge upon application via a dedicated form.
Currently, many Japanese universities are accepting students from Ukraine as part of a nationwide effort to support Ukrainian students. In response, TUFS decided to open online courses that students can access wherever they are (in Ukraine and outside of Ukraine) as a support initiative, in addition to accepting exchange students. In the spring semester, the course received high marks from students and faculty who, for various reasons, were unable or unwilling to come and study in Japan. In response, we decided to continue this initiative in the fall semester.
For both the spring and fall semesters, the University has sent notices to universities in Ukraine where Japanese is taught as a major, but this time we received inquiries from students at universities to which we have not sent notices. We believe that this activity is spreading its reputation among students. It seems that students who normally have no or limited opportunities to study Japanese are interested in this program. We are happy if they like our program.
For more information on the program, please see the following information.
■English https://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/social_international/online-jpclass/index.html
■Japanese https://www.tufs.ac.jp/social_international/open-academy/online-jpclass/index.html
■Course Information Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2qm1eUu6cM
■Ukraine Student Registration Period July 29 - September 4 (Ended)
July Activity Report
31 July 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
Tandem study with Ukrainian university students
TUFS student organization TUFCOMMU, which has conducted student exchange meetings until last month, has mediated a tandem learning opportunity between TUFS students and students from various Ukrainian universities, led by LET'S, another TUFS student organization. The matching process was completed in this month and about 10 pairs were formed. We hope that this will encourage continuing exchange between students from both countries.
Online Japanese language courses for Ukrainian university students in the fall semester
Following the spring semester, we are pleased to announce that our online Japanese language course will be available for Ukrainian university students in the fall semester. For details of the course, please visit the following website.
- 日本語 https://www.tufs.ac.jp/social_international/open-academy/online-jpclass/index.html
- English https://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/social_international/online-jpclass/index.html
The GJO coordinator is in charge of publicity and inquiries for Ukrainian students.
Note
Please take a level check test on the website to avoid level mismatches. It is not possible to change classes later.
Click here to take the self-level check test. 日本語, English
Registration period for Ukrainian students: July 29 - September 4
June Activity Report
30 June 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
【Ukraine Day②】
Continuing from last month, we held online student exchange meeting. This month's events were again co-hosted by the University's student exchange group "TUFCOMMU (https://www.tufs.ac.jp/student/international_student/TUFCOMMU.html)" and LET'S (http://www.tufs.ac.jp/st2/club/letstufs/about1.htm). Participants came from universities all over Ukraine. For more information, please see the TUFS website "Ukrainian and TUFS Students Hold Three Online Exchange Events" (https://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/NEWS/student/220705_2.html)
In the Ukraine Day ②, held on Saturday, June 11, the students were having a lively discussion. The students conversed about their motivations for starting to study Japanese, the Ukrainian language they know, their hobbies and interests, and other topics.
At the "Ukraine Day ③" held on Sunday, June 26, our student Mr. U gave a detailed presentation on Japanese food culture, using many photos and taking into account its history and characteristics. I think it’s a good point to introduce not only Japanese food, but also Chinese and Western food, which have developed uniquely in Japan. I think that understanding things that are not of Japanese origin but are familiar to Japanese people is an essential element for understanding Japanese culture. During the Q&A session, a Ukrainian student brought up the topic of varenyky, Ukrainian dish similar to dumplings. While dumplings are made with pork, traditional varenyky is meatless. I hope the time will come when food lovers can easily travel between the two countries. Breakout room session was divided into groups for discussion.
This time, two high school students from Shibuya Junior & Senior High School, participated from the Japanese side, in addition to our university students. They participated in the group discussion together with university students. At the end of the event, they gave a presentation on the "Ukraine x Japan Junior and Senior High School Students Forum" (https://forum-ua-jp.com/en/index.html). This forum is organized by the high school students and scheduled to be held online on Saturday, July 30, at 2:00 p.m. They talk about the philosophy of the forum, saying that they want to increase opportunities for exchange between Japanese and Ukrainian students to deepen their understanding of the current situation in Ukraine and to take action to expand the circle of support for Ukraine. The forum includes a keynote speech by a guest speaker, a discussion on support for Ukraine, and an exchange between students from both countries. The four-hour forum will be followed by an hour-long meetup, so it seems to be a spectacular event.
Due to the upcoming exam period and summer break, Ukraine Day will come to an end this month. In the future, students of LET'S will take the lead in providing tandem learning opportunities between individual students who wish to participate.
May Activity Report
31 May 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
- Ukraine Day 1
Due to the circumstances of the coordinator, the GJO office in Lviv has been closed since January of this year, and we are unable to respond to local office visits. However, since online events have become common as a byproduct of pandemic, we have taken advantage of this opportunity to host an exchange events event between TUFS students and Ukrainian students. It was planned and proposed by TUFS as part of its support activities for Ukraine in light of the students' academic difficulties due to the damage of the war of aggression. Thanks to the student group that agreed with us, we were able to complete the project.
The first online exchange event, "Ukraine Day 1", jointly organized by the TUFS student international exchange group TUFCOMMU (https://www.tufs.ac.jp/student/international_student/TUFCOMMU.html) and LET'S (http://www.tufs.ac.jp/st2/club/letstufs/about1.htm), another TUFS student group that provides tandem learning opportunities. (Please refer to their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter of both groups.)
The event was planned mainly in Japanese, Ukrainian, and English, with no restrictions based on language ability. International students are also welcome to participate. Applicants must be students of TUFS or Ukrainian universities. The application guidelines and the implementation plan were prepared mainly by TUFCOMMU after many meetings.
Considering time difference and class time, the first exchange event was held on Sunday, the 29th of this month at 8:00 p.m. 45 students from TUFS and various Ukrainian universities participated. From Ukraine, in addition to Ivan Franko National University of L’viv, which has an agreement with TUFS, participants came from Oles Honchar Dnipro National University in the southern city of Dnipro, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University in the capital Kyiv, and Kyiv National Linguistic University. As expected, there were no participants from universities that had already succeeded in sending large numbers of students to Japanese universities. We hope that this event would be an opportunity for those students who couldn’t go to Japan (especially male students who are not allowed to leave the country) to make up for the disadvantage.
The meeting consists of plenary session, small group session, and a session for presentations and announcements of next events. I didn’t attend group sessions, but in the other sessions, explanations were given in Japanese and English, and Ukrainian students seemed to speak English most of the time. I think they will speak more in Ukrainian and Japanese as they get used to it. In the presentation session, Ms. Okada of TUFCOMMU gave a presentation on Japanese anime culture (features of works and anime songs) as a model. From the next event onward, presentations will be given by groups of those who wish to introduce their own countries.
We plan to hold the second event on the second weekend of June and the third after the third week or in July. Start time is expected to be in the evening to consider time difference, but will be determined based on a questionnaire from people wishing to participate. At the same time, LET'S will take the lead in creating tandem learning pairs among individuals, which will lead to the creation of independent learning opportunities in the future.
At this meeting, Mr. Larson of LET'S also prepared a lecture on what tandem learning is. Tandem learning is a mutually beneficial learning system in which two non-professional teachers teach each other their native language and learn independently. In this case, a student from TUFS who wants to learn Ukrainian is paired with a Ukrainian student who wants to learn Japanese, and through communication they teach each other mistakes, increase their knowledge, and deepen their friendship. If you are interested, you can contact LET'S through the published address.
At the time of this writing, the second round of applications is in the process of being submitted (deadline scheduled for June 8). I have heard that applications have already been received, and I hope it will be a successful event.
- Situation at the University of L’viv
At the University of L’viv, the schedule has been pushed back due to the temporary difficulty in conducting classes. It was thought that the semester would be extended, but in order to finish within the scheduled time frame, the month of May has been packed with classes, assignments, and exams. They have been very busy trying to keep the end-of-year exams, graduation exams, or entrance exams on the same schedule. There are many students who are out of the country, and there are issues that need to be resolved, such as whether it will be possible to conduct the exams in the traditional face-to-face format.
By the way, it is common for university students in Ukraine to job hunt after graduation. If they find a good job while they are still in university, it is best not to pass up the opportunity, but there are few people who spend half of their campus life job hunting, as is the case in Japan.
Recently, announcements of Covid-19 infection status have been made only occasionally. However, the quarantine measures for Covid-19 prevention were extended until August 31 as of August 27 this month, reminding people that the infection is not over yet (В Україні продовжують "ковідний" карантин: кабмін схвалив проєкт постанови п'ятниця 27 травня, 2022 14:40 [https://galinfo.com.ua/news/v_ukraini_prodovzhyly_kovidnyy_karantyn_385864.html] (viewed May 31, 2022). While an increasing number of European countries have changed their Covid-19 control requirements, Ukraine has not changed its requirements since early February, including entry methods.
April Activity Report
30 April 2022
Global Japan Office Coordinator
HARA Masaki
- Support for Ukraine
As part of our support for Ukraine, we are considering offering online learning opportunities to Ukrainian university students.
First, we made a questionnaire of their needs from last month, and asked each university to cooperate with the survey.
On Wednesday the 13th and Thursday the 14th, the call for applications for public lectures was sent to the Ivan Franko National University of L’viv and the L’viv Polytechnic National University. The call for applications closed on the 20th, and 150 applications were received.
The plan is to provide learning opportunities through student-to-student exchanges. Two of our student organizations, TUFCOMMU, which organizes exchange events, and LET'S, which offers tandem learning, are organizing events. On the 27th, LET'S held a lecture on tandem learning, which I listened to.
This project was still in the planning stages in April, but on May 2, TUFCOMMU submitted a plan summarizing the results of the meeting. They will be preparing the survey form around the holidays. When the plan is ready, Global Japan office (GJO) will distribute the questionnaire to Ukrainian universities.
The exchange event is aimed to take place around the end of May or beginning of June, before Ukrainian universities begin exams.