ブックタイトルa-history-of-international-exchanges00

概要

a-history-of-international-exchanges00

- 43 -≪Encounters with Miyazaki (2)≫～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～Memories of the Miyazaki Exchange ProgrammeDavid KeenFormer Professorin charge of International Exchange ProgramsDunedin College of Education, New ZealandI treasure fond memories of the exchange programme between MiyazakiUniversity and the Dunedin College of Education. Mr Val Maxwell, formerlyHead of Social Studies at the Dunedin College, had visited Miyazaki in 1984,and the exchange programme was launched three years later, in 1987.Generously supported by Miyazaki University, and nurtured by the diligentcare of Professor Kiyoshi Hirase, Chairman of the Student ExchangeCommittee of the Faculty of Education and Culture, the programmeflourished. By the time I first took up employment at the Dunedin College ofEducation in 1993, it was a thriving and valued feature of College life.Under the terms of the exchange, one, two or sometimes even threestudents from each university could opt to study for a year in the partnerinstitution. During that time, the students would receive language support,as well as joining in a wide range of university classes and activities of theirchoice. From time to time, student groups also made short-term visitsbetween Miyazaki and Dunedin. Coming from a country as geographicallyisolated as New Zealand, the Dunedin students found themselves hugelyenriched by contact with Miyazaki, and those returning from Japan spoke inthe warmest terms of the kindness they had received, particularly fromProfessor Hirase and Professor Okabayashi. They also loved ProfessorHirase’s sense of fun and the jokes and teasing that made his classes soenjoyable. I have lively memories, as a visitor at one of Hirase sensei’sclasses, of a Miyazaki student arriving at the classroom door and shylyapologising:「お邪魔しました (I have intruded)」, to which Professor Hirasereplied:「はいお邪魔でした. 来年来てくれ (Yes, you have intruded. Come backnext year.)」, whilst the classroom collapsed in laughter.