Cross-Cultural College Brochure
Messages
Professor Mackenzie Clugston, Rector of Cross-Cultural College, Kwansei Gakuin University
DEVELOP YOUR HUMAN AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS TO BETTER CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY AT HOME OR ABROAD
The objective of the Cross-Cultural College is to help students develop the skills that will position them to better engage in a human, meaningful way with the wider world. University is the time to stretch oneself to the fullest, and the CCC is designed with that in mind: to introduce students to new perspectives and lifestyles that are very much a part of our globalizing international society. Through collaborative work on joint projects, Japanese and Canadian students will have a cross-cultural experience, see diversity in action and make friendships that will last a lifetime. Even if your longer-term aspirations lie more at home than they do abroad, remember that learning about others - and from others - makes us better understand ourselves. I can think of no more effective mechanism than the CCC to assist you in this regard. So, take up the challenge, join the program, and develop the communication and cross-cultural skills that will make you a world citizen.
Professor Norie Yazu, Chief Academic Director, Cross-Cultural College, Kwansei Gakuin University
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WILL NURTURE THE ABILITY TO ACT GLOBALLY
What sort of person will be able to contribute to the sustainable development and growth of a global society? From a survey of 70 organizations, we found that although foreign language skills are essential, what these organizations regarded as most important was the ability to perceive and solve problems effectively, and to work in a multicultural environment, unhampered by cultural biases and preconceptions. The Cross-Cultural College program is built around a core of practically-oriented courses in which Canadian and Japanese students work together to understand and solve problems. Its courses will nurture the abilities needed in the future for students to act effectively on the global stage.
It will also be an opportune occasion for students of KGU and Canada to know each other.
Objectives
Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU), Japan, received a subsidy from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), "Re-Inventing Japan Project" from AY 2011 to 2015, to establish a Canada-Japan collaborative education project - a "Cross-Cultural College (CCC)" in collaboration with Mount Allison University, Queen's University, and the University of Toronto. In AY2020, King’s University College at Western University joined CCC. Although the government funding has ended, KGU will continue to run the CCC programs after AY 2015 and will hold programs in both countries.
The objectives of the Cross-Cultural College: to educate the leaders of the future, who possess
- A basic knowledge and multicultural awareness which will enable them to contribute to the sustainable development of society, and to solve the problems facing that society;
- A grasp of the common issues facing Canada and Japan, and the ability to propose solutions based on a comprehensive understanding of the cultural background of the two societies;
- The ability to communicate effectively in a multi-cultural context, including a high level of language skills so that they may both understand the opinions and viewpoints of others, and communicate their own;
- An interest in other cultures and societies, and the ability to work effectively in collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds, with understanding of and respect for their values; and
- The confidence and determination to act effectively in a multicultural environment, based on practical experience of working with people from other cultures.
