“The forum was incredibly insightful and culturally enriching — an alternate or complement to traditional study-abroad programs,” says Tristan Masson (bottom left). | Photo courtesy of JACAC
Keoponnreay Kim
“It's great to meet with students from across the world and talk about common problems with different implications for each country,” he says. “We all gained valuable global experience.”
Focus on energy
The Japan-Canada Academic Consortium (JACAC), of which Concordia is a member, aims to promote the exchange of undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and teachers, and encourage a movement of ideas and knowledge between the two countries. Concordia International facilitates the administration of the student forum for Concordia students.
This year’s theme was Energy and Society: Increasing Efficiency and Improving our Quality of Life. The week’s activities included a lecture by Hiroshi Amano, a Nobel Prize in Physics winner in 2014, a field trip to Toyota Ecoful Town, dinners, visits to self-sustaining homes in rural areas and a day at the massive Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology.
“The museum covers 200 years, back to the first loom they used to manufacture fabric, before they made cars,” says Cambodian-born Kim, who speaks Japanese, but points out that the student forum is held in English.
During the meet-up, 14 Canadian students join 14 Japanese students, and are divided into groups of four. Each group tackles the same challenge and they all make a presentation on the final day, at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo.
“We had to propose a new energy policy or change an existing one in Canada or Japan,” says Kim. “My group proposed a new Canadian policy called the Smart Energy Conservation Tax Credit, as well as smart metres in all homes. The winning team proposed a way to promote geothermal energy in Japan.”
But the trip wasn’t all work. The Japanese students acted as tour guides, making sure their Canadian counterparts tried Nagoya’s famous pork cutlets and visited local hotspots.
“We all became great friends,” says Kim. “They were wonderful hosts.”
Princess Takamado at the Canadian embassy
Princess Takamado was at the closing reception in the Canadian embassy in Tokyo.
“The embassy is modern, in a big park, in front of a Japanese garden, with a panoramic view of Tokyo,” says Masson, who moved to Montreal from Winnipeg to attend high school.
“Not only was the embassy wonderful as a building, but we celebrated the end of the forum in the most symbolic place for Canada-Japan relations.”
How to apply
Interested students do not have to be able to speak Japanese to apply. It’s an English program. Students from every academic discipline are welcome. It’s a competitive selection process, based on GPA, a letter written by the applicant and a review of the applicant’s extracurricular activities.
What tip would Kim give hopeful student applicants for 2017?
“Most students had good GPAs,” says Kim. “But I noticed everyone had very interesting extracurricular activities.”
For more information about the Japan-Canada Academic Consortium and Student Forum, contact Concordia International’s Christine Archer, international liaison officer for Asia, America, UK and Oceania, by email at Christine.Archer@concordia.ca or by phone at 514-848-2424, ext. 4988.
Learn more about international programs for students at Concordia International.
