The International Center organizes and provides information regarding a wide variety of events during which Kanagawa University international and local students are able to interact with each other. These events are excellent opportunities to interact with people in different campuses and faculties so please proactively participate.

• News with regard to international affairs can be found here

Year-round	International Student Buddy System	As potentially a first friend in Japan and also a senior student who can provide support, buddies themselves get to experience a truly inter-cultural interaction.
Year-round	International Exchange Café (Yokohama Campus)	A place where international and local students can interact freely at lunchtimes on weekdays.
April	Welcome Party for International Students	As new members of the KU community, international students and exchange students are able to interact with student buddies, senior international students and academic and administrative staff members who welcome them with a party.
May	International Student Friendship Fieldtrip	International and local students are able to deepen friendship and interaction during this day trip, through experiential learning, tourism etc.
August	Completion Reception for Exchange Students (First Semester)	Various people such as academic supervisors of students completing exchange, Japanese language instructors, student buddies who provided them support and dormitory resident assistants (RAs) come together to reflect on the exchange students’ time at Kanagawa University.
September	Welcome Party for Exchange Students （Second Semester）	An event to welcome second semester exchange students.
November	International Student Friendship Fieldtrip	International and local students are able to deepen friendship and interaction during this day trip, through experiential learning, tourism etc.
February	Completion Reception for Exchange Students (Second Semester)	Various people such as academic supervisors of students completing exchange, Japanese language instructors, student buddies who provided them support and dormitory RAs come together to reflect on the exchange students’ time at Kanagawa University.

*In addition to the above, there are events run by students held throughout the year. For example, seasonal events such as the Tanabata Event and Christmas Party are also a good opportunity for interaction between local and international students so we hope may people participate.

 

Student buddies support new international students as a potential first friend in Japan and also as a senior student who can provide advice. The international students include exchange students coming for one semester or one year and participants in the 5-week Japanese Language and Study program. Naturally they come from a large variety of nations. We are always looking for new buddies to provide practical intercultural interaction and turn these international students into “real KU students”!
New international students, if you have anything you are not sure about in your new life at KU, please do not hesitate to ask your buddies.

This is a chance for KU students to interact amongst each other with language practice and also mutual introduction of cultures, where the students can learn together. For example, an international student might teach their native language to a Japanese student who can teach Japanese to the international student. Not simply language exchange, international and local students regularly provide presentations introducing elements of culture or organize events, promoting links between students and also international exchange. Why don’t you use your lunch break time to try some “on-campus study abroad/international exchange”?
The international students who participate in the “International Exchange Café” come from various places such as Asia, Europe, South America and Oceania. You might get nervous trying to interact in a classroom but the Café is a good chance to speak out proactively without being worried about making mistakes. There is an application process at the initial session but after that students are free interact however they wish, as long as it works to deepen exchange.

 

Twice yearly (in May and November), this fieldtrip is held as an opportunity for international and local students to go on a daytrip together. Supervised by academic and administrative staff, about 100 students participate each time, making them two of the biggest events of the year. Students from both campuses participate, providing a chance for inter-campus exchange as well. There are also fieldtrips as part of the Japanese Language and Culture Program (summer & winter) but the number of local participants is limited.