Activites

This page features the activities of my Lab members.

Report by Yuki Hachiya on Short-term Study Abroad Program at the National University of Laos in the CAMPUS Asia Plus Program

September 23, 2025

From August 17 to September 15, 2025, I participated in a four-week short-term study abroad program at the National University of Laos (NUOL), which is offered by the CAMPUS Asia Plus Program. During the first week, I took the intensive course on Advanced Development Economics offered at the NUOL’s Faculty of Economics and Business Management. I took the intensive course together with the students from Korea University. During the same week, the CAMPUS Asia Plus Symposium was held. I gained wonderful academic experiences, not only learning about current economic conditions in Lao PDR but also receiving insightful comments on my research from Associate Professor Kang Kyuwon from Korea University.
In the second and third weeks, I conducted an internship in the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES). I interviewed officers from MOES’s several departments. Through this internship, I learned what education policies are implemented by the government of the Lao PDR. Moreover, we visited the Laos offices of JICA, ADB, UNICEF, and World Bank. Through interviews with experts from these organizations, I learned how bilateral and multilateral agencies provide development aid in Lao PDR.

In the final week, I visited different levels of schools, from kindergarten to high school. I was able to observe actual educational settings in Lao PDR and gained an understanding of realities that I could not find through literature alone. Through this program, I learned about the close relationship between education and people’s daily lives as well as its importance. This experience has motivated me to further improve my research.

Lastly, I sincerely appreciate the professors who delivered the intensive course in NUOL. My special thanks also go to Mr. Anoupheng Keovongsa and Mr. Vongvilay Sounthavong, who coordinated the internship at the MOES, Project Associate Professor Masato Nakahara, Assistant Professor Tatsuya Maisawa, Project Assistant Professor Ayumu Yagi, and Ms. Mikiko Bothra Osaka from CAMPUS Asia Office, and all who supported this program.

Authored by Yuki Hachiya, Master’s Student

Report by Seiya Maeda on Double Degree Study Abroad Program at Fudan University in the CAMPUS Asia Plus Program

July 8, 2026

From August 2025 to June 2026, I studied at Fudan University in China as a double-degree student under the Campus Asia Plus Program and earned a Master of Management Science in Public Policy from the School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA). I would like to report on my experience below.

　At SIRPA, I was enrolled in the English-taught International Public Policy (IPP) track, taking most of my courses in English. In the fall semester (September–December 2025), I took Quantitative Research Methods and Qualitative Research Methods, building a foundation in research methodology. In addition, I took Public Economics and Risk Management in Development Process, acquiring specialized knowledge on topics such as the role of government in the economy and risk management in development. In the spring semester (March–May 2026), I took Global Public Policy and Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation, studying everything from the classics of international relations theory to contemporary theories and practical methods of policy evaluation. Studying alongside not only Chinese students but also international students from many countries, and exchanging views in class discussions, allowed me to deepen my understanding across a wide range of areas, including international relations, policy evaluation, and research methods.

　A distinctive feature of this program is that we write a master's thesis over the course of the one-year stay, in parallel with coursework. At Fudan University, we must pass four rounds of examinations. Passing all of these reviews while keeping up with coursework was no easy task, but I received valuable comments from various professors through each examination and, with the guidance of my supervisor, Professor Zhang Ping, prepared step by step for the next review. Working on the thesis together with fellow double-degree students from other universities, encouraging one another along the way, I was ultimately able to pass all of the examinations. Looking back, these reviews seem to have flown by in an instant, but at the time, I was constantly anxious about whether I would pass, taking each one as it came.

　In addition to these academic activities of coursework and thesis writing, SIRPA organized school trips to various places around Shanghai, giving me opportunities to experience many aspects of Chinese culture. China is highly advanced in IT. For instance, at almost all restaurants, there are no menus on the table—instead, you scan a QR code to view the menu and place your order. Services such as waimai, which is a food delivery service similar to Uber Eats in Japan, and taxis are also very well developed, and my daily life there was full of fresh discoveries. As a Japanese person, living in China—a country with deep historical ties to Japan—prompted me to reexamine my own values, and I am convinced that it was a truly meaningful period in which I learned a great deal.

　In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Zhang Ping, my supervisor at Fudan University, who offered invaluable advice on my thesis; to Professor Keiichi Ogawa, who was always considerate and kept in regular contact with me throughout my time abroad; to the staff of the Kobe University Campus Asia Office, who provided me with this wonderful opportunity; and to everyone else who supported my life at Fudan University.

Authored by Seiya Maeda, Master’s Student