Objective

While recognizing that communication barriers may arise from ableism, having or not having a sense of peace, differences in religious views, gender and minority status, we have created this program with the purpose of nurturing future human resources capable of managing diversity and inclusion. The program is created in accordance with Hiroshima University’s long term “SPLENDORPLAN2017” vision of realizing a free and peaceful Asia that fosters diversity, and will contribute to the achievement of UN SDGs, as well as to the realization of Society 5.0. In practice, this human resource development program is a hybrid format international exchange program combining synchronous and asynchronous online modules to face-to-face courses and is built upon the exchange partnerships between universities in Japan, China, and South Korea, as well as two South East Asian Universities.

Features

This program has the following features.

1. Training on problem solving via cooperative communication for all regardless of bodily ability, religion, gender, or minority status.
2. Aiming at increasing the level of competencies necessary for the realization of Society 5.0 and the United Nations SDGs in a diverse and complex Asia (i.e., diversity awareness, intercultural understanding, empathy, communication, leadership, and coordination).
3. Hybrid format program combining face-to-face, synchronous online and asynchronous online modules for improved learning results.
4. Aiming at creating a completely new study discipline for diversity and inclusion by combining subjects the participating universities specialize in and which directly contribute toward the elimination of barriers to communication; Namely, peace studies, SDGs awareness, supporting persons with disabilities, religion, diversity communication, and gender/minority studies.
5. A comprehensive bidirectional student exchange program that combines COIL -type collaborative education (introductory course), short term exchange and summer school (face-to-face studies), medium-term exchange (specialized course), as well as internship opportunities and visits to local companies, schools, and related governmental agencies.
6. Utilize BEVI (Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory) learning effectiveness measurement analysis to continuously improve and refine the program.