取材先 Interviewee：Lian Sabella CASTILLO (Lian), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science - Global Leadership Initiative (GPSS-GLI), Research student 

インタビュアー Interviewer：Li Yang (Yang), Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, D3

第７回、第８回はインタビュアー、取材先とも留学生による英文の記事です。留学生目線での対話をお楽しみ下さい。

In this interview, Lian shares her research journey into sustainable education, delving into how socio-cultural and economic aspects play a role. She chats about diversity efforts at the University of Tokyo and her experiences as an English-speaking student. The conversation also touches on the importance of making connections beyond academia.

【Part 2】Being an international student (留学生) at Todai (東大)

～Diversity and Inclusion を実現するために～ 

Chatting about the University of Tokyo, Lian shares the challenges of being an English-speaking student at Todai. 

Yang: At the University of Tokyo (Todai), there’s a lot of conversation and discussion regarding the promotion of diversity and inclusion, at least at the administrative level. As international students, we are the minority at Todai, right? How do you perceive the diversity and inclusion culture on campus now?

Lian: To be honest, I think many of their programs are somewhat niche, at least for me. I've primarily been involved in the English programs. By the way, I was the first English-speaking student in my master’s sensei’s lab, and at that point, I didn’t know any Japanese. It’s great that Todai offers English programs, but I believe they have room for improvement (改善の余地がある) …

Yang: Are you referring to the challenges of communicating in Japanese?

Lian: Yes, but it’s not just that. You can’t suddenly teach people to be more outgoing and open-minded, right? For instance, I went to the University of Copenhagen as an exchange student of Todai. While they are actively promoting exchange programs for Japanese students, I’m uncertain how many are applying.

Yang: True, it seems that most Japanese students tend to stay within Japan instead of going abroad.

Lian: I understand their concerns; perhaps they lack confidence (自信がない) when it comes to speaking English. Moreover, Todai is quite distinct compared to other universities. English speakers might find it more comfortable at places like Waseda and Sophia.

Yang: How do you make friends outside the university?

Lian: I’ve made a lot of friends through Pokémon Go. It’s actually a fitness app, did you know?

Yang: So you need to visit various places to catch the Pokémon?

Lian: Exactly! You need to visit special places, like gyms. The game encourages collaboration and interaction with people in your community, which is why it’s also a form of socialization!

Yang: I’ve seen people in Ueno gathering together, all holding their phones…

Lian: Yes, that’s likely due to a new release! Akihabara and Ikebukuro are also popular places to connect with others.

Yang: Sounds like a fun game community. 

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