Hajime MOCHIZUKI

In late May 2025, over a five-day period, through the Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education's “Try-YARU Week” program, Company A, a community-based business, hosted two second-year middle school students for workplace experience internships. Additionally, the author and Company A collaborated to conduct two special career education classes focused on “thinking about the future.” In the special classes, the author explained the “Basic Competencies for Working Adults” proposed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2006, as well as the “Three Principles of the Omi Merchants” related to Company A's management philosophy, in a dialogue-based format. Finally, the two participants conducted industry research on the publishing and bookstore industry, which they were interested in. Through this career education program, both participants saw an improvement in their self-assessment of their basic competencies for working adults compared to before the program.

In June 2022, the “Basic Principles for Promoting Internships” (Agreement between Three Ministries) was revised based on an agreement between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. As a result, only programs lasting five days or more (Type 3: General Skills and Specialized Application Type) can now be implemented as “internships.” The International Studies Department of the International Faculty at Osaka Sangyo University has been offering an “Internship” course since the 2022 academic year. However, starting from the 2025 academic year, the department is proceeding with curriculum revisions to align with the recent amendments to the Three-Ministry Agreement, including renaming the course to “Career Design 3” and revising the syllabus content. This report details these practical measures.

Since April 2016, the author has been involved in the preparatory work for the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies at Osaka Sangyo University, including the selection of destinations for long-term study abroad programs and short-term overseas training programs in English-speaking countries, as well as the conclusion of agreements with overseas educational institutions. Since the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies in April 2017, the author has been involved in the development and overall operation of long-term study abroad programs and short-term overseas training programs in English-speaking countries, with the cooperation of travel agencies. This paper reports on the development and operation of “long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries” and “short-term overseas training programs in English” aimed at achieving “safe and secure study abroad” in the post-COVID-19 era. It covers the development of new partner institutions in Australia, the first overseas dispatch program after the pandemic (a three-week English overseas training program in Australia in the spring of 2022), and long-term study abroad programs in 2023 (six months in the United States and six months in Australia). Finally, I explain the three types of travel contracts defined by the Travel Agency Act: “package tours,” “customized tours,” and “arranged tours.” I discuss how the scope of responsibility for the travel agency that undertakes the contract varies depending on the type of contract, using specific examples to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Osaka Sangyo University's Faculty of International Studies was established in April 2017 and is now in its eighth year. Since April 2016, the presenter has been involved in preparatory work for the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies, including selecting destinations for long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English, as well as concluding agreements with overseas educational institutions. Since the establishment of the International Studies Department in April 2017, the presenter has been involved in the development and overall operation of programs for long-term study abroad in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English, with the support of travel agencies. From 2020, the presenter experienced the cancellation of overseas programs and the shift to online training due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resumption of overseas study abroad and training programs post-pandemic. In universities, long-term study abroad programs in English-speaking countries and short-term overseas training programs in English require the development and operation of programs that prioritize the safety and health of participating students while being as affordable and comprehensive as possible. In this paper, I will report on the development and operation of English-speaking country dispatch study abroad and overseas training programs aimed at providing safe, secure, and one-stop student support, focusing on the 2022 spring English overseas training program (three weeks in Australia), which was the first overseas dispatch after the pandemic and involved the development of new partner institutions in Australia.

This report details the collaborative efforts between career center staff and faculty members in the International Studies Department of a newly established four-year university in 2017 to implement career education and support programs. During the first half of the 2020 academic year, when the first cohort of students graduated, the job placement rate was low. Additionally, the 2021 and 2022 academic years were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, the collaborative efforts between faculty and staff in providing detailed career education and support proved successful, resulting in an employment offer rate (relative to job seekers) of 96.4% for the 2020 academic year (first cohort), 98.4% for the 2021 academic year, and 98.8% for the 2022 academic year.

The eight first-enrolled students (fourth-year students in the 2020 academic year) of the Mochizuki Seminar, Department of International Studies, Faculty of International Studies, Osaka Sangyo University, and the second cohort (fourth-year students in the 2021 academic year) consisting of 8 members, over the two-year period from their third to fourth year, as part of the university's community engagement activities, conducted research on recommended spots in Daito City—where Osaka Sangyo University is located and with which it has concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement—from the perspective of current university students, and worked on the creation of tourist guides (A4 double-sided color versions) in both Japanese and English. Additionally, in the 2019 academic year, they collaborated with the Koka City Tourism and Urban Development Association (Shiga Prefecture), and in the 2020 academic year, with the Setouchi City Tourism Association (Okayama Prefecture), to create English translations of each region's tourist guide maps. Through these project activities, each student was able to enhance their foundational skills for the workplace.

Within the framework of an educational partnership agreement between Osaka Sangyo University and ANA Business Solutions Co., Ltd., which operates the ANA Airline School, two first-year career education programs were implemented for first-year international studies students as part of their regular classes, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs were: (1) an on-demand video lecture series titled “Customer Service & Etiquette” (May–July 2020), taught by the author, and (2) Donation Lecture “Hospitality Required in a Global Environment” on May 19, 2021, Instructor: Current Cabin Attendant Instructor) were examined from the perspectives of first-year education and career education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunity for first-year university students to participate in practical lectures conducted by current cabin attendants within regular classes is unprecedented and is considered a highly valuable educational practice from the perspectives of first-year education and career education.

The Mochizuki Seminar (first-enrolled students: 8 third-year students) in the Department of International Studies, Faculty of International Studies, Osaka Sangyo University, under the framework of the comprehensive partnership agreement between Osaka Sangyo University and Daito City, undertook a project in the 2019 academic year to create Japanese and English versions of tourist guides (A4 double-sided color prints) featuring recommended spots in Daito City, as seen through the eyes of current university students. This time, the focus was on Swan Café & Bakery Daito Store, where students not only interviewed about freshly baked bread and delicious coffee but also about the workplace where people with and without disabilities can work together. Through this process, the creation of the tourist guide contributed to enhancing the students' foundational skills for entering the workforce. In this project, the students not only utilized their knowledge and skills in English education to translate the tourist guide into English, but also conducted their own research, created the Japanese version of the tourist guide, and translated it into English. This project-based learning (PBL) approach to active learning allowed the students to contribute to society, which seemed to give them a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, through this project, students interacted with various professionals, such as city hall employees and shop owners, which helped them improve their basic workplace skills, including greetings and etiquette, as well as the “basic workplace skills” advocated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry—the foundational abilities necessary for working with diverse people in the workplace and local community.

Osaka Sangyo University's Faculty of International Studies was established in April 2017 and is now in its third year. The presenter has been involved in preparations for the establishment of the Faculty of International Studies since April 2016, particularly in the development of a study abroad program for English-speaking universities. In this presentation, I will discuss my experiences and future challenges in developing new partnerships with English-speaking universities, negotiating with travel agencies, and creating a support system for students aiming for a “safe and secure study abroad experience.”

The presenter taught “Extensive Reading 1,2,” an English extensive reading course for first-year university students, for the first time in his 20-year career as an English teacher. In this presentation, the speaker provided an overview of the history and theoretical background of extensive reading, reviewed numerous excellent teaching practices and educational outcomes related to extensive reading, and reported on the educational implementation of blended learning for extensive reading and listening using the recently released English extensive reading and listening e-learning material “read to me” for first-year university students.

Since 2017, we have been conducting a three-year consecutive project at Osaka Sangyo University to address student dropout rates. As part of this initiative, we reported on educational practices related to English interviews with foreign tourists at Osaka Castle Park during “Workshop 1,” which was held as part of the introductory seminar for first-year students in the International Studies Department at Osaka Sangyo University. Furthermore, the report examined the correlation between student absences from OEV events and dropout rates one year later. In the 2018 academic year, the overall dropout rate improved significantly compared to the 2017 academic year, and the absence rate from this program (OEV) among students who dropped out within one year also improved significantly. These results are believed to be due to the success of the first-year education program, which was carried out with the cooperation of faculty members from the International Studies Department, led by the instructor in charge of Introductory Seminar 1. Going forward, we aim to compare the dropout rates of students who missed OEV events at the end of their first year and strive to narrow the gap between the two groups as much as possible through post-event guidance.

Osaka Sangyo University entered into an educational partnership with ANA Business Solutions Co., Ltd., which operates ANA Airline School, in September 2016, ahead of the establishment of the International Studies Department in the Faculty of International Studies in April 2017. At ANA Airline School, current cabin attendants serve as instructors and offer double-schooling courses on topics such as basic skills for working adults and customer service. This article reports on the social demand for global talent development underlying the recent surge in the establishment of international studies departments, a survey of trends at neighboring universities, and the process leading up to the signing of the educational collaboration agreement. Furthermore, it reports on how this educational collaboration has opened the door for all students across all departments and programs aiming to work in the aviation industry to enroll in ANA Airline School at a discounted rate. It also highlights an example of educational collaboration focused on first-year career education, specifically a donation-based course conducted by current ANA cabin attendants at ANA Airline School for all first-year students in the International Studies Department.

This report presents three educational practices and their outcomes related to interdisciplinary collaboration between the “Introductory Seminar 1” and “Workshop 1” courses for first-year students in the International Studies Department of our university's International Studies Faculty, which is in its second year of operation. These practices focus on the interplay between theory and practice, practical intercultural understanding and communication education, and English education, all with an emphasis on first-year career education: (1) A new student orientation event titled “American Culture Experience at OSAKA ENGLISH VILLAGE” (as part of the “Introduction Seminar 1” course), (2) Implementation of a donation-based lecture titled “Customer Service & Etiquette Lecture” featuring a current cabin attendant from a major Japanese airline as a guest lecturer (as part of the “Workshop 1” course), (3) Learning about cross-cultural understanding and communication in “Workshop 1” with a focus on the interplay between theory and practice (Week 1: Theoretical learning through various activities such as group work in the classroom; Week 2: Conducting English interviews with foreign tourists at Osaka Castle Park).

This paper reports on three educational practices related to cross-cultural understanding education and English language education for first-year students at Osaka Sangyo University's Faculty of International Studies. 1. Educational practice in “Workshop 1,” which combines experiential theoretical learning on cross-cultural understanding and communication with off-campus fieldwork. 2. A cross-cultural understanding lecture in “Workshop 1” conducted by a current flight attendant from a major airline, with a focus on first-year career education. 3. A new student welcome event titled “American Culture Simulation Experience at OSAKA ENGLISH VILLAGE” as part of the “Introduction Seminar” course. According to post-event surveys, many students expressed positive feedback such as “my understanding of other cultures has deepened” regarding each educational practice. These educational practices are merely a part of the introductory education during the first year of the four-year university program. Going forward, we aim to develop new university education programs targeting “global talent development,” including internships in the travel and aviation industries, language proficiency improvement, and overseas training programs that provide experiences in cross-cultural understanding.

This paper aims to present the following achievements on establishing new faculty of international studies in the author's affiliated university: (1) career education development by industry-university collaboration, (2) study-abroad destination development by collaborating with a general incorporated foundation.

This paper aims to contribute to English communication courses offered in the first year of university, with a focus on the connection between high school and university. In Chapter 2, we overview the educational objectives of the high school course “English Expression II” and, based on a survey of textbooks, examine the extent to which debate in English is incorporated into high school education. In Chapter 3, we explore the benefits of debate in English education from the perspective of the critical thinking skills required in the International Baccalaureate's “Theory of Knowledge” and the evaluation criteria of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Chapter 4 examines the significance of this research from the perspectives of academic ability and global talent development. Chapter 5 explains the “Simple Debate” currently being researched by the authors and proposes a practical model. The author's responsibility lies in Chapter 4.

In collaboration with Hawaii Pacific University (HPU), faculty members and students will visit each other and report on the following educational practices that contribute to international English teacher training: (1) Guidance and cooperation in the HPU-Korea Konyang University English Teacher Training Project, (2) Implementation of first-year English lectures by invited HPU professors, and (3) Acceptance of HPU students for English teaching practicums.