[Short-term overseas training report Vol.6] Perth College, University of the Highlands and Islands (UK)
Faculty of Global Studies
December 25, 2017
"Short-term overseas training" is a compulsory subject for second-year students, and involves studying abroad at one of our overseas partner universities for about eight weeks. Positioned as the main event of the first half of their four-year university life, students who have spent about a year and a half since enrolling in the university deepening their language skills and understanding of different cultures, as well as learning about Japanese culture that can be conveyed overseas, will be able to test the results of their studies in this training.
This report is about one of the training destinations, Perth College, University of the Highlands and Islands, located in Perth, Scotland, UK. At Perth College, students take a placement test before studying abroad and are divided into six classes on-site. In class, students study English together with international students from various countries, so they can also learn about different cultures through their classes. On weekends, there are activities organized by the university, and students visit places such as St. Andrews, the mecca of golf, and the ancient city of Edinburgh. For two months, students stay in a homestay, improve their English skills through communication with their host families, and learn about different cultures through daily life and experience.
Student Voices
At the University of the Highlands and Islands, I can take classes with international students from other countries. I was nervous at the first class, but my classmates were friendly and I was able to fit in right away. Most of the students are from Europe, and they all speak English well. The classes are a little long, 1 hour and 40 minutes each, and we have tests almost every week. We have assignments, so we don't have time to relax and we work hard every day. My classmates, teachers, and host family are all very kind and speak slowly and clearly, so I'm getting used to communicating little by little. I learned that if I use gestures or speak broken Japanese, I can get my point across, and that it's important to make an effort to communicate even if I don't understand.
Hina Hyodo (graduated from Wakamatsu High School)
Whenever I pass someone, I feel like I'm listening to live English that isn't in textbooks, as the conversation starts with "Hi! There!" At school, I mainly take grammar classes and pair work with people from other countries, and I have tests almost every Thursday. I also study accounting in the same classroom as local students on Fridays. The people in my class are all cheerful and friendly, so I have fun every day. My host family is very kind, and their two daughters and their families come over often to our house to eat meals together and walk the dog. On Sundays, they took me to places near Perth. Every day is a great experience.
Ryota Kanno (graduated from our affiliated high school)
Related links
[Short-term overseas training report Vol.5] Vancouver Island University (Canada)
[Short-term overseas training report Vol.4] Washburn University (USA)
[Short-term overseas training report Vol.3] Southern Cross University (Australia)
[Short-term overseas training report Vol.1] Sir Padhampat Singhania University (India)