Ehime University hosted Dr. Oana Papuc of the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Letters, Babeș-Bolyai University (Romania), as a Visiting Researcher for approximately three months, from September 15 to December 4, 2025. Babeș-Bolyai University is one of our partner universities.
Founded in 1581 and located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Babeș-Bolyai University is a prestigious national university with approximately 43,000 students, around 1,700 faculty members, and 22 faculties. The university has a long history of Japanese language education and Japanese studies, and in recent years has maintained active academic exchange with Ehime University, particularly through student and faculty exchanges.
For this visit, the Institute for International Relations at Ehime University provided support for daily life, while academic supervision was undertaken by Professor Takahashi Chika of Applied English Linguistics, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Letters.
During her stay, Dr. Papuc participated on multiple occasions in Professor Takahashi’s basic seminars and advanced seminars. She introduced her research as well as the history, culture, and educational system of Romania, and also conducted surveys involving students. Discussions with seminar students covered topics such as language acquisition, intercultural communication, and “Japan as seen from abroad,” resulting in lively exchanges of ideas and providing a stimulating and rewarding experience for both students and faculty members. As one of the supervised students is scheduled to study abroad at Babeș-Bolyai University next year, the visit also helped foster valuable personal connections that will support the student’s future academic endeavors.
In addition, she delivered a research presentation and conducted a haiku workshop. The workshop was held as the 7th Glocal Engagement Forum, organized by ASEAN/AFRICA Engagement Promotion Office. In the workshop, participants composed haiku in multiple languages, enjoying the creative possibilities of expression that transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries. Faculty and students alike listened attentively to her wide-ranging expertise and creative approach, sharing a meaningful and engaging time in a warm and lively atmosphere.
Reflecting on her stay, Dr. Papuc expressed her gratitude for the research and educational environment at Ehime University and for the generous support she received. She also mentioned future possibilities for collaboration, including joint research and student-led online exchanges. Furthermore, she noted that everyday interactions using both Japanese and English deepened mutual language skills and cultural understanding, and expressed her desire to continue strengthening cooperative relations with Ehime University.
Through this visit, research and educational exchange between Ehime University and Babeș-Bolyai University has been further enhanced. Both universities will continue to steadily promote multifaceted collaboration, including researcher and student exchanges, within the framework of their academic and student exchange agreements.
＜Faculty of Law and Letters・Institute for International Relations＞