From July 8 to 14, two students from Ehime University participated in “Leadership Challenge in Taiwan,” held at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology as one of the overseas training programs of the University Network for Global Leadership Development in West Japan(UNGL), which is led by Ehime University.
This training program aims to make it possible for participants to acquire knowledge on leadership, cultivate appropriate manners and nurture practical English communication skills through collaborative activities with foreign students, who have different sets of values, standpoints, and cultural and language backgrounds.
About 60 students, from Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, took part in a simulated meeting, a debate, a workshop on leadership, and field work at a local elementary school, broadening their understanding of how international communication and leadership should be.
The program was conducted in English. At the beginning, the students found it difficult to make themselves understood in the discussion session. However, at the end, it seems that they realized the importance of showing respect and consideration to each other, which is required for good leadership, beyond the mere language barrier.
