Rikkyo University

The theme of the 2022 program was “Global Leadership & Collaboration in Asia, for Asia as an ACE Program,” which provided an opportunity for students from the four countries to build mutual relationships, develop leadership skills beyond national boundaries, and create new values.

Specifically, small mixed groups of students from the four universities tried to answer the question “What would you do to create an Intermingle City?” and conducted fieldwork in Ikebukuro, where Rikkyo University is located. The participants then engaged in discussion, dialogue and mutual feedback to come up with a final presentation. This was an opportunity for the participants to practice individual leadership and collaboration in a global environment. This contributed to their career development.

It was the first time that ACE* has held a physical, extracurricular program since its establishment, excluding students from Peking University, who took part in the event virtually. The program’s image video is available on Rikkyo University’s website.

At the opening ceremony, Hideyuki Matsui, Rikkyo University’s Vice President for International Advancement, gave an address on the theme, “What is liberal arts and leadership?” and Professor Kim Bumsoo of the College of Liberal Studies, Seoul National University, delivered a speech on the theme of “Culture & Difference.” Students listened attentively, with looks of concentration on their faces. They learned the importance of mutual understanding in cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.

The ceremony was followed by a session to help participants develop their leadership skills -- the core of the program. The session started with building relationships among students and putting together teams through an experience-based activity designed to help participants learn through moving their bodies. In a relaxed atmosphere, students began smiling a lot, leaving behind the serious looks they’d shown during the lecture. They apparently began opening up to each other and building mutual relationships. They also shared why they decided or what motivated them to participate in the program, and proactively discussed what kind of a team they would like to make and what they found important.

At the end of the first day, the organizer announced members of each team who would spend the next five days together in tackling problems.

One of the program’s characteristics is the involvement of “bridging assistants,” or BAs, from the stage of program development with Hiroyuki Naito, a Specially Appointed Associate Professor at Rikkyo University’s Center for Global Human Resource Development.
BAs comprise students who have taken the university’s courses on leadership and worked as student assistants, or SAs. They have experience in managing and facilitating classes and various projects. Five students worked as BAs in the latest program. Individual BAs worked with the team they were responsible for, giving advice and facilitating participants’ projects. On the final day, they delivered feedback that would be useful for participants after returning to their home countries as “gifts.”

Individual teams were asked to tackle the theme “Creating New International Exchange Space in Ikebukuro” during the summer program and make their proposals in the final presentation.
The teams went out to the streets of Ikebukuro for fieldwork with BAs, shared the stimulating experiences they had there with the class, and engaged in heated discussions to present their proposals. During the intervals of formulating proposals, lectures were given on techniques to expand conceptions and integrate and firm up ideas. By making use of the knowledge acquired through the lectures, individual teams came up with innovative ideas.
Ahead of team activities, a workshop on strength was held for participants to understand other members’ strength and put those strengths into practice by using Gallup’s CliftonStrengths test. Team discussions were held in a way not only to respect each other’s opinions but also to capitalize on each member’s strengths. It was impressive to see how participants formulated unique proposals that exceeded our expectations.
By the end of each day, participants were given time to look back on their activities, reflect on what they learned about leadership development, and build their next action plans. It was impressive to see participants encouraging each other to improve themselves by being true to themselves and conveying what they really felt at the end of each day. Individual teams became to be able to make in-depth discussions, although members had met for the first time only a few days before.

Individual teams’ names and titles of their presentations are as follows:

• UnaGi: Global Ring 2.0
  
• SAKE!: International café
  
• Joke Bear: CREATING A NEW MULTICULTURAL SPACE
  
• Sushi: Ikebukuro Ittaku (only choice)!
  
• Intermingling International Businessmen

Peking University students also took part in this session, which saw exchanges of sharp questions and impassioned responses.

Following the final presentations, individual participants reflected on the summer program and committed themselves to exercising leadership with the aim of realizing their future plans and collaborations before closing the program. With a surprise closing ceremony organized by the BAs, the program had an emotional finale and members pledged to meet each other again.

Looking at the world with perspectives that are broadened through liberal arts and sharp point of view; discovering new opportunities and challenges to make the world better, and practicing leadership in one’s own way; instead of doing this all alone, building relationships of trust with a variety of people and collaborating with them.
All of this is easier said than done, but students from four different countries put this into practice while having fun.
As a result, individual participants were able to not only achieve considerable growth but also feel the possibility and joy of joining hands with others across national borders.
I sincerely hope that ACE’s challenges will evoke sympathy in society, raise new hopes internationally, and develop into a small yet but potentially big step.