- 10/16/2026
On Friday, September 25, we held the opening ceremony for the 2026 Fall/Winter Short-Term Exchange Program (STEP). This semester, 24 exchange students from 12 countries and regions—including Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, and Taiwan—have joined us at Hiroshima University of Economics.
At the opening ceremony, President Yuko Ishida delivered a welcome address, and each student was presented with a Certificate of Admission. The students in attendance looked both nervous and full of anticipation as they prepared to begin their study abroad experience in Hiroshima. Following the opening ceremony, students from the university’s intercultural communication group, “ViVA,” led a campus tour for the exchange students.
While touring major facilities such as the Library, Main Building, Kodokan (Institute for Human Resource Development), and the Academic Commons Building, Meitokukan, the ViVA students provided information essential for campus life, such as guidance on how to purchase meal tickets at the cafeteria, how to pay for rent and utility bills, and other information.
*“ViVA” is a volunteer group composed of Japanese students and full-time international students at our university. In addition to supporting short-term exchange students with campus life and daily routines, the group aims to foster mutual understanding of each other’s cultures and values through interaction with students from various countries. Through active engagement—such as planning and organizing welcome events for international students and international exchange activities—the members themselves develop their intercultural adaptability skills and broaden their global perspectives.