The International Student Center and Gifu City Chuo Library jointly organized and held the Student Presentation on Japanese Culture Studies at the Multipurpose Room of Gifu University Satellite Campus on August 2. Presentations were made by the students who are studying at the Japanese Language and Culture Studies Course at International Student Center.

Students at the Japanese Language and Culture Studies Course study at Gifu University from October to August every year as state-funded international students recommended by the embassies, their home universities or as exchange students from Gifu University's partner universities overseas. They write theses to wrap up their studies at Gifu University. They themselves choose the topics and write the papers under the instructions of their teachers.
Gifu University welcomed eight students from Azerbaijan, Australia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China and Viet Nam as the 14th students enrolled in the Course this year.
On August 2, the University staff, Japanese and international students as well as many citizens came to see the presentations of their theses despite the sweltering heat. Every student made an excellent presentation in PowerPoint about Japanese culture and cultural comparison between Japan and their home countries. They spoke to the audience in fluent Japanese and some students gave their speeches in their ethnic costumes. The audience kept on giving encouragement and a big applause to every speaker. A lot of answers given to the questionnaire papers distributed to the audience showed that they were given a valuable opportunity to encounter quite unique, different views and a varying ways of presentations by the international students.

The students will attend the Course Closing Ceremony on August 20 and return home. After returning, they will keep on studying at their home universities. Many students, however, came back to Gifu University to continue their study at the graduate schools or advanced to the graduate schools of other universities, or came back to Japan to study or seek jobs. Gifu University is really looking forward to meeting these students again to see their growth in the near future.

The followings are the speakers and the topic of their theses (in the order of making presentations)

• Mr. Borden Alexander William John (Australia)
  "Future of Wagyu (Japanese Cattle) and WAGYU - why WAGYU is not on the Japanese market"
• Ms. Prasomsri Hataichanok (Thailand)
  "Special Needs Education in Japan and Thailand - focus on education for elementary school pupils with special needs"
• Ms. Bui Thi Bich Dung (Viet Nam)
  "Current Status of Vietnamese Students in Japan"
• Ms. Le Thi Thuy Tram (Viet Nam)
  "Elucidate Japanese Culture through Japanese Sake"
• Mr. Kim Yangseon (South Korea)
  "Relationship between Korean Artists and the Pro-Japanese in the Colonial Era - life of dancer, Choe Seung-hui"
• Ms. Aydayeva Zarifa Kamran (Azerbaijan)
  "Develop Culture of Hospitality together with Communities"
• Ms. Zhong Peirong (China)
  "Handkerchief - different ways of using handkerchief in China and Japan"
• Ms. Jayasekara Kavindra Gayangi (Sri Lanka)
  "English Education for Elementary School Pupils - comparison between Sri Lanka and Japan"