NYK Conducts Short-term Study-abroad Program in Japan for Philippine Marine Students

NYK Conducts Short-term Study-abroad Program in Japan for Philippine Marine Students
Nov. 14, 2024 https://www.nyk.com/english/news/2024/20241105_02.html

Provides Filipino students with opportunity for student exchange and to learn more about Japan’s maritime industry

NYK successfully conducted a second international short-term student-exchange program from October 20 to 26 between students from national maritime schools in Japan and those from the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), which NYK operates in the Philippines.

For this second exchange, eight NTMA students visited Japan for onboard training and cutter boat training at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and the Hiroshima College of the National Institute of Technology, as well as for a roundtable discussion with Filipino seafarers on shore duty at NYK's head office.

Further, to learn about Japan's maritime industry and culture, the students visited the Tsu office of Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU, Mie Prefecture, Japan), NYK Hikawamaru (Yokohama, Japan), NYK Group companies Nippon Yuka Kogyo Co. Ltd. (Yokohama, Japan) and UNI-X NCT Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), and the NYK Tokyo Container Terminal (Tokyo, Japan).

The purpose of this program is to develop an international mindset and to build a network that transcends nationalities by having students who aspire to become seafarers in Japan and the Philippines stay in each other's countries for approximately one week and experience differences in language and culture through classroom lectures, practical training, and sightseeing. This year's program, which resumed after a five-year pause, was conducted as follows.

Part 1
-- Students from Kobe University, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, and Nagasaki University studied at NTMA from August 19 to 26
-- Students from Toyama, Hiroshima, and Yuge colleges of the National Institute of Technology studied at NTMA from August 23 to September 2

Part 2
-- NTMA students visited Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Hiroshima College of the National Institute of Technology, NYK, and NYK Group companies from October 20 to 26

Japanese students who participated in the program commented, "It was very stimulating to be able to experience the atmosphere of a foreign marine school," "Everyone at NTMA was very kind and friendly," and "I was impressed by how the Filipinos appeared to enjoy eating traditional Japanese food such as miso soup and natto.” An NTMA student commented, "It was a very valuable experience not only to be exposed to the culture of a different country but also to practice what I had learned only on film, such as starting a ship's main engine. It was a very meaningful program.”

NYK will continue to cooperate with educational and research institutions in Japan and abroad to contribute to the development of young people who will be the future of the maritime industry.