The 17th edition of the joint student research programme of Josai University and Budapest Business University took place from 6th to 17th of February 2024. A delegation of ten students from the partner university joined the Japanese section of the Department of Languages for International Business of BBU - Faculty of International Management and Business. They were accompanied by two staff members of Josai University, namely Prof. ISHIKAWA Masako, Deputy Director of the Centre for International Education and KATOU Takuya, an administrative staff member, who had participated in the same programme as a student in 2013. The topics of this year's research programme were "The Impact of Digitalisation on Education" and "The Impact of Digitalisation on Labour Issues" in Hungary and Japan.
During the 10-day programme, the students attended professional lectures, visited the Government Information Technology Development Agency (KIFÜ), where the President of the institution, Dr. Endre Spaller gave a lecture in English to the Japanese and Hungarian students, and held a round table discussion as well, during which the students asked questions and gave their views on the state of digitalisation in Japanese schools. At the ELTE Faculty of Informatics, Professor Márta Turcsányiné Szabó, the Dean's Advisor, spoke about artificial intelligence, why it should be taught at schools and answered students' questions about robotics. They visited the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, where the head of the library and a researcher of the archive introduced the students to the work of the Institute and the world-famous Kodály method. The Hungarian students who are studying Japanese at BBU were together with the Japanese students all day, exploring the beauties of Budapest together.
Students worked together in two groups to prepare a presentation on their topics. The joint work was done in English and Japanese. Finally, they successfully presented the results of their joint research in front of the Rector, the Dean, the Japanese Ambassador and other distinguished guests during the closing event on the 15th of February, which was broadcast online to Josai University. Japanese Ambassador Otaka Masato also reported on the event on his Facebook page.
