Creating a global village through education
The Embassy of Japan in South Africa has been creating bridges between the youth of South Africa and Japan through various people-to-people exchange programmes for more than two decades.
The first of these is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) scholarship programme, which has offered annual scholarships for South African students to study in Japan since 1994. To date, almost 80 South Africans have been afforded the opportunity to attain undergraduate, master’s and PhD qualifications in Japan.
The MEXT scholarship allows applicants the freedom to apply for courses in almost any field of study including science and technology, law, architecture and literature. The MEXT Scholarship is not only an opportunity to study in Japan, but it also forges academic links between universities in Japan and South Africa.
“Participants who have completed their studies in Japan through MEXT are currently playing key roles in a variety of sectors in South Africa. Some examples include diplomats, a researcher studying Japanese pop-culture and a film director. I think that the experience of studying in Japan gives student a unique perspective, which enables them to be more creative in their fields after returning to South Africa. The 2019 MEXT applications are now available so we would like to see many South African youths apply for it,” says Mr Taro Sawada from the Embassy of Japan.
Another exchange programme is the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, which aims to enhance foreign language education and promote international exchange at the local level through the fostering of ties between Japanese teenagers and native English teachers from around the world. While working as an English teacher at local authorities, as well as public and private pre-schools, primary and high schools in Japan for up to five years, JET participants can learn a lot about Japan in a variety of ways.
“Through this cultural exchange we expect participants to become bridges between our two countries by sharing their experiences in Japan with the people of South Africa even after the programme is complete. In this sense, we are happy that some former participants are currently working at the Embassy as local staff who assist us in our work here in South Africa. They are literally bridges between the two countries,’’ says Sawada.
Since South Africa joined the JET Programme in 1997, more than 600 South Africans have participated in the programme and 44 newly selected South Africans are set to depart for Japan at the end of July this year.
“These people-to-people exchanges are what Japan has been very keen to promote and we would like to continue to provide such opportunities to the people of South Africa,” says Sawada.
Finally, the African Business Education (ABE) Initiative, introduced by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe atTICAD V in 2013, is aimed at empowering 1,000 African youths through the provision of scholarships for master’s degrees at Japanese universities as well as internships at Japanese enterprises.
“The initiative targets youth with leadership qualities and aims to maximise their potential and enrich them through a cultural journey. Returnees are highly employable, with some absorbed by the Japanese private sector in South Africa. We would like to continue to assist Africa to be more prosperous via the enhancement of industrial human resource development,” says Sawada.
Since its inception, as many as 104 South African youth have received scholarships. Ulrich Fobian, who is currently studying at the Graduate School of Law at Kansai University in Japan under the ABE Initiative says;
“Staying and studying in Japan has been an eye-opening experience. I’ve been deeply impressed and inspired by the different ways of doing business in Japan and how it has challenged my understanding of conducting business back home, for example, the Japanese excel at collaborative work. My goal is to build on the already existing relationship between these two countries. This extraordinary experience has enabled me to do just that.”
“These programmes are building up Africa’s youth, which will see future leaders crossing the cultural divide with enhanced leadership skills. These opportunities will allow them to make great contributions to the development of industries in Africa. Through the initiative, we expect them to become pioneers and leaders in creating a better tomorrow for Africa,” says Sawada.
Applications for next year’s intake for the MEXT programme are now open, while the JET programme is set to release its application forms in September this year.
l MEXT Scholarship (2019 applications is available by 8th of June, 2018)
http://www.za.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/MEXT_Scholarship.html
l JET Programme
http://www.za.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/jet_programme.html
l Abe Initiative
https://www.jica.go.jp/english/countries/africa/internship.html
