International Center organized Global Discussion Camp (GDC) in August 2025.

Global Discussion Camp 2025

Global Discussion Camp (GDC)* was held in a hybrid format, combining online and face-to-face activities in August 2025.
Students from partner universities and students from Tokyo Metropolitan University(TMU) were divided into three groups. Based on pre-set themes, they engaged in lively discussions through online and in-person group activities, field studies and presentations in Tokyo.

*GDC is an extracurricular international education program held by TMU and partner universities. The international students from partner universities are invited by TMU to Tokyo. They present and discuss pre-set themes with students from TMU.

GDC THEME

Biodiversity and Sustainability

Group Topic 1: Addressing social issues using biodiversity data
Group Topic 2: Creating a future living in harmony with nature - approaches from science, policy and education
Group Topic 3: Living in harmony: satoyama, sustainable tourism, and the SDGs

DATE & PROGRAM

Date	Program
August 5	Orientation (online) *After the general orientation, students met in groups and worked on preparatory assignments provided for each topic.
August 20	・Introduction ・Welcome Lunch ・Group Work
August 21 to 25 (Excluding Saturday and Sunday)	・Field Study ・Group Work ・Presentation preparation
August 26	・Presentations by each group ・Farewell Lunch

*TMU students took an English for Studying Abroad course (seminar skill improvement) in preparation for participation in the above program.

PARTICIPANTS

・Tokyo Metropolitan University(Japan): 7 students
・University of Leicester(England): 3 students
・University of Seoul(South Korea): 4 students
・University of Malaya(Malaysia): 3 students
・State University of New York at Oneonta (United States): 5 students

PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT (TMU)

・Executive Director of International Center, Professor Masayoshi Noguchi; Associate Professor Sae Shimauchi, from International Center
・Members of the International Affairs Office

GROUP INSTRUCTORS

・Lecturer Hiromi Matsumae, from Faculty of Medicine, Tokai University (Group 1)
・Assistant Researcher Chihomi Shigematsu, from IGES - Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (Group 2)
・Associate Professor Lidia Sasaki, from International Center, Tokyo Metropolitan University (Group 3)
・Project Assistant Professor Ranaweerage Eranga, from International Center, Tokyo Metropolitan University (Group 3)

Comments from participating students

*Based on Student Survey Responses

Highly recommend. It doesn’t just help you understand other cultures better — it also boosts your knowledge of the topic and your presentation skills. Also, the most important is “friendship”
(Comment from a TMU student. Originally written in Japanese.)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

I wasn’t confident in my English at first, but over the five days, so many kind people talked with me and that really helped me gain confidence.
(Comment from a TMU student. Originally written in Japanese.)

It was a really great chance to handle global environmental issues! I’m glad to hear various countries friends opinion!

The connection I got with the foreign students was more than I expected.

I wish we had a few more days to work! But I did love the days we did have to collaborate, was very fun!

Field Study (Jike Furusato Villege)