Message from Ms. Sora LEE

To Potential Ogawa Seminar Students,

I am currently a master’s student at Korea University, South Korea, and my major is International Development Cooperation. From October 2017 to September 2018, I studied in Kobe University’s GSICS as a double degree exchange student and obtained my Master of Economics degree in September 2018.

It was an excellent opportunity to have Professor Ogawa as my supervisor in GSICS. Professor Ogawa is a very well-known expert in international education development. As he has rich experiences both in academia and practice in the field of education development, I was able to learn theories and practices, and obtain an opportunity to reconcile them under his supervision. For this reason, many students are conducting their research in Ogawa seminar (zemi) in order to develop/enhance their specialties. In the Ogawa zemi, students get many opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills for career growth, whether they plan to pursue academia or development industry. As Professor Ogawa has comprehended each student’s research interests, he would suggest suitable opportunities for them according to their interests. Furthermore, I was a foreign student in Japan, so he also used to check whether I was doing well in daily life as a foreigner. He is a professional supervisor as well as super nice person.

If you belong to the Ogawa zemi, you would feel like you have another family. The Ogawa zemi is famous for diversity and cordiality warmness. Students have diverse backgrounds, including nationality, academic background, and working experiences. However, they get along very well and are always ready to help their peers. By helping each other, we can learn from each other. As for me, I could not have completed my thesis without Professor Ogawa and his zemi students’ support.

In the Ogawa zemi, we often have gatherings. We have welcome parties for the new students and farewell party for the graduates. Professor Ogawa kindly arranges parties to encourage his zemi students pretty often. If you are interested in our zemi, don’t hesitate to join. I’m sure you will not regret being a member of the Ogawa family!

Sora Lee (Master of Economics, 2018)