Imagine a lively green space — akin to a campus quad — where students between classes can soak in the sun and enjoy the camaraderie and company of their peers. Imagine, too, a welcoming common space — replete with cozy, modern seating arrangements —where students from around the world can collaborate, socialize and pop open a laptop.
Students on Main Campus call these areas Beury Beach and Charles Library.
For 37 years, Temple University Japan imagined how facilities like those might support our students’ academic pursuits and improve the overall student experience.
We don’t need to imagine anymore.
This semester, TUJ relocated to Tokyo’s Sangen-jaya District, to the campus of Showa Women’s University. This move is monumental: in TUJ’s nearly four-decade history, a variety of office spaces and other non-traditional academic environments had served as the campus’ home. Now, and for the first time, a beautiful new facility in a student-friendly neighborhood on a true university campus awaits Temple students, whether they are visiting or studying at TUJ.
As dean, I am among the campus administrators who welcome students from more than 50 countries worldwide. American and Japanese students comprise the majority of our student body, to be sure, but there has never been a better time for students globally to consider enrolling at TUJ — or for Temple students enrolled at any of our United States campuses to explore their study abroad options.
You have likely heard the expression, “Owls are everywhere.” As a faculty member at Temple since 2008, I know this to be true. Quite literally, our students were everywhere. TUJ’s previous home, with its long hallways and lack of common spaces, created a transient environment that led students to disperse once their on-campus commitments had been met.
Beyond the beauty and practicality of our new campus, the appeal of TUJ’s location in Tokyo cannot be overstated. TUJ thrives on its relationship with businesses, governmental organizations, embassies and other universities. Whether our students are studying business, art, Japanese language or political science, they all want to be where the action is — and downtown Tokyo is action. Keeping TUJ in Tokyo was a critically important component of our relocation.
TUJ’s historic place in the global higher-education landscape has already been etched. At no other university in Japan can a student earn an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited American university. Through our partnership with SWU, students now have access to dual-degree programs that will further enhance their academic and intellectual pursuits. Also, TUJ’s collaboration with SWU creates an educational advantage for all of our students. It’s my hope that the union of our universities serves as a model of an international educational partnership that will open new vistas worldwide for fellow providers of higher education.
Studying alongside peers from around the world and becoming immersed in global cultures is merely one reason why students should consider their study-abroad options.
Our campus is rich in multicultural, ethnic and geographic diversity. Students hail not only from the U.S. and Japan, but also France, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Through intercultural collaboration, our students challenge themselves by accessing exceptional learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.
Also worth noting are Japan’s historic shrines and sites, beautiful cherry blossoms, picturesque views of Mt. Fuji, unique cultural and dining experiences and Tokyo’s bustling downtown districts.
I encourage our students, current or prospective, to speak with Temple’s Office of Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses to learn more about TUJ, Temple Rome and other international academic partnerships.
We hope to see you soon at Temple University Japan on the campus of Showa Women’s University.
Be the first to comment