(Original English report follows Japanese summary)
2025年6月20日、マッコーリー大学にて高校2年生を対象とした日本語関連イベント「Mirai – Futures with Japan」が開催された。ニューサウスウェールズ州内22校から生徒・教員計440名が参加し、日本語を通じて広がる進路や可能性について紹介された。
イベントはNF-JLEPの支援を受け、ニューカッスル大学のベンジャミン・ギブ講師およびマッコーリー大学MJSセンターのチャワーリン・サウェッタナン准教授の指導のもと実施された。
JETプログラム、交換留学、ワーキングホリデーなどの制度に加え、文化体験やキャンパス内アクティビティも行われ、参加者は、日本語学習を単なる学問的活動としてではなく、国際的な関わり、自己成長、異文化理解への足がかりとして捉えるよう促された。
アンケートでは80％が学習意欲の向上を報告し、全参加校が次回開催への関心を示した。地方校向けにはオンライン版も提供され、全国の高校生が参加した。本イベントは、言語教育を通じたグローバルな視野の育成と、大学の果たす役割の重要性を示すものである。
Mirai – Futures with Japan: Inspiring the Next Generation of Japanese Language Learners
The Macquarie Japanese Studies Centre for Teaching Development (MJS Centre), in collaboration with the School of International Studies, Faculty of Arts, hosted a large-scale outreach event for Year 10 students titled Mirai – Futures with Japan on Friday, 20 June, from 10:00–14:00 at the Macquarie Theatre.
Held on the beautiful Wallumattagal campus at North Ryde, the event welcomed 440 students and teachers from 22 schools across New South Wales, including selective, independent, and comprehensive schools. The aim was to introduce the diverse future pathways that Japanese language study can offer and to spark curiosity, confidence, and commitment in continuing language education.
Generously funded by the Nippon Foundation Fund for Japanese Language Education (NF-JLEP), the event was led by MJS Centre teachers’ grant recipient Mr Benjamin Gibb (Adjunct Lecturer in Languages Education, University of Newcastle) and Dr Chavalin Svetanant, Director of the MJS Centre and Senior Lecturer in Global Cultures and Languages.
The program highlighted a range of possibilities enabled by Japanese studies, including high school and university exchanges, working holiday opportunities, and the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme sponsored by the Japanese government. Students were encouraged to see language learning not just as an academic endeavour, but as a springboard to global engagement, personal growth, and cross-cultural connection.
The event featured engaging presentations, discussions, and interactive sessions delivered by a collaborative team of presenters from AIIU Exchange, Boobooski Japan, the Japan Foundation Sydney, the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney, and Macquarie University staff and students. Alongside these, students enjoyed hands-on activities such as a campus-wide “info hunt,” interactive quizzes, and a traditional Japanese obento lunch offering a taste of both Japanese culture and campus life.
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Of the 220 survey respondents, 80% reported a significant increase in motivation to continue Japanese studies, rating their response a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale. All participating schools expressed interest in returning for a future event in 2026, a promising sign for the continued growth of Japanese language education in Australia.
To ensure accessibility for schools unable to attend in person, Mirai – Futures with Japan also offered a companion online event on Wednesday, 25 June. This virtual session extended the experience to regional and rural schools across Australia, including Year 10 students from 9 schools in NSW, VIC, SA and WA, and Year 12 students from 23 schools across NSW, VIC, SA, WA and the ACT. The online program featured tailored content to support students at both stages of their language learning journey, reinforcing the message that Japanese can lead to exciting futures, no matter where students are located.
Mirai – Futures with Japan reflects the MJS Centre and the School of International Studies’ ongoing commitment to enriching, research-informed initiatives that support Japanese teaching and learning. It also signals a quiet yet steady momentum in language revitalisation, and the vital role universities can play in preparing students for globally engaged futures.