Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) students are making the most out of their semester break in Japan with the JENESYS 2.0 Youth Exchange Programme, with a Japanese cultural immersion and educational trip.

Eleven students majoring in Professional Communication and one Creative Arts and Technology major from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences departed for Japan on September 22 to take part in the JENESYS 2.0 Mass Media Programme. Meanwhile, a group of 15 Nursing and Midwifery students from PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) also departed to the Land of the Rising Sun to participate in the JENESYS 2.0 Project for Medical/Nursing School on September 26.

In the Mass Media Programme, participants are split into two groups to spend their programme in Tokyo and Tokushima. The groups will visit major Japanese corporations such as Asahi Broadcasting Corporation and Shikoku Broadcasting Co. Ltd., with hopes that the participants will experience cutting-edge technologies and learn the “spirit of manufacturing” of Japan through its products.

The students will also immerse themselves in traditional Japanese culture through their visits to Japanese universities, where they will interact with their Japanese counterparts and experience a day at a Japanese university. On their visit, the participants will also get to “live like a local” as they take part in a homestay program and live with a Japanese family.

“One of the best things that the participants of JENESYS 2.0 (Mass Media) will experience is they will stay overnight with a host family in the provincial areas of Japan to enhance understanding of Japan’s strengths, local cultures, attractions, and values,” said Azizan Abd Razak, a Professional Communication major in UBD, whose views resonate with other participants in the JENESYS 2.0 Programme.

Aside from cultural immersion, Hj Mohd Syukri Hj Mohd Noor, a Nursing major from PAPRSB HIS, believes that much can be learned from the Japanese styles of medical and nursing management and the professional culture of Japan as well as other countries participating in the programme.

The JENESYS 2.0 Medical and Nursing Programme introduces medical issues and advanced medical technology from Japan to students in the field of medicine and nursing. Participants will learn about medicine or drug management, mobile consultation services and general medical systems by visiting medical schools and/or hospitals. During the programme, participants will also learn about and experience Japanese traditional as well as pop culture through a cultural exchange programme at a Japanese university and homestay. Participants are to discover their own concept of “Cool Japan” and expected to impart their learning upon their return home.

“I hope to develop my leadership skills and my management skills, especially in Nursing, and for myself to be able to work professionally,” said Hj Mohd Syukri, who added that the programme will also help strengthen the ties between Brunei and Japan. “I hope to share my new skills and experience (with the homestay and places of interest) as well as [that of] Japan Technologies used in medical fields with my peers in Brunei so they will be interested to join this Programme in the near future.”

For Midwifery student, ‘Ezzah Nabilah Awg Mohd Hanafi, networking was what she looked forward to in the programme. “Through this programme, I hope I [will] be able to develop and broaden my interpersonal network - to be able to connect and be more involved with the outside world by building and maintaining a friendly relationship with those who I'm going to meet through this programme.”

“I also may be able to share my experiences and what I’ve learned during my stay in Japan [with] others, especially those who are interested in going to Japan. And maybe when we go to visit their nursing system foundation and university, perhaps I could pick up a few new skills or learning tips that I could use in Brunei as a student.”

The Mass Media Programme will take place from 23^rd to 28^th September, and the group will return to Brunei on 30^th September, while the Medical/Nursing Programme will take place from 24^th September to 2^nd October.

JENESYS 2.0 is a youth exchange programme launched by the government of Japan, and aims to nurture the friendship between Japan and invited countries in addition to revitalizing the Japanese economy through the introduction of Japan's attractions to foreign tourists and consumers by promoting international understanding on the nation's potential strengths, allure and values, including the "Cool Japan" concept. As a succeeding version of the JENESYS project which was implemented from 2007 to 2011, the project expects to invite over 30,000 youths from countries/regions of Asia, the Pacific Islands and North America.