To advance holistic support for international students, University of Tsukuba implemented a new intercultural collaborative learning initiative grounded in a social justice framework. The findings revealed that this workshop empowered international students, fostered advocacy-oriented attitudes, and encouraged Japanese students to critically reflect on privilege. The findings highlighted the potential for sustainable international student support through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including corporate partners.

Tsukuba, Japan—International students enrolled at Japanese universities face a range of interrelated challenges, including language barriers, financial constraints, and difficulties in forming relationships with domestic students. In response, scholars have advocated for a campus‑wide approach to internationalization that prioritizes equity and ensures no one is left behind.

Accordingly, the research team developed an intercultural collaborative learning practice in which students from diverse cultural backgrounds interact and learn with and from one another. The guiding pedagogical framework was Intergroup Dialogue (IGD), a social justice‑oriented pedagogy developed at US universities. Here, social justice refers to critically examining structural inequalities and discrimination to promote more inclusive and equitable society.

As part of a joint project between the University of Tsukuba and Richemont Japan LLC, a two‑day "Multicultural IGD" workshop was held in August 2022 under the theme of multicultural coexistence. On the first day, participants engaged in dialogue based on case studies on an international student, an immigrant student, and a Japanese employee with overseas experience, focusing on the social and institutional barriers they encountered. On the second day, participants collaboratively developed action plans aimed at fostering more inclusive universities and workplaces. Throughout the workshop, dialogue was emphasized over debate, and facilitators intentionally cultivated a psychologically safe co‑learning environment.

Following the workshop, international students reported feeling affirmed in their experiences and identities, contributing to their empowerment. Japanese students demonstrated heightened critical awareness, including improved perspective‑taking and increased recognition of their own privilege. Some participants expressed stronger motivation to advocate for their perspectives and rights within institutional settings. Overall, the multicultural IGD initiative illustrates how diverse stakeholders can collaborate to establish sustainable support systems for international students.

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This study was supported by funding from Richemont Japan LLC. The funding institution was not involved in the study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, or writing and submission of this manuscript.

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Developing Multicultural Intergroup Dialogue at a Japanese University: Toward Sustainable and Holistic International Student Support

Journal:

Journal of International Students

DOI:

10.32674/wbf7bw59

Correspondence

Associate Professor TOKUNAGA Tomoko
Assistant Professor KAWANO Yoshiyuki
Institute of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Human Sciences