Implementation and Challenges of Online International Exchange under the Covid-19 Pandemic (Mainly from interviews with student management staff)

Abstract

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, classes, study abroad, and international exchange activities within universities are rapidly being held in virtual environments. Since 2020, the annual international exchange activities of A University that promote English interaction between international and Japanese students have shifted online using video conferencing tools. However, the sudden switch to online and implementation by trial and error did not lead to sufficient exchanges compared to face-to-face international interactions. Therefore, this paper clarifies the advantages, difficulties, and future issues of conducting online international programs under these circumstances through interviews with the student staff in charge of management. In particular, rather than concentrating on the scope of classrooms or study abroad, we instead focus on voluntary international exchange activities outside of class, analyzing the results and issues of practices through interviews and presenting future plans and prospects. From the results, we consider improving the realization of international exchange in the post-corona era.