Activity Report of Open Application Course vol.33
High School Students from Mongolia Learn About Advanced Research on “Long Healthy Lives” in Shizuoka Prefecture
Report from Shizuoka Prefecture
Through cooperation with the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports (MECSS), Shizuoka Prefecture invited eight high school students selected from throughout Mongolia. The students were also accompanied by one supervisor. In August 2015, Shizuoka Prefecture signed a memorandum on international exchange with the MECSS. Since then, we have promoted interaction of human resources in the fields of education, culture and science.
The recent high school invitees learned about the latest research, technology, and initiatives in the fields of health and medicine, including “healthy long lives” which is on feature of Shizuoka Prefecture. By utilizing regional resources and our unique industrial infrastructure, Shizuoka Prefecture is implementing three industrial agglomeration projects: Pharma Valley (industries related to medicine and health) in east Shizuoka, Food Science Hills (industries related to food) in central Shizuoka, and Photon Valley (industries related to optical and electronic technology) in west Shizuoka. In each of these projects, research is conducted by local government, corporations, research institutions, and universities which are centers of knowledge in that region. In the recent program, invitees were able to learn a great deal about these projects and other outstanding research activities in Shizuoka Prefecture
Day 2: Invitees visited the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing at Juntendo University. In addition to touring health science and nursing facilities and attending classes, they interacted with university students during lunchtime. In the afternoon, invitees visited Shizuoka Cancer Center to learn about advanced medical equipment and to experience a simulator featuring the robotic surgical support system Da Vinci.
Day 3: Invitees visited the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) and the University of Shizuoka. At NIG, invitees learned about bio-resources and toured a laboratory conducting research using zebra fish. After learning about the infinite possibilities of genetics, some of the high school students were so inspired that they voiced aspirations to study genetics in the future. At the Univ. of Shizuoka, invitees inspected a mobile pharmacy (mobile training vehicle for at-home medical treatment) that is expected to be of great support in providing prescriptions drugs during disasters. They learned how the mobile pharmacy will be used in the event of a disaster.
at the National Institute of Genetics
During the weekend: invitees visited the Museum of Natural and Environmental History, Shizuoka, the first museum in Japan to feature global environmental history. At the museum, students contemplated how to protect the beautiful nature currently found on our planet and how to achieve a sustainable society. Invitees also learned about the history, culture, and nature of Shizuoka by visiting sites such as Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre.
Day 6: Invitees visited the Faculty of Engineering at Shizuoka University. They visited three laboratories to learn about cutting-edge research such as nano-level processing technology using electron microscope technology.
Day 7: Invitees visited the Hamamatsu University School of Medicine. They had the opportunity to actual touch and operate advanced medical equipment such as a stereoscopic endoscope developed through an industry-academia partnership between the Hamamatsu Univ. School of Medicine and corporations in Hamamatsu. All of the invitees seemed very interested as they operated the equipment. In particular, the students who is considering becoming a doctor had a gleam in their eyes as they listened intently to explanations.
During the program, invitees talked about their future goalsd“I want to study abroad in Japan.” “The program helped me decided on my academic major in university.” The program was successful in increasing interest in science among Mongolian high school students and heightening their desire to study abroad in Japan. We look forward to promoting more exchange with Mongolia in the future.