SAKURA SCIENCE High School Program Group 3
African High School Students Visit the University of Tsukuba
On Tuesday, August 19, a total of 32 people, including high school students and supervisors from six African countries (Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia) participating in the Sakura Science High School Program (SSHP) G3, visited the University of Tsukuba.
First, they were given an overview of the university, followed by an introduction to the Undergraduate English Program, where all classes are conducted in English and no Japanese language skills are required. The five academic fields offered in this program were explained in detail, and the high school students listened attentively and took notes.
Next, they had an opportunity to interact with international students. Diversity is one of the core educational philosophies of the University of Tsukuba, which currently hosts 2,400 international students from 114 countries, making it a truly international campus. The international students who participated in the exchange were all from the same six African countries as the visiting high school students, which led to lively conversations. The high school students asked many questions such as, "Why did you choose a Japanese university?", "How did you apply?", "Are there scholarships?", "How are high school grades considered?", and "What is university life like in Japan?" The international students responded thoughtfully to each question, which left a strong impression on the visitors.
In the afternoon, the group attended a lecture at the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-AIR), Computer Vision Lab, which was delivered by Mr. Santos Enoque, a PhD student from Mozambique, entitled "Seeing in Numbers: How a Computer Understands an Image." Using examples of binary images, grayscale images, and color images, he explained how computers recognize and process visual information in an interactive format. Even when Mr. Enoque asked rapid-fire questions, the high school students responded accurately and quickly. After the lecture, Mr. Enoque commented, "I was truly amazed by how outstanding these students are."
After the lecture, the international students took the African high school students on a campus tour, during which they enjoyed the atmosphere of a Japanese university despite the intense heat.
