Tokyo touch down

Fresh off the plane from Tokyo, a new wave of Tamagawa University students have touched down in Melbourne to begin Victoria University’s (VU) Study Abroad program.

Eager, excited and slightly nervous, the group of 25 students arrived on 17 August to embark on a year-long program of studies – comprising 20 weeks of preparatory English language classes followed by a semester of tertiary-level business courses.

Depending on their final levels of English upon completion of the English for Academic Purposes course, delivered by the University’s English language centre, VU English, the students will go on to study a semester of the Diploma of Business (Enterprise) with VU College or units from the Bachelor of Business.

Aside from the benefits of experiencing a new culture, language and education system, the students will receive credit for the VU studies towards their home degree.

Following an induction to the University by staff from VU College, VU English and VU International, the Tamagawa group posed for pictures at Federation Square, the iconic Melbourne landmark located just a short walk from VU’s City Flinders Campus.

Tamagawa University student Nanami Hirai, aged 20, says she is looking forward to studying at a world-class university, which ranks in the top 4% of universities worldwide by the QS World University Rankings.

"I want to experience studying in a totally different atmosphere from Japan and experience the university life in Australia," she says.

"Above all, I really want to improve my English speaking skills and have conversations in English, just like I have conversations in my mother tongue," she says.

VU’s partnership with Tamagawa University is in its second year, however the Study Abroad program at VU has been running for more than 20 years.