Kansai Gaidai University's Weekly 'GIP' Brings Local and International Students Together

A crowd of 400 people gathered for the Farewell Party, enjoying the final event with the international students.

At Kansai Gaidai University (Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture), where approximately 1,000 international students study annually, the 'GIP (Global Innovation Program)' is held every Tuesday at 5:00 PM at the Gotenyama Campus Global Town. The program is designed to deepen casual interactions between local and international students.

Students carefully pull out pieces so as not to topple the Jenga tower.

Participants note that 'conversations with international students flow easily without any pressure,' and attendance sometimes reaches 200 to 300 students. The program has become so popular that many students report 'taking time off from part-time jobs on Tuesday evenings' or 'arranging their schedules to avoid classes on Tuesday evenings as much as possible.'

Communication is key.

The GIP events, held weekly at CAFÉ COMMONS in the Gotenyama Campus Global Town, are very straightforward. Groups of 7 to 8 local and international students play card games, discuss specific themes, or plan seasonal trips together. Sometimes they create 'Goshuin-cho' (stamp books) to encourage visits to shrines and temples in Kyoto and Nara, or try making 'Chinese Knots,' a traditional good luck charm.

Students try their hand at making traditional 'Chinese Knots.'

Games and crafts simply serve as icebreakers; local and international students sharing a table quickly dive into lively conversations after brief introductions. Local students casually speak English, while international students test out their newly learned Japanese. Occasionally, participants even teach their native languages, such as Spanish, Chinese, Swedish, or Turkish.

Students challenged themselves with Japanese calligraphy.

Kansai Gaidai University has partnered with 427 institutions in 55 countries and regions worldwide (as of May 2016). While nearly 50% are universities in the United States, many international students come from a wide variety of global locations. GIP gathers students from diverse backgrounds, providing a space where casual, repeated conversations lead to mutual understanding of cultural and value differences, effectively putting multicultural coexistence into practice.

Sometimes the atmosphere heats up with KARAOKE.

GIP was launched in September 2023. Initially, participation was low, and there were times when people thought the program 'might just disappear.' However, the staff's passion to 'make GIP a hub for international exchange and multicultural coexistence' bore fruit, and now attendance rarely drops below 100. Holding the event every Tuesday evening (excluding long vacations) has become a fixture, and it is so popular that admission must sometimes be restricted.

Students engaged seriously in games.

Some students from the all-English College of Global Engagement participate because they 'don't have many opportunities to casually speak with international students.' A former junior college student mentioned, 'If I hadn't participated in GIP, I wouldn't have considered transferring to the bachelor's program in my third year.' The program is becoming an indispensable bridge connecting international and local students at Kansai Gaidai.

The events held in the spring semester of 2026 and their attendance figures are as follows:

- February Welcome Party: 350 people Scavenger-hunt: 150 people Game-Night: 150 people KARAOKE: 100 people

- March Trying 'Mizuhiki': 80 people Board Game Day: 70 people Movie Night (Watching 'Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea'): 70 people

- April Indoor Picnic / Discussion (Theme: Language and Culture): 250 people Calligraphy & Kimono: 300 people GIP-school (International students speak Japanese, local students speak English): 300 people Chinese Knot: 230 people

- May Farewell Party: 400 people

[Contact Information] Kansai Gaidai University Public Relations Department Phone: 072-805-2817 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, excluding Sundays and holidays) E-mail: [email protected]

The Gotenyama Campus Global Town, where the GIP international exchange event is held.

'GO FOR it! Beyond languages.' Leveraging its overseas network spanning 427 universities in 55 countries and regions worldwide (as of May 2026), Kansai Gaidai University sends approximately 1,300 students abroad annually. The two campuses in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture, also welcome approximately 1,100 international students each year.