Workshop and Symposium on Japanese Language Education Held at University of Tsukuba

2023.04.13

On February 13-14, 2023, Dr. Takashi Ninomiya, Coordinator of the University of Tsukuba Almaty Office and Associate Professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and Dr. Borankulova Samal, Senior Lecturer of the same university, participated in  Japanese language workshops held at the University of Tsukuba with the following lecturers: Prof. Kei Ishiguro of the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics, Hitotsubashi University, and Prof. Aya Kondo, Representative Director of the Business Japanese Language Study Group, Showa Women’s University. Their topics were on “Japanese Language Education and Research for Graduate Students” and “Enabling Cases for Diversity Environments,” respectively.

At the symposium on “The 6th Future-oriented Japanese Language Education” held on February 15, 2023, Dr. Ninomiya himself gave a research presentation – “Project for Creating Japanese Language Teaching Materials for Kazakhstan Tourism (Revised version).”

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36757/

(Contributors:Ninomiya, Takashi and Borankulova, Samal)


Annual Japanese Speech Contest Held in Kazakhstan

2023.04.13

On March 11, 2023, the 26th Kazakhstan Japanese Language Speech Contest was held under the joint sponsorship of the Kazakhstan Japanese Language Teachers Association and the Embassy of Japan in Kazakhstan. Seventeen students from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, the Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Development, among others, participated. The University of Tsukuba presented prizes as a co-sponsor of this event.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36668/


Researcher Exchange Conference Commemorating 30 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Kazakhstan

2023.04.13

On March 17, 2023, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Japan hosted a researcher exchange conference between Japan and Kazakhstan and twenty researchers from Japan and Kazakhstan gave presentations. Professor Usuyama Toshinobu, the Institute of Humanities and Social Studies, University of Tsukuba, presented on “Activities in Kazakhstan of the University of Tsukuba”, while Ninomiya Takashi, Almaty Office Coordinator of the University of Tsukuba and faculty member of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, presented on “Issues in Kazakh Linguistics: Focusing on Grammar and Pragmatics.”

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36670/

International Student Forum on Inclusive Education System

2023.04.13

On March 16, 2023, the International Student Forum on “Inclusive Education System in Kazakhstan and Japan” was held under the auspices of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. Attended by students from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), as well as students from the University of Tsukuba and Keio University who were studying abroad at KazNU during the winter language program, the purpose of the forum was to examine the systems of inclusive education in Kazakhstan and Japan and to get acquainted with the results of scientific research. During the discussion, the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the two countries’ educational systems were compared.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36671/

Introducing the University of Tsukuba Almaty Office in Career Design Course

2023.04.13

On November 2, 2022, Ninomiya Takashi, Coordinator of the University of Tsukuba Almaty Office, presented a presentation, titled in “Learning and Working Abroad: Live Broadcast with the Almaty Office of University of Tsukuba,” as part of “Introduction to Career Design” at the University of Tsukuba. He explained to about 60 undergraduate students the activities of the Almaty office in Kazakhstan and the effects of the Covid-19 infection on Kazakh society and universities. Students from the University of Tsukuba asked questions about the differences between Japanese and Kazakhstani society, the food situation in Kazakhstan, and the Kazakhs’ perception on the ongoing Ukrainian and Russian conflict.

 

Dr. Ninomiya also gave a similar presentation in November 2021. https://www.bgi.sec.tsukuba.ac.jp/post-almaty-en/introducing-activities-of-the-university-of-tsukuba-almaty-office-in-career-design-course-en/

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36666/


International Conference on “Crossroads of Civilizations 15”

2023.04.13

On March 11, 2023, the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies and the University of Tsukuba organized the international academic conference “Crossroads of Civilizations 15” with presenters from Uzbekistan, Japan, and Kazakhstan. From the University of Tsukuba, Professor Ono Masaki of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences gave a lecture on “Japanese Language Education and Online Teaching Materials,” while Professor Usuyama Toshinobu, also of the same institute, presented his research on “Quantitative and Semantic Studies on Aspects of Verbs with Prefixes po – and za – in Modern Russian.” From the Almaty Office, Coordinator Ninomiya Takashi, also a faculty member of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, presented his research on “The process of creating “Easy Kazakh” and “Easy Russian” for people with developmental disabilities in Kazakhstan.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36667/


Briefing Session on Studying Abroad in Kazakhstan

2023.04.13

On March 14, 2023, a pre-study-abroad orientation to Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) was held at the University of Tsukuba. With opening remarks by Dr. Ohniwa Ryosuke, Campus-in-Campus (CiC) faculty coordinator, and Professor Usuyama Toshinobu of the Institute of Humanities and Social Studies, the orientation included presentations from three students of the University of Tsukuba on their activities while studying abroad in Kazakhstan. Dr. Ninomiya Takashi, Coordinator of the Almaty Office of University of Tsukuba, also gave a presentation on the social and cultural situation in Kazakhstan and life at KazNU.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36665/

Russian Language Training in 2023 attended by University of Tsukuba students

2023.04.12

 

From February 17 to March 24, 2023, 11 students from the University of Tsukuba participated in Russian and Kazakh language training at the Preparatory Faculty of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. This language training program has been held annually since 2015. In this training program, students took a placement test and were placed in their appropriate course level. In addition to learning Russian and Kazakh, the studentsattended lectures in English at the university and gave presentations at a student forum. On weekends, students participated in excursions and visited Tangbalytas and Charyn Canyon.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/36664/


A good person is around you

2023.04.06


Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi and Japan’s University of Tsukuba signed a mutual cooperation agreement in 2012. Since that time, several projects have been carried out in the field of education and science. In 2015, with the initiative of the University of Tsukuba, the Tsukuba Center for the Study of Japan and Central Asia countries was opened at our university. Furthermore, the “Campus in Campus” project is being implemented between the two universities.

In 2014, Dr. Ninomiya Takashi from the University of Tsukuba was sent to the Far East Department of the Faculty of Oriental Studies as a project coordinator within the framework of this project. Dr. Ninomiya is a scientist-teacher who have come to KazNU named after al-Farabi to strengthen bilateral relations. Since then, Ninomiya sensei has been working as a lecturer at our university as well as a coordinator.

Ninomiya sensei entered the preparatory faculty of our university and began studying the Kazakh language. Within a year, he started speaking Kazakh. During these eight years, Mr. Ninomiya has been researching the similarities and differences between the Kazakh and Japanese languages, writing articles, publishing textbooks, dictionaries, and lecturing in the Kazakh language. It is undoubtedly a great feat to come to a country where his ancestors never set foot, and in a short period of time learn and master a completely unknown language and culture. At the same time, it shows his respect for the country and language where he lives.

Moreover, Ninomiya sensei not only mastered the Kazakh language and culture, but through the Kazakh language he is introducing our country to his native language and culture. He lectures about modern Japanese culture not only in the Faculty of Oriental Studies, but also in other faculties of our university, introducing our students to the Japanese language and culture. In this way, he is fulfilling his filial duty to his country.

In addition to teaching, Ninomiya sensei, as the coordinator of the “Campus in Campus” project, helps students of our university to enroll in the University of Tsukuba and to do language training every year. He gives comprehensive advice and helps with choosing a faculty, program, subjects, and filling out the documents. Organized by Sensei, an international symposium, conferences, and online lectures are held every year among the faculty members, master’s and doctoral students of the Department of Japanese Studies of Al-Farabi KazNU and Tsukuba University.

Ninomiya sensei makes a great contribution to the development of relations between the two countries and universities in the fields of science, education, and culture.

KazNU named after al-Farabi
lecture of the Far East Department,
Faculty of Oriental Studies
A.M. Nurelova

Japanese Online Speech Contest Held in Kazakhstan

2022.3.12

On March 12, 2022, the 24th Kazakhstan Japanese Language Speech Contest was held under the joint sponsorship of the Kazakhstan Japanese Language Teachers Association and the Embassy of Japan in Kazakhstan. Dr. NINOMIYA Takashi, Almaty Office coordinator attended the competition as one of the judges, and University of Tsukuba provided prizes to the participants of the speech contest in the form of sponsorship. Fourteen students from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and the Kazakhstan-Japan Center for Human Development participated in the contest and delivered speeches in Japanese.

https://www.kaznu.kz/en/21192/news/one/27811/

(Contributors: Takashi Ninomiya, Kadikova Samal)