Hello everyone, I’m Yutong Zhou from Educational Psychology at Tohoku University. As a student from an interdisciplinary background, I found this program especially meaningful because it allowed me to learn beyond my own field and encounter diverse perspectives on education.

One of the most impressive aspects of the program was the opportunity to develop teamwork skills and engage in deeper cross-cultural communication. The winter course left a particularly strong impression on me, because almost every class involved group work. Through these activities, I learned how to integrate each member’s ideas into one team concept, how to make the idea feasible, and how to identify each member’s strengths and make full use of them. These are important soft skills required in any field.

Another important lesson I gained from the AELC program is that education does not only exist inside the classroom. Many classroom tasks helped me understand this point. For example, our group chose air pollution as our topic and designed an activity that young people could participate in. At that time, we designed an idea in which a street-based game like Pokémon would include a small side mission for finding pollution. Participants could earn points through this mission, and these points could be used in eco-friendly shops or second-hand stores. While designing this content, I realized that environmental education could start with something very close to our daily lives, and that it may influence a wide range of people, especially because Pokémon has a strong global influence.

Overall, the AELC program was not only an opportunity to acquire knowledge, but also a practical setting for developing communication, collaboration, and creative thinking. Through lectures, group work, and interaction with students from different universities and backgrounds, I was able to reflect on education from a broader perspective.

I would like to once again thank the AELC organizers, all faculty members, and the participating universities for their careful preparation and support. The experience I gained through this program will continue to influence my future academic development and my understanding of education in an international context.