??The Network of Former Kochi University Students Abroad event, ¡°China-Thailand-Northern Europe Joint Alumni Meeting,¡± took place on Asakura Campus on November 4, and was participated in by about 80 people, including former Kochi University students abroad, international students currently studying in Kochi University, faculty members of the university, and general public participants.?
? Vice-President Sakurai (Director of General Administration and International and Inter-Regional Exchanges) opened the meeting by talking about two Japanese phrases: one for welcoming people coming back, and the other said by the person coming back, ¡°okaerinasai¡± and ¡°tadaima.¡± The whole atmosphere was filled with warmth and friendliness when all the participants said, ¡°Tadaima,¡± in unison in response to Vice-President welcoming them with ¡°Okaerinasai.¡±
? In this friendly atmosphere, three former Kochi University students from China, Thailand and Sweden gave a presentation entitled ¡°Collaboration between the Alumni Network and Kochi University,¡± speaking about the roles of their respective alumni networks, including how employment support was provided through SNS-based networking of former Kochi University students in their countries. They also talked about how networks develop beyond being relationships of mere ¡°former Kochi University students¡± into higher-level exchanges after returning home, such as research collaborations between universities, and expressed their wish for further partnership with Kochi University in the future.
? Their lectures were followed by an opinion exchange session, in which participants exchanged information related to networking with Kochi University and explored future collaboration possibilities with the university. This meeting gave them the opportunity to build up and enhance friendships with fellow former Kochi University students, many of whom had not seen each other for a long time, as well as international students currently studying in the university who are going to be former Kochi University students in the future and faculty members.

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