As one of Japan's leading educational and research institutions, students are at the heart of everything Nagoya University does.
In September 2023, a series of events at Nagoya University were held in conjunction with a visit from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the signing of a new agreement between the two universities. These events brought together the Japanese government, local government, university leaders, corporate leaders and students from Nagoya University who were wearing their trademark green T-shirts!
On 21 September 2023, the delegation from NUS with its President, Aichi Prefectural Government including its Governor, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Chanceller of Tokai National Higher Education and Research System and the President of Nagoya University came together at Nagoya University. Alongside them were six (6) Nagoya University students with green T-shirts who had volunteered to guide and interpret for the delegation from NUS.
The NUS Business Networking Dinner, co-hosted by NUS, Aichi Prefectural Government and Nagoya University, was held the next day near Nagoya Station, with over 100 attendees from government agencies, industry, startups, and venture capitalists. Seven (7) Nagoya University students who worn green T-shirts attended the event and volunteered with the set-up and operations management.
As the Japanese government, local government, university leaders, and corporate leaders gathered together, the Team of Green T-shirts moved around swiftly and cheerfully with confidence. Having attended a short-term study programme abroad that focused on entrepreneurship education in Singapore this year, they were excited and proud that Nagoya has been selected as the first NOC location to offer internships to NUS PhD students. The faces of the students who participated were filled with accomplishment as they carried out their tasks with confidence. NUS expressed their gratitude for their support and help.
Volunteering activities generally involve interacting with people of different ages, gender, races, professions and backgrounds and help students develop a range of practical skills, including communication, social and leadership skills. Mr. Yuki Miyoshi (Faculty of Engineering), one of the Nagoya University Student Volunteers said "I was able to experience the environment that I had never experienced before, and it really extended my world and network. I was also happy that we were all able to work together as a team. I am very happy that NUS and Nagoya University are working together for entrepreneurship education through the NOC programme in Nagoya. I am grateful to be a student at Nagoya University.''
NOC programme provides students with the opportunity for experiential learning and entrepreneurial development. Students will spend three to 12 months working alongside start- up founders gaining firsthand experience during their internship stint. Through collaboration with Stanford University, the first NOC location was established in Silicon Valley in 2002. NUS has sent more than 4,000 students to its NOC locations globally. NOC alumni have founded more than 1,100 start-ups, of which, two of these start-ups have attained Unicorn status. NOC is now operating in more than 20 entrepreneurial hubs.
Nagoya University provides students the opportunity to explore their potential. Through these volunteering activities, we hope they have had an opportunity to gain experience and access to help them move forward in their life. Through these two volunteering opportunities, students with green T-shirts experienced being in a place where leaders in universities, corporate, and government get together, including not only Japanese but also other nationalities. Who knows, maybe students wearing green T-shirts may incubate their own company and create a unicorn, and/or work for corporations which drive innovation in the world in future. Congratulations, the team of green T-shirts.
GO Volunteer! GO Global, Nagoya University Students!