On Friday, May 9, 2025, third-year students from the Faculty of Education at Okayama University of Science (OUS), who are working toward obtaining their Japanese language teaching certification, held an online exchange session with 33 high school students studying Japanese at Naran School in Mongolia.

In the first half of the session, OUS students hosted a multiple-choice quiz about Okayama and OUS, giving the Mongolian students a fun opportunity to learn about our city and university. The quiz included original questions created by the students, reflecting their unique perspectives as OUS students, and participants from Naran School actively discussed their answers in groups.

In the second half, participants were divided into six small groups, and this time, the students from Naran School took the lead by giving presentations and quizzes about Mongolia and their school. They shared rich details about Mongolian culture and history and introduced life at Naran School through photos and commentary. This provided our students with a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of Mongolia.

Naran School strongly emphasizes foreign language education, and many of its students begin learning Japanese as early as elementary school. While our students had previously received Japanese language education overseas through textbooks and classroom materials, this exchange allowed them to interact directly with high school learners studying Japanese in another country. The experience brought to life what they had learned in class and highlighted real-world applications.

Through this exchange, OUS students not only gained insight into the role of being a teacher but also recognized the importance of intercultural understanding and the global reach of language education. We hope to continue providing such international opportunities that promote mutual understanding and expand students’ educational horizons.