GIS graduates go on to various careers in the global workforce. GIS caught up with one of our alumni, Takanori Aida, to find out what he has been doing since he graduated from GIS in 2014.　Now an assistant professor at Yamanashi University, he has been praised as an exceptional educator at the university. For the past two years, he has cooperated with a university in the US on classes, and has worked on online summer programs connecting his university with others in Korea, China, and Malaysia, and will be working with an educational research institute in Pakistan next year. He has also been awarded significant research funds from the Japanese government and named as a researcher contributing to the SDGs.

Please introduce your current position.

I am an assistant professor at a Japanese university. In my current position I oversee the fundamental courses for Japanese and international students, though I additionally teach Japanese as a foreign language as well.

The focal point of my research is education and instruction related to the teaching of Japanese and English as a foreign language. More specifically, I investigate and analyse the psychology of foreign language instructors and learners. Additionally, I research the history of Japanese language education and non-credit teaching courses at a university level.

How has GIS helped you discover your career path?

It is no exaggeration to say that GIS has moulded me into what I am today. Had I never gained four years of GIS experience, I would never have been able to pursue the academic career I have today as an assistant professor.

Before entering GIS, I had no experience studying abroad and little to no English fluency. However, my English language skills naturally evolved as a result of the all-English environment in GIS. Over the course of four years, my English language skills improved exponentially. By the time I graduated, I felt confident in myself as a foreign language speaker. It was directly because of the English skillset GIS fostered in me that I was able to attend graduate school overseas and began my international teaching career at a university level without delay.

Moreover, aside from simply improving my English, GIS also broadened my understanding of people and the world. Professors and students from all over the world are active members of GIS, and they all hail from different backgrounds. Each one received a very different education while growing up as well. Naturally, this has caused them to have different value systems. By interacting with such a diverse group of individuals on a daily basis, I had the pleasure of gaining a new perspective on many different aspects of life. Academic research requires researchers to scrutinize subjects from many different angles, and I don’t think I would be nearly as thorough a researcher without my experiences in GIS.
In short, my current career path would have never been possible without GIS.

Which courses and/or professors here made a big impression on you?

Because the lessons I learned at GIS were so varied yet equally helpful in their own ways, it is impossible to choose one stand out professor or course above the rest.
For example, my public speaking class coached me on how to give effective presentations. To this day, the skills I developed in that course are directly applied when I present during my own lectures.
Some of the classes I took at GIS provided me with abilities that do not translate into an everyday career skill set as cleanly as public speaking, but these experiences have still been very advantageous. For example, I attended regional study classes and lessons related to art while at GIS. Although those classes may not directly connect to my present job, they stimulated my curiosity and showed me aspects of the world I had previously been ignorant of. It was because of these classes that I gained an interest in continuously learning new things and this helps motivate me as a researcher in pursuit of the unknown.
Everything I learned at GIS has helped support different aspects of my life. Therefore, I consider everything I learned at GIS to be precious.

How has GIS’s approach to education assisted you in your job?

I earnestly try to provide the same type of learning environment to my own students that the GIS teachers provided to me. Specifically, I respect my students’ opinions and give them ample opportunity to express their personal views, just as my GIS professors did. By doing this, I believe my students will become active and independent thinkers.

My GIS professors were also very personable in their classes, which fostered an atmosphere where students could relax and concentrate on their studies. I attempt to foster the same atmosphere in my own classes today.I truly hope that one day I will be a person who can provide students with the same quality education as my GIS professors.

What are some of your fellow GIS graduates up to?

The post-graduation career paths of my classmates are varied. They range from English lecturers, academic researchers, company employees, and translators. From what I have seen on social networking sites, despite their different jobs, my classmates all seem to be making a helpful contribution to society. Some of my classmates keep in touch and we still visit one another to this day. In consideration of this, I believe that GIS is a department where students can not only improve their skills but also find lifelong friends.

What message would you like to give to current and/or future GIS students?

None of my classmates regret choosing GIS. I myself have never regretted my decision to choose GIS and never will. I am sure that you also will be glad you attended GIS too. GIS is an impeccable department, and no other educational institutions can replace it.