2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Entrepreneurship courses
Intercultural Exchange Workshop Advanced
- Academic unit or major
- Entrepreneurship courses
- Instructor(s)
- Kumiko Kiuchi / Kayoko Nohara / Rie Murakami
- Class Format
- Exercise (Blended)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 9-10 Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- ENT.G457
- Number of credits
- 020
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Apr 6, 2026
- Language
- English
※ Courses with parentheses in the course number have different subject codes depending on the student's year of admission.
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This is a collaborative, project-based intercultural exchange course conducted in partnership with the Language Center at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Registrants exchange opinions on various topics—ranging from everyday subjects to social issues and specialized fields—with members who have different native languages, shared knowledge, and cultural backgrounds. Together, they identify common challenges, develop action plans for fieldwork, and execute them. The course aims to provide students with hands-on experience in multicultural and multilingual set-ups, developing leadership skills and gaining the experience of completing a project through collaboration with peers.
The primary language used in class is English. There will also be opportunities to converse in simple Japanese with students learning Japanese. Classes are a combination of in-person and online sessions (see the course schedule for details). The course period consists of the 2nd quarter and an intensive summer in-person group project (7-11 September).
Course description and aims
1) Developing Intercultural Communication Skills
Through experiences in intercultural communication, students will cultivate the ability to elicit unknown knowledge and effectively convey, recognize, and understand cultural differences.
2) Fostering Interdisciplinary Curiosity and Exploration
By collaborating with students from different countries and academic fields, students will nurture interdisciplinary curiosity and a spirit of inquiry, broadening their own perspectives.
3) Enhancing Goal-Oriented Planning and Action Skills
Through self-directed group activities, students will acquire the ability to set concrete plans and take action to achieve their goals.
4) Taking leadership in international exchange and discussion forums in response to dynamic situations
Keywords
intercultural understanding, intercultural adaptation, language exchange, collaborative learning, cultural identity
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Week 1 will be conducted only with Science Tokyo students. From weeks 2 through 6, the classes will be held via Zoom, connecting Tokyo and Munich online. From Weeks 7 to 14, the course will consist of in-person fieldwork and workshops during the summer intensive session.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | (11 June : online) Introduction to the course |
Students will acquire knowledge about Germany, Munich, and intercultural exchanges. |
| Class 2 | (June 12: online) Orientation ”My campus life, my everyday life" |
Students will get to know each other. |
| Class 3 | (25 June: online) |
Students will share their knowledge and impressions of Japan and Germany, discuss the social and cultural differences between the two countries, and deepen their understanding. |
| Class 4 | (July 3: online) |
Students will discuss and deepen their understanding of the differences in perspectives on environmental issues, civil engineering, and energy policies in Tokyo and Munich, as well as in Japan and Germany. |
| Class 5 | (10 July: online) Group activities: Discussion to decide a topic for their group activity and in September and plan their fieldwork. |
Students will form groups for the in-person summer project. They will strengthen their interactions with group members and decide on a project theme. |
| Class 6 | (July 17: online) Group activities: Discussion to decide a topic for their group activity and in September and plan their fieldwork. |
The groups will finalize their activity plans for the project. |
| Class 7 | (7 September: on-site) Meet at 10:30 AM. Prepare to welcome TUM partners. After introductions starting at 11:15 AM, proceed to lunch and a campus tour. Following lunch, hold an orientation session (scheduled for approximately one hour starting at 1:30 PM) and group activities (total duration: 600 minutes). |
Students will introduce themselves in-person, review their action plans, and participate in an orientation session. |
| Class 8 | (Sep 8-10: on-site) Group activities (600 mins in total) |
Each group will conduct fieldwork for their project and prepare a group presentation with video and slides. |
| Class 9 | (Sep 8-10: on-site) Group activities (600 mins in total) |
Each group will conduct fieldwork for their project and create a video and poster. |
| Class 10 | (Sep 8-10: on-site) Group activities (600 mins in total) |
Each group will conduct fieldwork for their project and prepare a group presentation with video and slides. |
| Class 11 | (8-10 September) Group activities (600 mins in total) |
Each group will conduct fieldwork for their project and prepare a group presentation with video and slides. |
| Class 12 | (Sep 8-10: on-site) Group activities (600 mins in total) |
Each group will conduct fieldwork for their project and prepare a group presentation with video and slides. |
| Class 13 | (11 Sep: on-site) Final presentation (starting at 13:30) |
Students will give a presentation on their group project. They reflect on and summarize their group activities. They will also share their outcomes with other groups. |
| Class 14 | (11 Sep: on-site) Final presentation (starting at 13:30) |
Students will give a presentation on their group project. They reflect on and summarize their group activities. They will also share their outcomes with other groups. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
Handouts
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Kleeman, Karin, ed. (2020), Ecopolis München 2019: environmental stories of discovery. Rachel Carson Center for Society and Environment. (https://rccve.ub.uni-muenchen.de/rccve/article/view/23/49)
Evaluation methods and criteria
- Group Presentation (40%)
Includes a video and Powerpoint slides.
- Individual Report (40%)
Approximately 1,500 words in English.
Must discuss the presentation theme with academic support, referencing relevant literature and sources.
- Reflection Sheet (20%)
Related courses
- ENT.G257 ： Intercultural Exchange Workshop
Prerequisites
Students are expected to have the English skills equivalent of B1 in the CEFR (this is not a requirement). We welcome students who are able to have everyday conversation and willing to improve their communication skills.
Applications for short-term study abroad programs at the Technical University of Munich are scheduled to open in preparation for the spring 2027 session. This course is mandatory for students receiving scholarships that require prior coursework.
If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity (12 students), a separate selection process will be conducted. If you wish to be listed in the registrant list, please sign up for the course by 30 April.
Please follow this link to read the report on this course last year: https://educ.titech.ac.jp/ila/news/2025_11/068419.html
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
Please contact the tutor via Slack ＃Kumiko Kiuchi アントレプレナーシップ機構 リベラルアーツ研究教育院
You can also post a question on the course channel: ＃異文化交流実践実習-2026-授業前問合せ窓口
Other
An excursion is scheduled on September 5 or 6. Participation is optional. Details will be announced in class.