On July 20, the event “Okayama University & Mimasaka-no-Kuni Day: Come to Okayama University and Find a Door to the Future” was held for junior and senior high school students living in the northern part of Okayama Prefecture, based on the comprehensive partnership agreement signed between Okayama University, the 10 local governments that formerly belonged to the Mimasaka-no-Kuni region, and the Tsuyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry. At the event, Okayama University’s education and research activities were introduced to about 80 participating students.

With Vice Executive Director AOO Ken as the facilitator, the event began with a speech by TAKAHASHI Kayo, Executive Director for Planning and General Affairs, titled “What a university is about,” which was followed by talks by Okayama University students about their experiences, including their selection of future courses in high school and their present campus life. The speakers were fourth-year student KUSUMOTO Nana of the Faculty of Education, third-year student NAKAJIMA Ryo of the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, and fourth-year student YOSHIOKA Akari of the Faculty of Letters.

After lunch at the University Coop, the junior and senior high school students were divided into two groups to receive selective lectures about science and local development.

The event was wrapped up with a review of the day by NAKAZAWA Takuya, a second-year student of the Faculty of Economics, and a closing address by HASHIGAYA Yoshimasa, Coordinator of the event (Okayama Global Academic Capital Headquarters).

There was plenty of feedback from the participating junior and senior high school students: “It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk and ask many questions to the university students”; “This event has totally changed my image of a university”; “I was wondering whether I should go to university, but now this event has strengthened my desire to enter university”; and “I’m more interested in going to university because I’ve learned that I would be able to study about regional revitalization at university.”