The entrance examination for our graduate school was held at the beginning of February, and we will be welcoming one international student as a graduate student starting next academic year. They have been with us as a research student since October, and since their English is excellent, they have read and reviewed quite a few papers, and I believe their research interests are gradually taking shape. I was slightly concerned about their Japanese language proficiency and mental readiness, so to be honest, I thought, “It might take another six months,” but they passed the exam successfully.

They expressed a desire to develop simulation and game-based learning materials for language education, and while I am not sure how much they can accomplish during their two years in the master’s program, I hope they will do their best.

They will be presenting the results of their work since October at the JSET research meeting at Kyushu University. Although there are still many areas that need refinement, the experience of standing in front of an audience to explain what they have done over the past six months is very important, and I believe it is a great way to establish a research pace. It will also provide them with experience in giving presentations in Japanese. I want them to work harder than ever toward their interim presentation in a year and a half and their final oral examination in two years.