International visitors were on hand as Queen’s students attended a “graduation” ceremony to celebrate their completion of the Cross Cultural College certificate program, a partnership with Japan’s Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU).

Representatives from the CCC program, including Takamichi Mito, Chief Academic Director of the Cross-Cultural College and professor in KGU’s School of Law and Politics, visited Queen’s to present certificates to students who completed the program.

“KGU is one of Queen’s longest standing international partners and its CCC certificate program is an excellent way for Canadian and Japanese students to work together and gain important cross-cultural experience,” says Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International). “We were delighted to welcome Professor Mito and his colleagues to celebrate the accomplishments of our students, who are better prepared for success in international contexts thanks to their experiences in the program.”

Catherine Wright (ArtSci’14) was among the three students present at the ceremony, each of whom spoke about the transformative value of the program.

“I participated in the global career seminar and it provided me with opportunities and experiences I may never have been afforded otherwise. I learned about many differences between Canadian and Japanese business culture,” says Ms. Wright. “I felt that the program challenged me to get outside of my comfort zone and ultimately challenged me to grow both personally and professionally.”

Queen’s students participating in the CCC certificate program take courses related to multicultural studies and international relations, and participate in a Japan-based summer program or global career seminar. Mount Allison University and the University of Toronto are the two other Canadian partners in the program, which is supported by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

Learn more about the Cross Cultural College