Friday, August 29, 2003

Memorandum

TO: Wilmington Area Media

RE: UNCW/Japanese Educators to Sign Exchange Agreement



President Takashi Inagaki, president of Osaka Kyoiku University in Japan, and Hideki Yonekawa, director of International Programs and special assistant to the president, will be in Wilmington next week to sign an exchange agreement with UNCW’s Watson School of Education to enhance academic and research opportunities for faculty and students.

As part of this new agreement, there will be faculty and administrator exchanges as well as student exchanges between the two universities. Participants will spend an academic year, semester, summer or shorter time abroad.

The signing will take place at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at Wise Alumni House.

“This is a great opportunity to enhance learning,” said Dr. Brad Walker, associate professor of curricular studies, who was instrumental in securing the exchange agreement. Not only will students and faculty experience another culture, “they can learn about our own culture through the eyes of another,” he noted.

“It’s great to visit, but we also want them to do field experiences,” said Watson School of Education Dean Cathy Barlow. “If we don’t have students and faculty who have a global perspective, they won’t pass it on to their students.” She noted that Japan is one of three international focus areas for the Watson School of Education, which has an active exchange program in England and is initiating one in South Africa.

For additional information, please contact Dean Barlow at 910.962.3354 or Dr. Walker at 910.962.3891.