Joetsu Exchange
Every 2 years, a group of Japanese students from Joetsu University of Education will spend several days visiting local attractions and offering an exchange of cultures at local elementary, middle and high schools in Iowa City and the surrounding community. The group also takes part in several events on the University of Iowa campus.This educational experience provides a short immersion into international education, and engages American students in Japanese language and culture through presentations and classroom observations by the teachers-in-training.
The students from Japan take the responsibility as serving as cultural ambassadors very seriously. They prepare their lessons on traditional stories, kimono culture, traditional Japanese toys and sumo wrestling for months.The exchange is part of a global collaboration between the UI and the Japanese teaching university, a relationship that spans 10 years. This connection is one of more than 90 formal partnerships between the UI and international institutions.
