Nagaoka Tōtoku University, School of Nursing, Department of Nursing

Fruitful International Exchange: The First Step

We are grateful that the FY2025 “Grant for New International Exchange Activities” has enabled us to take a significant first step toward promoting a wide range of international exchange initiatives, including education and research.

Fort Worth Program 2025 (September 2025): 8 students and 2 faculty members

We stayed with host families for the entire duration of the program, which allowed us to experience cultural differences and the daily lives of our host families. At Texas Christian University, we participated in lectures and seminars. The students seemed surprised by the amount of spontaneous participation and lively discussion.One fourth-year student conducted research for her nursing research project titled “Perceptions of Menstrual Education, Menstrual Imagery, and Menstrual Leave Among Nursing Students in Japan and the United States.” At Texas Health Resources—which boasts state-of-the-art systems, facilities, and manpower, and covers the vast northern half of Texas using helicopters and Cessnas—we were given sunglasses and taken to the rooftop helipad.After the tour, they exchanged views with staff members on the differences between the healthcare systems and institutions in Japan and the U.S., as well as the distinct work styles and attitudes of nursing professionals. At Cook Children’s Medical Center, attention focused on the differences in how children are treated. These visits were made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Sister City Association of Fort Worth, the sister city of Nagaoka City.

Normalization in Sweden: Children and Adults with Disabilities (February 2026) – University Faculty, Students, Healthcare Professionals, etc.
We hosted a lecture by Mr. Emil Ostberg of Sweden Quality Care. The presentation provided an in-depth look at Sweden’s welfare philosophy, services for children and adults with disabilities, school education, and the concept of normalization. Following the lecture, we held a mini-study session with students and faculty interested in international exchange, where we discussed the Swedish concepts of “being oneself” and “living as a member of society.”Participants shared feedback such as: “I gained many insights for considering the future of mental health care”; “I recognized the importance of normalization from early childhood and community understanding, and became aware of my own biases”; “I was impressed by the continuity of support without divisions and the philosophy of supporting everyday life”; and “I was reminded of the importance of an international perspective as a nursing professional.” We plan to continue holding lectures on normalization in Sweden in the future.

Visit to the International Exchange Center at Takasaki University of Health and Welfare (December 9) – Students and Faculty
This university is known for its active international exchange programs. At the International Exchange Center, we learned about student activities related to travel, study abroad destinations, and post-training initiatives (such as Open Campus events and the “International Exchange NEWS” newsletter), as well as the university’s external partnerships (with other universities, Maebashi City, and various foundations).In the Department of Nursing, we heard from members of the Department’s International Exchange Committee and students with overseas training experience (from the Public Health Nurse and School Nurse programs) about the details of the department’s overseas training program (at Thammasat University in Thailand), student activities following the training, and feedback from those who participated.