OUR OQEANOUS STUDENTS

Short Term Program

STP Report (KU / CU Jul - Aug 2025)

2026.04.15

Course of Ocean Sciences of TUMSAT
4th year of Undergraduate
K.K.

I had a truly meaningful experience in the STP program, filled with new knowledge and challenges that stimulated my abilities.

Reason for applying to STP

My main reason for participating in this program was that I was considering exchange in Thailand for research purposes, and I wanted to get a sense of the atmosphere there beforehand. In addition, I was also attracted by the opportunity to interact not only with Thai students but also with students from partner universities in China, Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Online lectures

The program included five days of online classes prior to the field trip to Thailand. I attended three live lectures given by professors from the partner universities and was required to submit a report on one of the lectures by the end of each day. Since there were many technical terms I was not familiar with, I spent long hours writing my reports, which was quite exhausting. However, through these lectures, I was able to gain knowledge across a wide range of fields beyond my own major. They also improved my English skills and expand my vocabulary.

Face-to-face program (field trip) in Bangkok

The field trip in Bangkok began with a welcome party on the first day, where we were divided into small groups for an ice-breaking session. Each group consisted of seven students from different universities. Since everyone was meeting for the first time, the atmosphere was tense at first. From the following day, we visited various fisheries-related facilities and two universities in Bangkok from morning until evening. We traveled in groups by van, and through the long rides, I finally became good friends with Malaysian and Thai students.

Interaction with students from other universities

The students participating in this program were all energetic. Although most of them were not native English speakers, and we sometimes faced language barriers, we made efforts to communicate using simple words or translation apps. This made our conservations enjoyable and relaxed. I also found it very interesting to observe the different personalities of each student―some were easygoing, while others were more impatient―which reflected their cultural differences.

After each day's program, we had free time in the evening. One of the Thai students kindly showed me and other Japanese students around the city. We explored Bangkok at night, visiting local supermarkets, night markets, and large shopping malls while enjoying dinner together. I tried various dishes such as traditional cuisine, coconut water, and Thai tea, which are not commonly available in Japan. In particular, the fresh coconut water served straight from the whole coconut was very delicious and highly recommended.

Changes in attitude after participating

After completing the final presentation on the last day, I exchanged Instagram accounts with most of the participants. Although we were reluctant to say goodbye, I returned to Japan with many wonderful memories. Through this program, I was able to experience the atmosphere around Bangkok and feel generous and friendly character of Thai people. Although my stay was only a week, I am confident that if I have an opportunity in the future to conduct research in a different environment and culture for a long period, the experience will broaden my perspectives and lead to new discoveries and personal growth. I feel truly fortune to have participated in such an inspiring and valuable program.

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