For many Japanese people, Africa—both physically and psychologically distant from Japan—still evokes images of conflict, poverty, and infectious diseases, perceptions that have largely remained unchanged for the past 30 years.
This program aims to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by an African country they visit, as well as the historical contexts behind those issues, through firsthand field experiences in a rapidly changing Africa.
In addition to gaining knowledge through classroom learning, as the course title “Learn from Africa” suggests, the program places great importance on dialogue and interaction with local people. Through meaningful encounters and mutual learning with people in the host country and fellow participants, students deepen their understanding and broaden their perspectives.
The destination country will vary depending on the travel period. Based on the strong foundation established through the continuous implementation of the “Learn from Africa” program since 2015, we are planning to send students to Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and South Africa.
The program is offered during the summer and spring breaks. Applications and selection are conducted from April to May and from October to November, respectively. For further details, please refer to the application guidelines available on the student portal, My Sophia.
Read the report: "Ghana! September 2025 Issue / Learning from Africa Group A ~2025 Summer Practical Program~"
In collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), approximately three students from our university will be dispatched for four weeks as JICA volunteers (JICA Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers) to the Japan Corner (Center for Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies Promotion) at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University (hereinafter referred to as “Boigny University”) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, one of our university's partner institutions, to engage in volunteer activities. hereinafter referred to as “Boigny University”).
The Japan Corner (Center for Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies, hereafter “the Center”) offers Japanese language courses, administers the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and Japanese speech contests, and promotes Japanese culture through initiatives such as library services, film screenings, various academic exchanges, and Japan–Côte d’Ivoire cultural events, supported by the Japanese government and Japanese companies. Participating students will work alongside the university’s faculty and staff, students, and Japanese language instructors dispatched by Japanese private foundations to support Japanese language education, teaching material development, and the planning and management of events promoting Japanese culture as volunteers.
Through volunteer activities in Côte d’Ivoire, participants aim to gain an understanding of the development challenges faced by developing countries in Africa and to develop the ability to view global issues—such as poverty and education—from multiple perspectives. In collaboration with faculty and students at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, participants will analyze and identify local needs and challenges, and through hands-on volunteer activities designed to address these issues, they will cultivate practical problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in international collaborative settings.
An intensive course offered in the fall semester (held from February to March). Applications and selection are conducted from April to May of the previous year. The application guidelines will be posted on the student portal, My Sophia, so please refer to them for program details and the application procedure.
Under collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), one student from our university will participate as JICA volunteers for approximately one year at the Japan Corner of Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, which is a partner institution of Sophia University.
The Japan Corner (Center for Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies, hereafter “the Center”) offers Japanese language courses, administers the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and Japanese speech contests, and promotes Japanese culture through initiatives such as library services, film screenings, various academic exchanges, and Japan–Côte d’Ivoire cultural events, supported by the Japanese government and Japanese companies. Participating students will work alongside the university’s faculty and staff, students, and Japanese language instructors dispatched by Japanese private foundations to support Japanese language education, teaching material development, and the planning and management of events promoting Japanese culture as volunteers.
In addition, they will support the local reception of students from Sophia University who are sent to the Japan Center for approximately four weeks during the spring break as short-term volunteers, and will work together with the students to plan and implement activities.
Through volunteer activities in Côte d’Ivoire, participants aim to gain an understanding of the development challenges faced by developing countries in Africa and to develop the ability to view global issues—such as poverty and education—from multiple perspectives. In collaboration with faculty and students at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, participants will analyze and identify local needs and challenges, and through hands-on volunteer activities designed to address these issues, they will cultivate practical problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in international collaborative settings.
Autumn and Spring Semester Courses (One year from August to July of the Following Year). Applications and selection are conducted from September to October of the previous year. The application guidelines will be posted on the student portal, My Sophia, so please refer to them for program details and the application procedure.
Sado is the sixth-largest island in Japan and the largest in the Sea of Japan. It is distinguished by its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystems, and is also renowned for its vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, fresh local cuisine, and historical significance.
From the 17th to the mid-19th century, large-scale mining made Sado widely known as a gold-producing island. In recognition of this history, the Sado Island Gold Mines were inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2024. In recent decades, on the other hand, great efforts have been made to preserve the island’s natural environment. Sado became one of the first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) sites among developed countries and has since promoted environmental conservation agriculture (ECA).
This field-based lecture will offer students a valuable opportunity for cross-disciplinary learning. They will be able to study the island through diverse perspectives, including environmental history, agricultural development, water science and engineering, ecological conservation, traditional arts, and eco-tourism. It will also give students the chance to interact with local farmers and fishermen. The island’s innovative approaches to the sustainable use of natural resources can inspire students from Africa and Japan as they consider pathways toward sustainability in their own contexts.
This program is designed to promote environmental learning in an integrative way and to help students develop the skills necessary for fieldwork. Through this program, students will deepen their understanding of the importance of integrative learning in pursuing environmental conservation. It also aims to provide international students with opportunities to learn about Japan’s natural environment, society, and its commitment to sustainability. Another objective is to provide constructive feedback to the communities of Sado Island, thereby contributing to their further advancement while offering students an opportunity for service learning.
An intensive course offered in the spring semester (held from August to September). Applications and selection are conducted from April to May. The application guidelines will be posted on the student portal, My Sophia, so please refer to them for program details and the application procedure.
This is a collaborative learning program in which international students from Africa and students from Sophia University come together to explore contemporary social and environmental issues in rural Japan through fieldwork.
While Japan’s major cities, such as Tokyo, and its technological development have attracted global attention, the role that rural areas have played in Japan’s modernization and economic growth has received less attention. In this program, students will explore how rural communities and their relationship with the natural environment have changed, why these changes have occurred, and what impacts they have had on local communities and ecosystems.
Through fieldwork and lectures, students will examine the relationship between nature and human society, and learn how local communities are working with nature to shape their ways of life and envision a sustainable future.
Students will also have opportunities to meet and work with local leaders who are actively involved in addressing social and environmental issues in their communities.
Through these experiences, students will take an interdisciplinary approach to exploring what a sustainable and equitable society might look like—one in which people can live together with, and as part of, nature.
Upon completion of this program, students will gain practical experience and deepen their understanding of the following: 1. The complex interdependencies between social and ecological systems 2. Food and agriculture as part of the solutions to the climate crisis 3. The causes, consequences, and significance of social and ecological transformations in contemporary Japan toward a sustainable and equitable future
An intensive course offered in the spring semester (held from August to September). Applications and selection are conducted from April to May. The application guidelines will be posted on the student portal, My Sophia, so please refer to them for program details and the application procedure.
Students from our university and visiting students from partner institutions who complete all required curriculum with the specified grades, meeting the conditions of: 01 Genral Education, 02 At least 3 courses from Specialized Subjects, and 03 At least 1 participation in Short-Term/Practical Training/Exchange Programs, will be issued an Open Badge as proof of course completion.
※You may enroll in only some of the individual courses, but in such cases, you will not be eligible for a certificate of completion.
There is no specific course of study, and students can flexibly plan their coursework according to their own interests and schedules.
Basic cases for gaining experience from core coursework, Elective Course, and practical subjects
First, experience Africa on the ground, deepen your learning on campus, and then challenge yourself to a long-term study abroad program in Africa once again.
After taking French courses, a case where interest developed in the Japan-Africa Collaborative Practice Program
After gaining practical experience, I decided to pursue certification in the Japan-Africa Collaborative Practice Program during the fall of my second year.
Cases learned through actual long-term stays in the field
A case where one encountered Africa in their third year, pursued research in graduate school, and aims to become a researcher after graduation.
A case where a student encountered an African studies course in their third year and aims to obtain a certificate of completion.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Japan-Africa Collaboration Program, please contact us here.
