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2025
Seven students forged connections in Japan as the first participants of Saskatchewan
Polytechnic’s newest study abroad experience. The trip brought together the Electronic Systems Engineering Technology program with a new partner, Nagano College, for two weeks of experiential learning
that will be reciprocated at Saskatoon campus this coming fall.
The trip began in Tokyo with the two institutions signing a memorandum of understanding
at the Canadian embassy. “We are excited that this will be an ongoing, mutually beneficial
arrangement for inter-cultural learning and exchange,” says Kiela Caudillo Ruiz, study
abroad coordinator with Sask Polytech’s International Partnerships and Projects.
The group traveled inland to visit Nagano College, where they stayed in dorms and
were fully immersed in Japanese campus life. “The college experience in Japan is culturally
and structurally quite different from what our students experience in Canada,” says
program head Christopher Roslinsky. “It was an experience to see our similarities
and differences.”
Travis Kinsella, one of two first-year students in the program who got to attend,
explains that college in Japan is intensive but leaves room for students to explore
their interests through extracurricular clubs. “Some clubs, like the engineering ones,
reinforce what they’re learning and help students find what they like doing,” he says.
Teegahn McFadden, who will graduate from the program this spring, enjoyed interacting
with Japanese students while visiting the college. “It was good to be immersed with
everybody and to get to know them a little better,” he says. “We got to explore some
of their learning through robotics and car projects they’ve worked on, and we also
played dodgeball, which was extremely fun. We just got tossed in with them and learned
their version. It was awesome.”
Nagano college students begin their studies with two high school years, then follow
with two technology focussed years. They can choose to finish with two university-level
years. This six-year structure means students range from teenagers through adults
and, accordingly, the institution has strict rules and curfews.
“We learned about several aspects of Japanese culture including discipline and community-minded
corporate culture,” says Anthony Voykin, another program instructor. “Japanese employees,
like students, work and study hard. At one company, employees are expected to spend
10-20 per cent of their day learning from others in different areas during unstructured
time. They also work very long hours.
“To compensate employees, workplaces often provide high quality meals in excellent
onsite cafeterias. Their work culture encourages meetings over lunch so these are
bright and appealing spaces,” he says.
The group had a chance to visit a variety of sites, including a civil engineering
firm, an engineering test site and the maintenance yard of train station where electronics
for the trains are fixed.
A favourite site visit for both instructors and students was a local miso factory,
where there was lots of automation in action. “We got to see the different stages
of production—the measuring and dispensing of ingredients, conveyor belts, sensors
and timing,” says Kinsella. “It was cool to see how everything interacted as a system.”
The cleanliness and orderliness of Japan’s factories was something McFadden says he
will take away from the experience. The group left with samples of miso paste, commonly
used to make a popular Japanese soup.
Cultural experiences, as well as program-specific takeaways, were a big part of the
study abroad experience for both students and instructors. They enjoyed eating Japanese
cuisine and also had a chance to make a dessert called “mochi” and participate in
tea ceremonies.
“Seeing temples and shrines, the tranquility among all the chaos, was a highlight
for me,” says Kinsella. “One of the things I learned is to be mindful of your actions.
Don’t just do thigs out of habit. Think about what you’re doing and check in on subconscious
routines.
“Being in Japan helped with that personal lesson. I noticed during one of the tea
ceremonies that Japanese people have fewer wasted actions and time.”
“This trip was a great opportunity for our students,” says Voykin. “Some hadn’t travelled
outside Saskatchewan before. They gained confidence making decisions on their own
during free time, figuring out local transit and getting creative to solve language
barriers.
“I can already see it translate back to the classroom, which is amazing. The experiences
and stories they brought home will give them confidence to talk to new people when
applying for jobs in future.”
Both Kinsella and McFadden say having the trip planned for them made it appealing,
especially during their studies. Program faculty and the Projects and Partnerships
team will help plan a similar experiential learning tour for a group of Nagano students
and their chaperones when they visit Saskatoon campus in Fall 2025.
“Thank you to the National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Nagano College, for kicking
off this exciting partnership,” says Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech President and
CEO. “Our students gained so much insight from their visit. We are looking forward
to hosting your students this fall in Saskatoon.”
Learn more about study abroad at Sask Polytech.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic is signatory to the SDG Accord. Sustainable Development Goal alignment is one of the ways Sask Polytech is leading the rise of polytechnic education.
AloJapan.com