I have decided to participate as an undergraduate visiting student in the School of Global Studies at the University of Sussex in order to achieve my future goal and fulfill my purpose of studying abroad. My purpose for studying abroad is to learn about international affairs and global issues, expand my perspectives, and deepen my understanding of international relations form multiple perspectives at the University of Sussex.
I’m currently majoring in the department of International Politics at Hosei university in Japan, where I have taken a unit called “Workshop on Overseas Media Analysis”. In this unit, we compared, analysed, and discussed articles from multiple countries on international issues. In one session, we explored the theme of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by utilising articles from the Japanese, Russian, and British media. I hypothesised that Russian articles would report the war positively, when compared with articles from other countries. Furthermore, I theorised that Japanese and British articles would have similar perspectives on supporting Ukraine against the Russian threat. However, I realised that the same international issue is discussed from different perspectives due to geographical conditions, political backgrounds and positions in the international community. This experience made me realise that being open to understanding all perspectives is important in understanding international affairs and issues, instead of relying on a single country’s viewpoint.
I took the “Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) course” in the Autumn term last year and it was an extremely interesting lecture. This course focused on activities of JICA. A key feature was that lectures were given by a JICA professional who shared their experiences and case studies. I was particularly interested in development aid to Africa however, I learned that Japan mainly focuses its support on Southeast Asia and its aid to Africa is relatively low compared to Western countries. This made me realise the importance of not focusing on a single region but broadening my understanding of aid efforts in other areas to achieve my ambitions.
I chose the University of Sussex due to its reputation of great academic success in international development and its commitment to sustainability. The School of Global studies offers diverse modules. As I prepare for this experience, I have become more aware of the environmental impact of international travel. Inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals—especially Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)—I am committed to making my study abroad journey as sustainable as possible.
To reduce my carbon footprint, I have chosen a lower-emissions airline to the UK and use public transport, walking, or cycling in Brighton. I also plan to use eco-friendly apps such as “Too Good To Go” to reduce food waste and “Olio” to share surplus items. Additionally, I aim to join student-led sustainability initiatives at Sussex and share what I learn through social media and presentations when I return to Japan. I hope to inspire fellow students to consider the environmental impact of their travels and encourage more responsible global learning.
