Kansai Gaidai Students Visit Over 50 UN and Government Agencies in Laos and Thailand

Six second-year students from the Faculty of International Coexistence at Kansai Gaidai University (Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture) are currently undertaking a study visit in Laos and Thailand. The students belong to Professor Kazuo Fukuda’s seminar, the 'Global Engagement Research Group,' and are visiting the region for approximately three weeks starting from June 9. This marks the third consecutive year that the seminar has conducted its study visit to Laos and Thailand every June since 2024.

The participating students are Toshika Kogido, Kotomi Oyama, Juri Hoshino, Homare Furuya, Kazuki Nishimura, and Tsuneharu Yoshimizu. This initiative is part of 'Experiential Learning,' aimed at cultivating students’ abilities to think independently, identify solutions, and take action through real-world experiences.

The students’ interests span poverty, education, human rights, environment, and sustainable development. By visiting actual development sites in these countries and listening directly to local voices, they are broadening their understanding and deepening practical knowledge and skills across various fields. Over 50 individuals, organizations, and institutions are scheduled to be visited during this trip, including UN agencies, international organizations, foreign diplomatic missions, Japanese-affiliated institutions, Lao government and judicial bodies, international NGOs, and universities.

The students will also meet with high-ranking government officials—both current and former—including Pany Yathotou, former Vice President of Laos, as well as lawyers and university professors. Additionally, they will attend a signing ceremony commemorating the internship agreement between Kansai Gaidai University and the UNFPA Laos Country Office.

Joining this study visit is Viengdara Silimongkhoune, a Lao student who studied at Kansai Gaidai in spring 2025 as an exchange student from Bangkok University. Her deep understanding of Laos’ social and political context will enrich the experiential learning process.

Key Organizations and Institutions to be Visited (all local offices)

International and Development Agencies

▽ UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)

▽ UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)

▽ UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Bangkok)

▽ UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Bangkok)

▽ IOM (International Organization for Migration, Bangkok)

▽ IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)

▽ UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)

▽ UNV (United Nations Volunteers)

▽ UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)

▽ World Bank

Diplomatic Missions and International Organization Representatives

▽ Embassy of Japan in Laos

▽ Embassy of the United States in Laos

▽ Embassy of Australia in Laos

▽ EU Delegation

International Cooperation and Economic Organizations

▽ JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

▽ JICA Rule of Law Project

▽ Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers

▽ Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Lao Government and Judicial Institutions

▽ Ministry of Justice, Laos

▽ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Laos

▽ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Laos

▽ Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Laos

▽ Ministry of Education and Sports, Laos

▽ People’s Supreme Court

▽ Supreme People’s Procuracy

Educational and Human Resource Development Institutions

▽ National University of Laos

▽ Bangkok University (Bangkok)

▽ Seakhet Vocational Training Center

Peacebuilding and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Response Organizations

▽ UXO Lao (Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme)

▽ COPE Visitor Centre (UXO Victim Support Facility)

International NGOs and Sports Organizations

▽ WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)

▽ International NGO 'Lao Children'

▽ Lao Football Federation

▽ Lao Rugby Federation

【Contact】

Public Relations Office, Kansai Gaidai University

Phone: 072-805-2817 (9:00–17:00, except weekends and holidays)

Email: press@kansaigaidai.ac.jp

Kansai Gaidai University

Official Website: https://www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp

'GO FOR it! Beyond Language.'

Leveraging its overseas network of 427 universities across 55 countries and regions (as of June 2026), Kansai Gaidai sends approximately 1,300 students abroad annually. Its two campuses in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture, host around 1,100 international students each year, fostering daily international exchange.

The university offers an educational system that builds language proficiency while enabling students to study diverse specialized fields such as culture, politics, and economics—what it calls '+α education.' It provides various academic programs tailored to individual student interests, including the 'USCPA Pathway Program' aimed at obtaining the U.S. Certified Public Accountant qualification. Students develop professional expertise beyond language skills, cultivating the capabilities needed to meet the demands of today’s society.