International Activities
NFUCA Hosts IASAS Delegation for Two-Day Visit
Overview
On May 27 and 28, 2024, the National Federation of University Co-operative Associations (NFUCA) had the honor of hosting a delegation from the International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS). This two-day visit was aimed at fostering collaboration and sharing insights on enhancing student services.
IASAS is a not-for-profit global volunteer association that unites student affairs and services staff across the globe. While IASAS takes a different form than a co-operative, it shares many commonalities with NFUCA. In the past, NFUCA attended the first Global Summit on Student Affairs and Services in Washington in 2012, the inaugural major event of IASAS.
Agenda
- May 27, 2024: Discussions at NFUCA office about NFUCA and IASAS
- May 28, 2024: Keio Co-op and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Co-op Visits and Discussions
Day 1: In-Depth Discussions at NFUCA Office
The first day started with a warm welcome at the NFUCA office. Mr. Ichiro Nakamori, Managing Director & CEO of NFUCA, gave detailed presentations on NFUCA's structure and activities, providing a thorough understanding of how university cooperatives enhance student life in Japan. Following this, Ms. Keiko Ishihata, the Manager of University Co-op Section Management Division from Japan CO-OP Insurance (Kyosai) Consumers' Co-operative Federation discussed mutual aid insurance for students, and Daisuke Segawa from NFUCA presented on the Student Committee and student involvement in co-op activities.
IASAS representatives Achim Meyer auf der Heyde (President), Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo (Secretary General), and Yiwon Yoo (Asia Regional Director) shared insights into their global initiatives and the various student services they support worldwide. Topics such as student involvement, mental health support, and career counseling were thoroughly examined, offering valuable perspectives on adapting and enhancing student services to meet diverse needs.
Hybrid discussions at NFUCA office
Group picture at NFUCA office
Day 2: University Co-ops Visits and Concluding Discussions
The second day of the visit was dedicated to exploring the practical implementations of student support and services at Japanese universities. The day started with a visit to the Keio University Co-op at the Hiyoshi Campus. The group was welcomed with a presentation from Mr. Ryoji Higuchi, the Assistant of Executive Director of Keio University Co-op, which detailed their operations, the range of services offered, and student involvement. The IASAS members visited the Co-op’s general store, service counters, and cafeteria.
Explanation about service counters at Keio Co-op,
Hiyoshi Campus
Group picture at Keio Co-op, Hiyoshi Campus
Following the Keio University visit, the delegation proceeded to the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Titech) Co-op's Ookayama Campus. Here, they visited the general store and had a lunch at the campus cafeteria, where the delegation experienced firsthand the variety of food services provided to students.
Inside the general store at Titech Co-op
Exploring the menu at the Titech Co-op cafeteria
After the campus visits, the delegation returned to the NFUCA office for a debriefing session, to share ideas on promoting student participation and enhancing services based on the insights gained over the past two days.
The visiting group found the visit had been informative and inspiring. Both NFUCA and IASAS expressed enthusiasm for future collaboration and confirmed their commitment to continuing the exchange of knowledge and best practices to address common challenges faced by student services organizations.
IASAS delegation in front of NFUCA office