The College of Education (COE) International Programs, in conjunction with the ICoME 2026 Conference at UH Mānoa, welcomed student delegations from Niigata University of International Studies (NUIS) in Niigata, Japan and Honam University in Gwangju, South Korea.
On Wednesday, August 5, the COE hosted a pre-conference gathering at the RISE Center, which included seven undergraduate tourism students from NUIS, accompanied by Professor Yasuko Sato and Professor Eunju Shin, and 13 nursing students from Honam University, accompanied by Associate Professor YounKyoung Jang.
“We were pleased to support this international exchange and provide students with an opportunity to build connections across disciplines, institutions, and cultures during their visit to UH Mānoa,” said COE International Programs Director Kaori Burkart.
During the event, students exchanged ideas, discussed their conference presentations, and had an opportunity to interact with peers from different academic and cultural backgrounds. The gathering provided a welcoming space for students to connect before participating in the conference.
The event was facilitated by three COE Department of Learning Design and Technology (LTEC) graduate students—Audrey Villanueva, Austin Lam, and Joseph Peters—who helped guide the activities and encourage student engagement.
“It was such a pleasure engaging with our foreign delegates,” Peters said. “I enjoyed their unique presentations and positive energy. They came to Hawaiʻi ready to interact and share with others. I was really impressed with their creativity and openness to connect. I was encouraged by them all.”
