[Report] 2023 International Summer Program (ISP)
From July 19 to August 29, 2023, 17 overseas students participated as Special Auditors in the 2023 International Summer Program (ISP) organized by the Graduate School of Science (GSS) of Osaka University.
Participating students: 14 undergraduate students and 3 graduate students from overseas universities.
The ISP at the GSS is an intensive research internship for overseas students majoring in natural sciences and related fields in sciences, launched in FY2018. This program provides students with an opportunity to acquire an experience of research-based studies in assigned research groups of the GSS. Thematic studies are conducted under close supervision of host professors through experiments, discussions, and group work with the team members at the GSS. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ISP was cancelled in FY2020, and held online in FY2021 and FY2022. This year, it was held in person for the first time in four years.
The ISP students each joined a laboratory (seminar) or several laboratories at the GSS and worked on cutting-edge research for approximately one month. In addition to research activities, the ISP students joined two Japanese lessons given by current Japanese students at our school and deepened mutual friendship. The ISP students also participated in a Student Exchange Event to get to know more ISP students and current international students in the GSS. As a concluding event, the ISP students gave a talk about their research progress at the Nambu Yoichiro Hall, and received an ISP certificate, bringing the ISP to a successful conclusion.
We hope that our ISP students will become bridges for building international research networks with the GSS in the future, either as regular international students or as international collaborative research partners with the GSS. In addition, we hope that the international outlook of our current Japanese students in the School and Graduate School of Science involved as supporters of the 2023 ISP will be bolstered, fostering their future research activities abroad.
<Program Contents and Schedule of 2023 ISP>
July 19
Morning: Orientation at Nambu Yoichiro Hall
Afternoon: Toyonaka Campus Tour, Check-in their laboratory (Seminar)
July 20
Research projects were started in earnest.
July 20 to 27 (two days in total for each student)
Japanese Lessons by current Japanese students (Students were divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses.)
August 9
Student Exchange Event, Supper at the International Exchange Salon (D201) of Science Building
August 28
Final Presentation at Nambu Yoichiro Hall
Farewell Party at Cafeteria La Forêt
August 29
Graduation Ceremony at Nambu Yoichiro Hall
Check-out the laboratories (Seminar)
July 19, Morning, Orientation 1 
July 19, Morning, Orientation 2
Japanese Lesson (Beginner class) 
Japanese Lesson (Intermediate class 1) 
Japanese Lesson (Intermediate class 2)
Japanese Lesson (Advanced class 1) 
Japanese Lesson (Advanced class 2)
August 9, Student Exchange Event
(Introduction of participants’ universities)
August 9, Student Exchange Event
(Supper)
August 28, Final Presentation 1 (Nambu Yoichiro Hall) 
August 28, Final Presentation 2 (Nambu Yoichiro Hall)
August 28, Final Presentation 3 (Nambu Yoichiro Hall) 
August 28, Farewell Party (Cafeteria La Forêt)
August 29, Graduation Ceremony (Nambu Yoichiro Hall)