Urban & Regional Planning
2010 Japan Tour
This year, the 2010 Japan study tour, conducted by Associate Professor Shahed Khan with his team Megumi Khan and Jake Schapper, was the largest in terms of number of students as well as duration. A new theme of ‘Heritage’ was added to the theme of ‘Global Cities’.
This year our students also participated in an International Students Symposium in Tokyo. This involved interaction with Japanese and Indonesian students in a joint seminar on the theme of Heritage. As part of the symposium. a combined field trip with Japanese students was organised to a historical town. This featured presentations by the designers of the town’s heritage conservation and redevelopment project.
Meanwhile, the Tokyo City University also organised presentations and a local site visit to an award-winning urban redevelopment project within Tokyo. This site visit conducted by the designer of the project himself, Professor Iwamura (Vice President UIA – International Union of Architects).
The study tour was designed to ensure that students also experience firsthand the global city, Tokyo. Some new sites representing business, historical and cultural centres within and around Tokyo were added to those covered in previous trips addition. Exercises in analysing various aspects of the built environment were also carried out. This year, a trip to Nikko, a historical centre with many world heritage sites was included in the itinerary.
As in previous years, the study tour provided a balance between organised learning activities, reflection sessions, casual observation and the tourist experience. Participating students have had a great learning experience which was also great fun. Significant focus on intercultural learning was maintained throughout the study tour.
Building Linkages with Japanese Universities
Over the years we have consolidated our links and collaboration with Toyo University and Tokyo City University - resulting in lectures/ presentations by their academic staff as well as interaction between students and faculty of the institutions. We have had joint fieldwork of and presentations by students as well as social get-togethers hosted by the two universities.
International Students Symposium
A highlight of the 2010 study tour was the International Student Symposium organised by Toyo University. Toyo University timed the symposium to coincide with our study tour dates and sent two faculty members to visit Curtin to work out the details regarding theme and logistics for the symposium. Students from Curtin, Japan and Indonesia worked on assignments aligned to the theme of the symposium at their home institutions - which they presented at the symposium. This provided a unique, firsthand exposure to international perspectives on similar planning problems.
Support
As in previous years, the 2010 Japan Study Tour owes its success largely to the support received from the two Japanese universities – Toyo University and Tokyo City University. In addition, we also received support from the Tokyo Office of the Government of Western Australia, Roberts Day (Planning Consultancy, Perth), Consulate General of Japan in Perth, and Tokyu Corporation.
We would also like to acknowledge the encouragement and generous support from the School of Built Environment both in the form of financial as well as administrative support. The international study tour could not be possible without the cooperation and help extended by the School administration at all levels.
