Institute for Promotion of Higher Education, Multidisciplinary Shared Education Department / School of Languages and Communication / Library for Intercultural Studies

The Multi-Disciplinary Shared Education Department – forming the core of the shared education system

The Multi-Disciplinary Shared Education Department that provides cross-disciplinary lessons on the central principles of Kobe University’s educational policies and other subjects is located on the campus that houses the Faculties of Intercultural Studies. As such, the campus will have not only students of the Faculty of Intercultural Studies, but teachers and students of all eleven of Kobe University’s faculties. Because many clubs and circles also use this campus, and many first and second year students gather here as the base of their activities, there is a great deal of exchange with students from other faculties. Please take full advantage of Kobe University’s combined faculties, both in studies and in general campus life.

 

School of Languages and Communication

The campus also holds the School of Languages and Communication, which plans and runs events relating to second language education across all faculties. The School of Languages and Communication provides secondary language education for first and second year students as well as four-year curriculums for foreign languages, and can provide high-level advanced courses for students in their third year and above.

Language classes provided by the School (In the cases of Faculty of Intercultural Studies / English) First year (Required) Oral I/II Reading I/II Second year and above (Optional) Advanced course (contents include Presentations, Extensive reading, TOEFL strategies, etc.)

At the Faculty of Intercultural Studies, in addition to the second language subjects provided by the School of Languages and Communication, you can pursue the faculty’s own foreign language subjects, or subjects utilizing a foreign subject, allowing you to raise the linguistic knowledge you will need for internationalization to a suitable level.

“Language Hub,” a place to use the languages learned in classes

The School of Languages and Communication also contains Language Hubs (two rooms) and CALL Rooms (eleven rooms). Foreign language teachers and native speakers of English, German, Italian, Chinese, Russian and other languages are at the Hubs. There are also computers with various software for studying by yourself, so students are free to use the Hub whenever they want to enjoy conversations in foreign languages, or study listening, reading, vocabulary and TOEIC on the computers.

Additionally, there are CALL rooms with multiple computers for students. CALL stands for Computer Assisted Language Learning, in other words, studying languages with the help of computers. CALL is used in self-study as well as classes, so you can use the software to attempt work suited for your level of skill, as well as finding and dealing with your weak points.

A Language Hub room in the School of Languages and Communication

Library for Intercultural Studies

The entrance of the Faculty of Intercultural Studies library has two signs: “Library for Intercultural Studies” and “General Library.”
The General Library is meant to aid all fields, and carries material for all disciplines.

The Library for Intercultural Studies is aimed at students of the Faculty of Intercultural Studies and focuses on material for cultural exchange, and cultural issues in various countries.

The difference between most libraries and the Library for Intercultural Studies is the presence of a General Library alongside the specialized one. This means there is a large amount of material for general learning. The magazine corner contains art magazines and weekly magazines besides academic journals. There is also a video booth and a selection of computers that you can study languages through watching videos or DVDs at the library, or watch a movie. It’s an advantage that this library offers over others.

Kobe University has nine different library buildings. Since you can use any of the libraries as you wish, we suggest using it at least once a day.