Building Bridges through Socially Responsible Learning

For those in the developed world, there has never been a more important time to address the problems of the vast majority of the world’s population who have yet to reap the benefits of the great economic and technological... [ view full abstract ]

For those in the developed world, there has never been a more important time to address the problems of the vast majority of the world’s population who have yet to reap the benefits of the great economic and technological changes seen in recent decades, and who may have even fallen victim to their darker consequences. In institutions of higher education, such as Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, it is our opinion that there should be a greater impetus on forging tangible connections between the content learned both in the classroom and through independent study, and that of the real world. Students who are willing, should be encouraged to work with others to extend their understanding of, and interest in, issues they have studied, and involve themselves in voluntary projects that would have a beneficial impact on the lives of others, both at the local and global level.

In this presentation, the authors will outline how they have enhanced opportunities for ‘socially responsible learning’ at their university by initiating a sponsored reading project called, Readers4Readers: Reading for a Better World at KUFS.  This project encourages participating students to read beyond their regular English language course goals, and, through their personal efforts and a sense of ‘altruistic motivation’, contribute to the educational development and assistance of schools and community centers in poverty stricken areas of rural Cambodia. It is the presenters’ belief that exercises in empathy such as this can easily become platforms for further action and the building of bridges towards both personal and institutional collaborations, intercultural partnerships and sustainable international community engagement initiatives.