Title: Mechanism of Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in a Symmetric Ratchet Motor
Caption: In the initial setup, the particles are evenly distributed. But when the disc is placed on the particle bed and subjected to vibration, it spontaneously begins to spin in one direction, demonstrating self-organization arising from breaking of symmetry.
Image credit: Ms. Miku Hatatani from Doshisha University, Japan
Image license: Original content
Usage restrictions: Cannot be used without permission.

The Center for Global Education and Japanese Studies(CGJ) hosted“Doshisha Summer Session 2025” for four weeks, from July 8, 2025 to August 5. This year, there were 18 participants from Saudi Arabia, France, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, China, Hongkong, and Taiwan.

We received positive feedback from the participants. All participants said they would recommend the program to their friends and juniors, and 92% answered that they could achieve their goals for participating in the program. These responses clearly indicate a high level of satisfaction with this program. Furthermore, 85% of the students expressed an interest to study abroad at Doshisha University, showing that the program has contributed to enhancing the university’s presence.

Looking at the feedback by content, students shared the following comments about the Japanese language classes:
“All the teachers were kind and enthusiastic, and they made learning fun and easy to understand.” “The explanations were clear, and I learned something new every time.” “I gained much more confidence in my Japanese compared to before the program.”

Regarding the course “Traditional culture and daily life in Kyoto”, students commented:
“I was able to deeply experience the history, beauty, and traditional culture of Kyoto. Every class was memorable.” “It was a special experience because the content would have been difficult to learn through self-study.”
Among the classes of “Traditional culture and daily life in Kyoto”, the Gion Festival was a highlight. Participants’ comments on this reflect that they learned the perspective of festival organizers and their dedication. They commented:
“We visited the Ofunehoko float’s preparation place and learned about the behind-the-scenes works and the spirit of festival organizers”. “The unity of the local community in creating the festival truly reflected the characteristics of traditional Japanese culture”

The participants shared the following comments about the program as a whole:
“Thanks to the warm and welcoming atmosphere created by the teachers, I was able to participate with a sense of ease.” “It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience.” “I learned a lot, and I am now inspired to study even more.” Some participants said that cultural exchange with study partners motivated them to learn Japanese more. Study partners have also shared that the interactions gained through volunteering in this program provided new insights and motivation for their future studies, indicating that our program served as an opportunity for growth for both participants and study partners.

We aim to improve the program content based on the feedback and provide a program that more accurately meets the needs of the participants.

For 5 weeks from May 25th to June 27th, APSU-JAPAN: Study at Doshisha University 2025 was held at Imadegawa Campus.