At the end of 2022, the University of Tsukuba offered a student exchange program with our Al-Farabi Kazakh National Universityi. Already at the beginning of 2023, the results were announced - 25 students were selected. Two people were selected from the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology - Evgeniya Tyapkina and Kamilya Khalikova. Let us share your story. Let's start, of course, with a description of the university itself.

Tsukuba University is a national university located in the city of Tsukuba in the south of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The university consists of 28 clusters of colleges and schools, in which 16 thousand 586 students and 4 thousand 601 teachers and staff study. Tsukuba's main campus covers an area of 258 hectares, making it the second largest campus in Japan. 

*In the framework of the "Campus in Campus" project, aimed at increasing the mobility of students and lecturers at the university, from March 1 to August 31, 2023, students of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology completed their studies at Tsukuba University. The following disciplines were studied: Food Process Engineering, Animal Cell Culture Technology, Metabolic and Physiological Chemistry I, Clinical Pharmacology, Plant Physiology, Animal Physiology, and Practical Plant Biotechnology.

 We were welcomed very warmly at the university, where we were provided with accommodation and a scholarship. We were also assigned a mentor who helped us with any questions we had. The education itself was very interesting, the lecturers were able to connect with students and made learning their subjects engaging. Almost 6 months flew by unnoticed, but it will forever remain in our memories as a completely unique experience of cultural and academic exchange.

To all students who want to try exchange programs, but for some reason are hesitant or unsure of themselves, I want to say: try it! It is much more realistic and achievable than it may seem at first glance. None of our 25 students could have imagined Japan in their dreams, but after you understand that you are capable of it, the boundaries of the world open up, and you realize that you are capable of much more.

In conclusion, the academic mobility program between Tsukuba University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University offers a valuable opportunity for academic growth, cultural immersion, and international cooperation. This initiative demonstrates the university's commitment to developing global partnerships and preparing future leaders with a global mindset.