The Norway Japan Society is happy to announce that a winner of this year's study grant has been selected. The study grant was awarded to Ms. Noriko Takahashi, who will study at the University of Oslo.
We would like to thank all the applicants for applying, and for their kind understanding for the fact that we took longer to conclude on the result this year.
As we have felt the effects of COVID-19 in our own daily lives, it also affects the daily lives and plans of others, in this case persons currently engaged in, or planning to commence in educational programs and exchange outside of their own country in a new environment, either in Norway or Japan. When the study grant 2020 was announced earlier this year, the COVID-19 situation was for many a new and developing situation, which later would show itself to affect the society at large in ways that was not anticipated at the time. Through the applications, and the interaction with the applicants, we have registered that the ongoing situation has created an horizon of uncertainty with regards to planning, relocation and commencement of studies for many if not all applicants.
Within the pool of applicants this year, we have had the difficult task of selecting one recipient amongst many qualified candidates. A common trait of the applicants is the eagerness to engage in the local communities in which they will be part of during their studies, and their reflections of own future contribution to the Japan-Norway relations as a result of the studies, own interests in Norway or Japan, and hopefully though newfound friendships acquired during their stays.
Amongst the candidates were students currently engaged in their studies, some in the process of taking their whole degrees abroad, others as part of shorter exchange programs. Some candidates decided to withdraw their application due to postponing their plans, others would commence through temporary online courses provided by their universities for the first semester, awaiting their opportunity to relocate when conditions allows it. The study grant was awarded to a candidate taking part in the latter option
We see how the current situation affects education, from early childhood education and care, to education in the compulsory education stage to college and higher education.
Especially for the target group of our study grant, international exchange or education abroad, international travel has been a fundamental condition. While we are hoping for a return to normalcy soon, we must at the same time expect to see more use of online education solutions for this segment in the future.
As many with an exchange study experience will attest to, the physical relocation to a new country and the interaction with its society and culture is an intrinsic part of any exchange study experience, and also an important contribution to friendly exchange between people and countries. For our Society, we will strive to support the continued exchange of students between Norway and Japan going forward, also in its digital form.
The Japan-Norway Society has steadily implemented digital meeting places since before summer. With such, our engagement in finding new ways to uphold the promotion of friendship and exchange also in the future starts, opening up for the inclusion of people physically unable to attend our events and gatherings.
Past winners of the Study Grant can be found here.