神戸大学人文学研究科では、2017年10月より、英語による教育プログラムであるヴィシェグラード・コースVisegrad Course「ヴィシェグラード・コース：EUと日本におけるV4地域の位置づけに関する教育コース」を立ち上げました。
本コースは、中東欧4か国（ハンガリー、ポーランド、チェコ、スロヴァキア）によって構成されるヴィシェグラード基金（Visegrad Fund）に神戸大学が採択されたことを受け、教育コースの開講部局を人文学研究科として発足したものです。ヴィシェグラードという名称の由来は、ハンガリーの同名の地に上記4か国の王たちが集まった故事に因んでいます。
本コースは、同じく英語による教育科目である「現代日本プログラム」の一環として位置づけられ、今後2017年秋より1年半にわたって、留学生及び日本学生を対象に開講されます。
The Place of V4 Countries in Europe and Japan: The course is about consideration of the place and the significance of V4 countries in Europe/EU, the relationship between Japan and V4 countries, and the place and significance of V4 countries in Japan as well. Though there is great interest for Europe in Japan, nevertheless there is little knowledge among Japanese studuenst concerning the heterogeneity of European experiences and little would s/he know about the V4 countries. By this we aim to show our students that Europe is not a monolith, but a continent with numerous faces, opinions, traditions. The topics of discussion cover, the role of religion, tradition, migration, developmental policies, human rights, historical relation between V4 area and Japan, cultural exchange between Japan and V4, and comparative studies on them, etc. The course's class sessions are combination of guest lectures (9 sessions including 3 mini-workshops) and Japanese teachers.
Japanese students both on undergraduate and master's level who are interested in V4 and EU societies and cultures as well as overseas students mainly exchange students from exchange partner universities in Europe, Asia and USA. For both of Japanese and overseas students it will be most significant and useful to learn directly from the Guest Lecturers of their academic insights and experience of V4 areas where the issues described above are most acute and important. At the samet to learn the issues in a broader comparative perspective and civilizational background is also very significant to understand them and deepen their understandings as contemporary gobal issues. We start this course as optional one yet planning to develop this into part of obligatory ones after two years from the implementation. The courses offer credits and certificates from the start. Because the course will be tautght in English it requires basic competence in English.
Through the teaching that includes direct communication with lectures from V4 universities, 1. For Japanese undergraduate students, competence as to obtain their understandings on the place and significance of V4 and EU areas to prepare their full-scale study abroad in those areas, by studying side by side with overseas students from different areas. 2. For Japanese graduate students competence as to develop their understandings in V4 and EU areas in a comparative perspective including the cases of Japan and Asian areas in the setting described above. 3. For the overseas students from Asian and USA, learning from V4 lectuers directly on the issue is the most precious experience as well as obtaining comparative perspective with the cases of Japanese, Asian and USA. 4. For the overseas students from V4 and EU areas, competence to put their understandings more broader comparative perspective including Japan and Asian is worthwhile.