On Saturday, January 17, 2009, the "Hot Spring Renaissance Program" Mid-Term Report Meeting was held by APU at the Beppu City Moto Machi Town Hall.

In AY 2007 APU applied to receive funding under the Ministry of Education's Contemporary Education Needs Initiative Support Program (Contemporary GP) in the field of Contributing to Regional Revitalization (Local Areas) under the theme of "Utilizing Student Strength to Repay the Region Educational Program-the students and region co-built Beppu Onsen Tourism Renaissance Program" and was adopted in July. During this Report Meeting the students studying in this program presented the results of their research and investigations while mixing with the local community.

Firstly there was a report from the Long Stay Beppu (LSB) (of APS Professor HATADA Nobuyuki Office) about their Holiday House Project activities. The Holiday House project, which aims to invite long-term tourists to their renovated old-style residential home in Uchinari, has been active since AY2007. In 2008 the students worked together with Uchinari carpenters and plasterers and in 2009 will open for business. (For more details, please refer to the URL below)

KAJIWARA Emi (APS4, Japan) gave a presentation based on her graduation thesis entitled "the Appeal of Contemporary Cultural Heritage". Ms. KAJIWARA gave Mojiko Retro as an example and spoke of how the historical buildings and architecture in Beppu should be conserved and used: "to increase the appeal of contemporary cultural heritage we need the efforts of government members, the private sector and local folk."

Following this, 2 students taking the APU class "Practical Beppu Studies" who received support from the region centering on the "Beppu Hatto Kataribennokai" each gave presentations under the theme of Walking Courses. The "Practical Beppu Studies" class which started in APU in AY2008 aims to arm the students with knowledge of the regional investigation process & technology and an analytical and investigative view of the region through field work in the Beppu region.

It proved to be an opportunity for an exchange of opinions and the students who gave their presentations carefully answered the audience's questions. APU hopes to work together with Beppu City to make further contributions to the activation of the region.

Comment:

This is a good win-win relationship between APU students and Beppu citizens. APU students have been receiving support in one way and another, and through this city revitalization program, students can put effort and contribute to improve the society in which they are living in now. In the meantime, they can learn skills and attain knowledge through the activities.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama

APM 2 Year

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University