Ara Hosts Collaborative Zoom Presentation for University of Nagano
Covid-19 has interrupted many students’ studying abroad plans, including those from the Japanese University of Nagano, which has shared a successful partnership with Ara Institute of Canterbury since 2019.
Ara recently held a Zoom presentation for a group of Nagano nutrition students, which included showing students how to make a classic Kiwi pavlova. This presentation is one element of the two-week English Language and Nutrition programme Ara formed when their collaboration with Nagano University began.
Pavlovas baked by Nagano University nutrition students
The relationship between the two institutes was set up to provide an opportunity for University of Nagano students to come to New Zealand and study English at Ara. While the current pandemic situation has disrupted many overseas study opportunities, Ara has continued to maintain their collaboration with the university by replicating the course online and matching up students with virtual Kiwi host families.
“The collaboration between the universities has been very positive for both institutes because of our ability to keep this programme going online,” says Heather Knox, Manager at Ara’s School of English.
“It also really helps that all our New Zealand host families have been very eager to continue interacting with Nagano’s students, in helping them get to know more about our culture and home life.”
The programme was incorporated into the University of Nagano’s Nutrition degree and was aimed at helping the students to practise their English language in a variety of situations – with tutors, Ara students and homestay families. The cooking presentation was organised by Ara’s department of Hospitality and Service Industries; specifically, Ryan Marshall, Culinary Manager and Adele Hingston, patisserie tutor.
During the presentation, the students were shown a video of a pavlova being made in several stages, with the help of a Japanese patisserie student’s translation skills. After the session ended, the students then baked their own mini pavlovas and sent through photos of the finished product.
“The session was very successful,” says Marshall. “The Nagano University professor had arranged for each student to ask me questions about New Zealand desserts once the presentation had ended.”
“It was also a great feeling to see that most of the students had changed their Zoom backgrounds to photos relating to New Zealand culture, and then had a go at baking their own pavlovas.”
With the borders opening and restrictions slowly lifting, the best outcome will be that the students can be onsite at Ara campuses from 2023. Until then, the collaboration between Ara and Nagano University will remain online.