2026 IJRSE – Volume 15 Issue 7
Available Online: 9 March 2026
Author/s:
Sato, Shinichi*
Nihon Fukushi University, Japan (satoshin@n-fukushi.ac.jp)
Semillano, Christine Evan Joy Dosayla
Silay Institute, Philippines (christineevanjoy.semillano@silayinstitute.edu.ph)
Santillan, Nanette Laquiña
Silay Institute, Philippines (nanette.santillan@silayinstitute.edu.ph)
Kimizuka, Maro
Nihon Fukushi University Affiliated High School, Japan (maro-k@n-fukushi.ac.jp)
Abstract:
This study investigates an ongoing year-round partnership between Silay Institute in the Philippines and Nihon Fukushi University in Japan, which integrates international collaboration into regular educational activities. Unlike conventional short-term exchange programs, this initiative is built on four components: (1) bidirectional face-to-face exchanges, in which students alternately serve as hosts and visitors; (2) online collaborative activities, including mutual language practice; (3) joint participation in campus events through online platforms; and (4) continuous peer communication via asynchronous and synchronous tools. The activities address multiple dimensions, including environmental action, peace education, cultural exchange, and community engagement. Analysis of student reflection reports and faculty observations suggests that sustained year-round engagement supports the development of all three types of Community of Inquiry presence (social, cognitive, and teaching) in ways that brief, conventional one-time exchange activities are less likely to enable. Students reported meaningful shifts in their understanding of cross-cultural communication and global issues. Early signs of learner autonomy were observed, most notably in the self-initiated support provided by Filipino university students during reciprocal visits from their Japanese counterparts. Faculty observations highlighted the importance of embedding international activities within regular school life as a factor in sustaining student motivation. In addition, they pinpointed practical challenges, such as the program’s dependence on individual faculty initiatives, limited integration of activities into formal curriculum structures, and the difficulty of sustaining student-to-student communication between organized events. These issues are discussed as priorities for the next phase of program development and research.
Keywords: international partnership, community of inquiry, intercultural learning, blended exchange, year-round engagement
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26820
Cite this article:
Sato, S., Semillano, C. E. J. D., Santillan, N. L., & Kimizuka, M. (2026). Developing holistic international collaboration through a year-round Japan-Philippines educational partnership. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 15(6), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26820
* Corresponding Author