TUA held “Global Homecoming 2016” on Dec.19 and 20, 2016, which was participated by international students who studied at TUA in the past and now teach at art institutions in their home countries. This is a new event started in 2016 with the aims of activating communication with former international students who are now actively working all over the world and establishing a sustained network of people.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, TUA also invited some students from the universities with which it has recently started close exchange, following the adoption of the governmental Re-Inventing Japan project. The event facilitated sharing of a clearer picture about the partnership between their institutions and TUA, by allowing the students to spend time with the former international students and TUA ‘s faculty members and students.

【Guest participants】
・Rosaria IAZZETTA（Professor of sculpture, Naples Academy of Fine Arts, Italy)
・Nipan　ORANNIWESNA（lecturer of print making, Bangkok University, Thailand）
・Juhan KWON （Professor of metal casting, Daegu University, South Korea）
・Qiurong CHEN（Professor of Japanese lacquer, Beijing City University, China）
・Hsi-Te SUNG（Associate Professor of design, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan）
・Maung Maung Zaw Htet（Dean, Professor, National University of Arts and Culture(Yangon), Myanmar）
・Eight（four Turkish, two Israeli, and two Myanmar）students who were invited as part of the Re-Inventing Japan project (One of the Turkish students have studied at TUA)

【Campus Tour】
Firstly, the guests visited the No.6 Hall and Arts &Science Lab, which have recently been refurbished, to feel “the present of TUA”. Then they moved on to the Noh-Hall, where they directly experienced the educational philosophy and environment of TUA, which value both new initiatives and succession of traditional art forms and performances.

【Activities at respective laboratories】
The former international students took part in various activities at their former laboratories including a lecture, a feedback-session, and a talk event, where they mingled with the incumbent faculty members and current students.

【Forum】
Based on the theme of “Studying abroad at Geidai (TUA)”, four discussions took place along with four sub-themes of “Meaning of studying at Geidai”, “Importance of studying abroad”, ”Engagements and Collaborations with Geidai”, and “Proposals for Geidai.”
Some discussants described the significance of their study at Geidai as follows; “Soon after I arrived at TUA, I was shocked by the quality of my classmates’ works, inspired me to study harder.” “I was able to learn different techniques from those taught in my home country.” Others said that they want students of their institutions to have a similar overseas experience. There were also requests for another event like this and increased opportunity to study at TUA. Some guest students showed interest in coming to study at TUA as future students.