Here is a summary of the programme meeting at KTC with the relevant paragraphs in bold type

C.E.E. Programme Meeting with Mr. Yamagishi; Mr. Naoe; Mr. Taniai; Mr. Sugimori; Mr. Imazawa; Office of KTC, 13:00 – 14:30
• There have been some changes to the curriculum at KTC, and these changes are being implemented over the coming years. Would OP be able to adjust the C.E.E programme content to better reflect these changes?
• In Mechanical engineering, more emphasis is being placed on engineering design, with this component increasing from two to three hours per week in the third year.
• In Global Technology and IT they are considering a complete change from teaching a variety of programming languages to a focus on Java from next year. This change would be implemented simultaneously, so that third year students next year will study java for the first time, in future third year students will have studied java in their first and second years.
• In maths the content has been reduced slightly. Students will have completed differential equations in second year, but OP was requested to review differentiation before moving on to integration. They currently study some 3D geometry which does not appear to be part of the curriculum for the C.E.E maths course.
• There is little change in the electrical programme
• We (Nathan and John) discussed the possibility of using laptops in the classroom for C.E.E in the future to enhance the technological aspects of the course. We explained that we envisaged the laptops being locked in a safe at the Polytechnic each day so that students could not take them home and play games, thereby not interacting with their host families. We hoped to install the laptops with English OS, as this would help the students become familiar with English operating system and menus. We would look at installing the software for solidworks and maths as well as computer programming so that students would be able to work on these subjects in their own time (during the day).
• KTC expressed a willingness to consider allowing the students to bring their laptops from KTC. They were happy with the above suggestions, but felt they would need to test the laptops to make sure they would work if the software was wiped and an English OS installed instead. The laptop hardware would not be insured outside Japan, but perhaps they would consider sending a spare laptop in case of breakage. We expressed the idea that, because the laptops were only to be used in the classroom, there was less likely to be issues with breakage. Mr. Yamagishi agreed to look into the feasibility of allowing students to take KTC laptops with them to NZ.
• KTC expressed their thanks again for the arrangements that OP made for the three short term interns who spent two weeks working in a company in Dunedin in July. They were very happy with the way the internship went in Duendin, and hope that we can continue to accept the students in the future. John expressed the willingness of OP to accept interns again, but said that it would be easier to make arrangements for two students than three. KTC accepted this suggestion. John asked that the information about the students’ majors be sent to OP as soon as possible so that arrangements could be made for the interns to spend time at an appropriate company.
• KTC is still keen to host intern students from OP. They may be able to arrange for them to spend time at larger companies such as Daikin (air conditioners), but these may be located outside Kanazawa (Daikin is in Osaka) and students would be housed in company accommodation. Students would spend some time at KIT first. KTC said it would be easier to place mechanical or electrical engineering interns that computer engineering interns, due to reluctance on the part of companies to expose computer secrets.
• Nathan expressed the desire to get come online learning set up before the students come to OP, so that they can be familiarised with some of the people and styles of OP. A test was done using the Elluminate software, and seemed to run without any technical issues. KTC agreed to test this again after our return to OP, and to cooperate in setting this up.
• The new programme and course curriculum at KTC will be completed in January, and Nathan asked that copies be sent to him at OP as soon as possible so that course lecturers can adapt course materials to better reflect the changes. KTC agreed to send copies when they become available.