Exchanges
The Australia-Japan Foundation is serious about creating significant and long-lasting relationships between the peoples of Australia and Japan. Advances in IT and digital communications have increased the ways we can communicate, but the AJF believes that people-to-people exchange is still a critical, important component underpinning the success of the Australia-Japan bilateral relationship.
The AJF works strategically to bring together people from various fields for information and skills exchange, and to encourage the growth of bilateral networks among young people in particular, and in newly emerging fields.
We recognise that the ongoing creation of strategic links is a major task requiring the dedication and efforts of many organisations. We have listed some of the other key programs that also work towards the achievement of the Foundations goals.
AJF Exchanges
People-to-people exchanges are one of the three pillars of the Australia-Japan Foundation's activities.
Over the past 25 years the AJF has provided opportunities for thousands of Australian and Japanese people to visit each others' country, experience each other's cultures and gain insight into the workings of societies other than our own. A multitude of individual and organisational links have been created as a result of these programs and many have gone on to develop into exciting other projects:
- Australia-Japan Debaters' Exchange
- Australia-Japan Touring Art Exhibitions Program
- Australia-Japan Publishers' Exchange
- Program Train-The-Trainer Program for Japanese Teachers
- Australia-Japan Strategic Ties for the Arts Initiative
Other Exchanges
In addition to AJF initiatives the following programs are just some of the many ways in which grass roots exchange occurs between Japan and Australia. Please note that the list is not exhaustive and is intended as an indication of activity overall only.
See links below for non-AJF exchanges
- The JET Program
- Ship for World Youth
- Working Holiday Association
- Australian Artist in Residence Program
- Asialink Arts Programs
- Australia-Japan Political Exchange Program
- Rotary Exchanges
- AFS Exchanges
Sister Schools
For Schools in Japan
Many Japanese schools wish to establish sister-school links with Australian schools. The AJF has developed a step-by-step guide to assist schools to understand how to go about this. The guide includes sections clarifying the school's motives and expectations, criteria for identifying a suitable sister schools, and templates for documentation to get the process underway
For Schools in Australia
Australian schools wishing to establish sister schools in Japan should contact the following organisation:
Council of Local Authorities on International Relations (CLAIR)
Level 42 Gateway, 1 Macquarie Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Email: mailbox@jlgc.org.au
http://www.jlgc.org.au
Sister Cities
For the latest information on Australia-Japan Sister City relationships, Sister Cities and Sister Ports, please visit the CLAIR website (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Sydney)