Our Agenda for a Vibrant African Students Network May 7, 2013

Dear All!

On behalf of the new executive committee, it is my humble pleasure to update every member on the progress of our great association. I will like to request that you please carefully read through in order to have a clear picture of the current situation as we both map out a way forward for the association.

To begin with, Ill like to use this medium to re-echo a welcome message to all African students in the University of Tsukuba. To the freshmen students, I want to congratulate you again for having a special privilege to study in Japan. Ill like to say that your admission to the university at this time is remarkable and of course, will serve as a pedestal to reach your desired future. As projected by the motto of our great university Imagine the Future, I want to encourage you all to be inspired to take giant stride in your academic pursuit towards a bright future. As you proceed with your studies and researches, the extensive and nature-friendly environment of our campus offers you a viable space to be innovative and creative. The sky is not your limit! Ganbatte kudasai. For all us who are returning students, I'm confident that this academic year will thrust us into many striking achievements. I wish everyone the best in our academic pursuits.

This is a new session and indeed a new season. This follows with an introduction of a new academic calendar system of two semesters over the former trimester system and the 40th + 101st anniversary of the University of Tsukuba (see http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/english/topics/20121016162744.html). Also, this time has brought a re-birth of our great association. Ill like us recall that at the beginning of this 2013/14 academic session, a fresh page of leadership was opened for the association when we hosted a welcoming party for all African students. It is notable that this event, held on the 22nd of April 2013, was well-attended by members and more so, became an avenue for taking deliberate steps to move the association forward. I believe this development strongly bears on the

members' desire to see a vibrant and renewed network of African students in Tsukuba University and Japan at large. Ill like to appreciate everyone who witnessed and contributed to the events and those who were unable to participate for one reason or the other. Also, I have noted that another precursor to this rejuvenation was the ripple effect of a recently concluded Africa Japan Student Summit hosted in Yokohama by the TICAD V students Project in March 2013. For the first time in 20 years of the Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD), 35 African students and 46 Japanese students gathered together to deliberate and discuss the future of Africa and Japan for this year's 5th edition of the conference (TICAD V) coming up early June. An 11 days summit materialized the youth voice in the Youth Proposal Paper for TICAD V officially proposed on the final day of the student summit (you can personally request for a copy of this proposal paper). Another fruit of this summit was the proposal and formation of the Network of African Students in Japan, an umbrella body that will serve as highest authority for all African students associations in Japan. These are all laudable developments that we can be proud of and as well require our significant contributions in various capacities.

As we move on in the spirit of this new season, there are renewed commitment to expand our communication means towards mutual interest and benefits by creating a digital database for members. As part of the efforts to improve our organizational record for African students in Tsukuba, Ill like to request that every members input their personal data by filling a membership update form via the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Uzfi4IFHwOB_x2KzrNQUltgvMfN9K_UK6tWV1GTZxnk/viewf orm. In addition, to include your personal information in the membership database of the Network of African Students in Japan (NASJA), you should also fill out this form via the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PWLoMAxeKMb-89x1NYFSJyyjrL7PftNfgk39yOFev8E/vi ewform#, our association is registered and recognized by the office of the International Students, University of Tsukuba. In no distant time, the association will be working on model of cooperation with the Network of African Students in Japan (NASJA). In the past, our activities had been basically limited to get together and welcoming parties. We also note a few instances of representation and participation in the university student groups' events.

With the stirring of a need to chart a new direction for the association, there is a wider recognition and involvement of most African students in a collective running of the association. For the first time in the history of the association, 25 members who attended this academic years welcoming party unanimously elected a committee of people to take on the baton of leadership to steer the group and coordinate its activities for the next academic year. The members of this committee include: 1. ADELABU, Oluwafemi Samuel (Doctoral program, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences) 2. Wangui Wanjiru Melissa (Masters, Social Systems Engineering Urban Planning Studies) 3. UBOCHI, Solomon (International Studies) 4. MOALLA, Rached (Masters, Agrobioresources Science and Technology) 5. IRUMBA, Harold (Masters, School of Humanities and Social Sciences)

Herewith, Ill like present to the agenda and structure that have designed by the new executive committee to lead the association forward. This is an aggregation of outcome based on suggestions from members and several deliberations through executives meetings. The first formal executive which was held on the 28th of April was attended by four out of five members of the newly elected committee. Having reflected on the past trends of the association, and having identified key areas in which an active association should thrive, the members of the committee have carefully considered and deliberated to propose a 7-points agenda as viable means to move the association to a higher level of relevance and impact. These include the following:

Membership and executive meetings- to foster the running of the association, we saw to the need to hold regular membership and executive meetings and therefore proposed a structural plan for two levels of meeting. Firstly, a meeting will once every month for the members of executive and secondly, a meeting will be held for all members at least once in every semester. The committee will have to decide the need and the order of meetings both for executive and membership meetings among other logistics.

Constitution building- the need to come up with a draft of constitution that the group can operate with was noted. We have outlined fundamental profile information for the association which includes our vision; mission and objective statements (check http://aasutjp.weebly.com/about-aasut.html). For other important content of the

constitution, we suggested to tentatively adopt from constitution draft of the Network of African Students in Japan. However, this will be fine-tuned gradually to suit the context and operation of the association in the University of Tsukuba.

Proper representation- the need for proper representation for African students community is a vital role that we have to prepare for and look forward to do within the university and Tsukuba city. Proper coordination and connectedness within the association will be a contributing factor to promote the image of our organization within and outside the Tsukuba University environment.

Expanding communication means- to foster in-group understanding, establishing useful links for academic, research and social activities while also promoting Africas image within and beyond Tsukuba community, we strongly advocate for a cooperate commitment to promote information sharing. Hence, we call out to everyone to support the cradle of effective communication. Some of the strategies that we have considered in fulfilling this inevitable goal are highlighted below: Developing a strong brand image for the association Publication of a semester/session-based newsletter Fostering public relations Setting up website, research blog, and social media network Creating new email address and establishing mail correspondence

Promoting research- since our primary purpose of being in the university is to fulfill an academic requirement, it is thus inevitable for us to support and encourage academic excellence and research innovations among members. Some of the means we identified is to create communication platforms to promote members research activities. We hope by strengthening our in-group communication networks, participation in relevant academic forums, and release of periodical newsletters and academic blogging, we would be able to catalyze research ideas, and get important feedbacks from a broad audience in contributions and collaborations.

Welfare- for the purpose of building a stronger and mutual relationship within the association, we want to raise concerns about members welfare. To begin with, we are strategizing with a welfare system of care and share wherein individual can find delight in meeting another persons need through sharing of unused items, moral support to the troubled members among others. Also we

considered as important the reception and welfare support for freshmen students. Some of the ways we can approach this is exemplified below: Transfer of unused electrical appliances to those who are in need of them. This will be coordinated to encourage genuine request while avoiding any mix-ups. Establishing a link through the International Students Office for early contacts with the new students.

Organization of events and activities- As part of effort towards increasing the impact of the association among its members, within the University and our immediate community, there will be need to step up our representation and participation via the following activities: Organizing of group outing and exploration during holidays and vacations. This will feature visits to places of interest to foster understanding and interaction with the Japanese culture and communities. Participation in the Tsukuba University Festival Participation in the Tsukuba City Festival Organizing of academic and social events such as symposium to promote academic excellence and expand means of promoting Africa and Japan mutual developments.

On a final note, lets us all work out the future we desire for our great association. There are endless possibilities to innovate and channel our potentials together towards building a strong and virile group. Better days are here but our best is yet to come!

Together, we achieve more!

ADELABU O. Samuel For the Executive Committee