NEWS

On Wednesday, January 22, the student organization COCORO hosted an event entitled “Remove the Barrier: Conference on Disabilities and APU’s Future – A First Step Toward an Inclusive Campus!” COCORO is a student organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion on the APU campus, including the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. This event was organized under APU’s Project A student event support system.

The event featured discussions and workshops centered on the topic of “Challenges of Commuting to Campus with a Disability,” and it was attended by approximately 20 students and staff members. At the start of the event, participants engaged in hands-on activities designed to help them view the campus from the perspective of individuals with disabilities. These activities included using wheelchairs to navigate facilities and walking along tactile paving blocks while blindfolded and using a white cane. During the wheelchair navigation experience on the slope beside the Green Commons stage, participants were surprised to discover how difficult it was to push the heavy wheels up and incline and to control their speed when descending to avoid going too fast.

In the discussion segment, the topic was “What Challenges Do Students with Disabilities Face at APU?” The facilitator encouraged participants to not only imagine the experiences of those with disabilities but also consider the possibility of becoming affected themselves in the future. This approach led to an active exchange of ideas. Participants raised concerns about the challenges faced by students with physical disabilities in navigating the campus within the 10-minute breaks between classes as well as the need to offer online participation options for students with physical or mental disabilities who might struggle to attend in-person classes. These discussions focused attention on potential improvements in how classes are conducted.

The facilitator concluded the session with a thought-provoking question: “Does APU truly embrace diversity?” Participants were urged to question their own assumptions, imagine invisible differences and difficulties beyond the commonly discussed aspects of diversity, and reflect on how to foster inclusivity. The organization plans to compile the feedback and suggestions from the discussion into a report to be submitted to the university, with the hope of creating a better campus that leaves no one behind.

Comment from Event Organizer Chihiro Ono (APS 3rd year, Japan)

This was the first event we held since the establishment of COCORO, and thanks to the participants, it turned out to be an incredibly meaningful experience. As someone who lives with a disability myself, I often face challenges in my life at APU. This motivated me to organize this event to create an opportunity for everyone to think about the barriers that exist on campus and raise awareness. Based on the feedback we received during the event, we will continue to develop various initiatives to create a campus environment that is more accessible for students with disabilities. I also hope that this organization will become a forum where both students with disabilities and those without can share and voice their opinions together.

Comment from COCORO Representative Emiri Ohguchi (APS 3rd year, Japan)

COCORO will continue to strive to foster an environment at APU where disabilities, both physical and mental, are understood and accepted by everyone. When it comes to thinking about disabilities, I believe the most important thing is a sense of ownership. The reality is that even students who do not currently have disabilities may someday face situations such as being confined to a wheelchair due to an accident or injury, or struggling with mental health issues. Therefore, rather than thinking of ‘people with disabilities’ and ‘people without disabilities’ as separate groups, it is essential to recognize that anyone could become a person with a disability. Through our activities, we aim to raise awareness of this.
We look forward to working together to make APU a university where disabilities are more openly accepted, so that everyone can make the most of their limited time as university students.