2023/12/20

Professor Rie Hayashida, Department of Russian Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, who is retiring this year, gave her final lecture, “People, Language, Culture, and Conflict – Quo Vadis?” as a keynote lecture at the 3rd Research Conference of the Japan Russian Education Association. The venue was filled with students, faculty, staff, academic members, and students who came from far away.

Professor Hayashida graduated from Sophia University's Russian Department in 1979 and Osaka City University's Faculty of Economics in 1981, studied abroad in Moscow in 1986, received a master's degree from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies and a doctoral degree in 2006. She became an assistant at Osaka University of Foreign Studies in 1986, and a professor at the university since 2004. She has been active as a professor, Department of Language and Culture, the Osaka University Graduate School since 2007, which was merged with Osaka University, and retired in 2020 (became a professor emeritus). Also, she became the head of Department of Russian Studies at the University, which was established in the same year, and worked hard for the establishment and development of it.

Professor Hayashida's major accomplishment was the establishment of Russian education in Japan. In particular, she established the Japan Russian Education Research Group (currently the Japan Russian Education Society) in 2000, and has carried out various activities as its first representative together with people involved in the practice and research of Russian education in Japan, and encouraged the development of Russian teaching methods in Japan. She was also enthusiastic about introducing advanced teaching methods in Department of Russian Studies of the University.

As wars and conflicts continue with no end in sight, the final lecture asks big questions: What is the role of language? Can we create a maintenance mechanism for a globalized world? This question, which has no correct answer, makes us focus on the vast horizon that lies beyond words. Warm applause echoed throughout the venue.

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