A delegation from Mahidol University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, led by the Dean of the Faculty, Associate Professor  Dr Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin, Assistant Professor Dr Dhanakorn Mulaphong and Lecturer Dr. Daniel McFarlane, visited Juntendo University, Tokyo Japan on August 22, 2024. The team learned about city-organised programs and initiatives supporting environmental and social sustainability in order to develop case studies for graduate student learning in new Master’s program Society Design and Development.

The delegation was welcomed by the Dean Professor Niyonsaba Francois, Faculty of International Liberal Arts and the team at Education building 3 of Juntendo University. Soon after, Mahidol University team participated in a research meeting which was organized by DIHAC study team at 7th building of Juntendo University. The study overview of Digitally Inclusive Healthy Ageing Communities (DIHAC): A cross-cultural study in Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand was explained by Principal investigator Associate Professor Myo Nyein Aung. Dr. Thet Htoo Pan presented her recent publication about “Digital skills among Koran community older persons and health consequences”. Dr Myat Yadana Kyaw presented Social and digital determinants of eHealth Literacy and its impact on health outcome in Korean older adults. Those were two recent publications of DIHAC study published in August 2024. Professor Motoyuki Yuasa chaired the research meeting. Dean Dr Sauwakon, Dr Daniel and Dr Dhanakorn actively discussed with DIHAC researchers and gave valuable advice.

Figure 1: Professors from Mahidol University and Juntendo University elaborating on digital inclusion of older persons at DIHAC study research meeting at Juntendo University

In the afternoon, Co PI Dr Yuka Koyanagi and DIHAC team coordinated Mahidol University team’s visit to observe Sendagaya smart phone salon, at Shibuya city which is Japan’s leading initiative digital empowerment program started since 2021. Ms. Chikayo Nishioka (Shibuya Ward, Learning and Sports Department, Head of Wellbeing Promotion Section) and Ms. Asuka Kobayashi (Shibuya Lifelong Activity Network-Shibukatsu, Learning and Sports Department, Activity Support Section) welcomed the teams and explained about the project.

Figure 2: Thailand Mahidol University team and DIHAC team observing the activity at Sendagaya Smart Phone Salon

DIHAC team and Mahidol University team interacted with digital volunteers who served as peer educators for digital literacy of older person.

Figure 3: Professors from Mahidol University (front row), DIHAC study team from Juntendo University and officers from Shibuya City (back row)