早稲田大学　国際教養学部　AO入試　志望理由書　提出例(片岡　貞治 教授参考)

早稲田大学　国際教養学部　AO入試　志望理由書　提出例(片岡　貞治 教授参考)

Dear Admission Office, 

First of all I would like to thank for the opportunity and out of excitement to join a prestigious school, I am writing this letter to explain my purpose in applying for School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University, hoping to pursue a major in International Communications and Diplomacy later in my academic years. I would be more than grateful if you could kindly give it a read and grant me an admission. During the in-person interview, I would also be delighted to expand more on my area of studies and what I can achieve upon joining the school.

2019 was a crucial year for especially sub-Saharan Africa. The region held presidential elections in at least nine countries, including Nigeria and South Africa. 2020 would be an even more important year – although it will remain bogged down in conflicts in the Cameroon, Central African Republic, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Somalia, it will attract greater attention from the international partners, which increasingly view the region as a vector for transnational threats, a destination for investment, and an arena for geostrategic competition where Japan is very much involved. It is shortsighted to ignore recent progress and young African leaders are responsible to continue working toward faster and greater positive outcomes.

The African Union has designated 2019 as the “Year of Refugees, Returnees, and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa.” This consensus on the importance of African-led solutions is indicative of the continent’s initiative to construct a sustainable solution to migration issues. African countries still host the largest number of refugees in the world; Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya collectively host about 2.8 million refugees and their governments, despite having few resources, have responded efficiently to the influx of refugees from neighboring countries. Expectedly, many conflicts in recent years can be largely explained by the rise of the Islamic State, a political conflict, and climate change, which tends to be overlooked and accounts for mass migration in many parts of Africa. Clearly, there is much work to be done but looking to the past can provide some hope for the future, a proof, Rwanda once known primarily for its tragic genocide, is now known as a model of stability and economic growth, while Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace agreement to end two decades of war and enmity. 

By recognizing Africa as an opportunity, rather than a threat, governments, citizens, and organizations on the continent and around the world will be better positioned to face challenges and further boost positive trends. In fact, Africa is ahead in some areas of improving gender equality. 11 African countries, women hold almost one-third of parliament seats, more than in Europe and the United States. And adult literacy rates are up by almost 10 percentage points from 1995, and the gender gap in literacy is shrinking thanks to school enrollment and international many programs. When you visit Africa, you will be surprised how many people speak English or French fluently. It is due to the fact the continent beared years of colonization but also because of diversity many countries selected one local language and English as official languages to reduce conflicts between different tribes. Africa’s working age population is growing rapidly, with estimations that the number of young people entering the region’s workforce will exceed that of the rest of the world by 2050. Investors are planning to make a use of it, making the region the next hub of customer service after India and other South Asian countries.

It truly is a problem that recent generations are completely indifferent to progress made in Africa though we have so much to learn from. We live in a world of many changes and new orders, and more than ever being made aware of the history and international communication has been so important to navigate the mass information. Therefore, I feel passionate about gaining broad knowledge in African studies and cultures from diverse perspectives. And in order for me to attain high-level education and equip myself with what is needed to survive the next decades of globalization and competition, and potentially work for international organizations, it is extremely important for me to study various international studies among like-minded students at Waseda where liberal studies is offered. Thank you very much for reading and I am very much looking forward to hearing good news.