Ogaki Women's College in Gifu Prefecture will in July conclude a manga study partnership agreement with Paris-based academic institution Eurasiam.
The Ogaki-based junior college was the first in the country to launch a manga course to nurture artists in the genre. From September, the college will annually accept five or six French students for a six-month stay. The French are known for their love of manga, but it is still unusual for academic institutions to develop a partnership program.
Eurasiam is a management and art school established in 2005. It specializes in Asian studies, with a particular focus on Japan. In its art course, students learn the basics of art, manga and animation. As many of the students are seeking to gain firsthand experience of their craft in Japan, Eurasiam had been searching for a partner institution.