ADVICE
of the foreigner who have experienced this laboratory/company

! Cautious: unknown ! : the foreigner has not given his identity, therefore you must be cautious using the informations provided.
Part 2 - Working Environment
2.1. The boss!
2.1.1. How would you characterize your boss?
   
   
2.1.2. How would you assess your working relationship with your boss?
2.1.3. Does he concern himself in your welfare?
2.1.4. Do you feel that he or she is intrusive into your private life?
2.1.5. Do you receive ALL the information you need from your boss?
2.1.6. Does your boss work on the week-end?
2.1.7. Do (did) you learn a lot from your boss (techniques, knowledge, ...)?
2.2. Your colleagues/students
2.2.1 How would you characterize your colleagues?
   
   
2.2.2 How would you assess the working relationship with your colleagues?
2.2.3 How do your colleague treat you?
2.2.4 Do you receive ALL the informations you need from your colleagues (protocols, ...)?
2.2.5 How do you judge the general culture of your colleagues concerning your field of study/research/work
2.2.6. How would you assess the working relationship of your colleagues with your boss?
2.2.7. Do your colleagues work on the week-end?
2.2.8. How many hours per week are your colleagues PRESENT (not specialy working) at work?
2.2.9. Estimate of % of effectiveness of your colleagues during the hours they work
2.2.10. Do (did) you learn a lot from your colleagues (techniques, knowledge, ...)?
2.2.11. Do (did) you think you bring a lot them a lot?
2.2.12. Do you think students are well trained?
2.3. Facilities
2.3.1. How would you assess the quality of the equipment available to you?
2.3.2. When you NEED IT, do you receive any help from, for example, a technician or a computer administrator?
2.3.3. How do you find your library facilities?
2.4. How do you work?
2.4.1. Do you essentially work alone, or as part of a team?
2.4.2. Is this as you expected / desired?
2.4.3. Do you work on weekends?
2.4.4. Are you free to schedule the time to come to and go from the laboratory/work?
2.4.5. Please estimate your average hours of presence per week
2.4.6. Estimate of % of your effective works/hours
2.4.7. Do you find yourself working (or present at the university/company) excessively long hours?
2.5. Seminars/meeting
2.5.1. How many hours by week do you spend in seminars/meetings
2.5.2. Do you think that the seminars/meetings you go are
2.5.3. Do you estimate that you spent in seminars/meetings
2.5.4. Are the seminars/meeting in Japanese or English?
2.5.5. Must you attend the seminar/meeting?
2.5.6. Must you attend seminars/meetings that you cannot understand due to the Japanese language?
2.5.7. (Only for the researcher) How many research seminars by an invited who does not belong to your research center do you have (/ 3 months)?
2.6. Holidays
2.6.1. How many days paid holiday do you get in one year?
2.6.2. Do you feel that you have enough holidays?
2.6.3. Do your boss accept easily that you take holidays?
2.7. General
2.7.1. Is there a strong hierarchy in your lab?
2.7.2. If yes, do you think it's a drawback for your doing research?
2.7.3. Do the discussions that you have lead to modifications in the research methods used in the lab/company
2.7.4. (Only for the women) Do you find that the fact that you are a female plays a role in your treatment with your colleagues/boss?
2.7.5. Did you find that the color of your skin - or your nationality - affected your treatment by your boss and/or colleagues.
2.7.6. Have you ever face a case where Japanese politeness (for example, wide gap between what is said and what is expected) was a source of misunderstanding or of disturbance for your research/work?
2.7.7. Do you think being in Japan help to build network (collaborations, discussions) that could be useful for you in the future?
2.7.8. How do you find collaboration (between laboratories or companies) when at least one of the partner is Japanese?
2.7.9. What percentage of your work do you carry out in Japanese?
written:
    oral:
Part 3 - Social life/Meeting people
3.1. Is it an obligation to go out with your colleagues/boss drinking or other activities?
3.2. Do you have opportunities to meet Japanese people outside of your workplace
3.3. Do you feel isolated?
3.4. Are you happy and satisfied with your social life?
Part 4 - General/Conclusion
4.1. Compared to your initial plan at the beginning of your stay, you have decided to
4.2. do (did) you enjoy your stay in Japan in your professional life?
4.3. Professionally, have you achieved what you came for (diploma, special research, ...)?
4.4. do (did) you enjoy your stay in Japan in your social/private life?
4.5. Do you regret your decision to come to Japan?
4.6. Do you recommended going to Japan
Part 5 - Optional part
5.1.1. Do you have a positif, neutral or negative advice of your your laboratory/professor/company ?
5.1.2. What is the name of your laboratory/company (address, ...) ?
  Name of your boss:  
  Name of your laboratory/department Departement of chemical engineering
  Name of your University/Institute/company universite de TOKYO
  City TOKYO (Hongo)
  Exact address  
5.1.3. Explain your advice L'examen d'entree est quasi inaccessible aux etrangers, sauf quelques rares exceptions pour les chinois et les coreens (bref des gens de culture tres proche).
Premierement, parce qu'aucun programme de revisions pour l'examen d'entree n'est donnee aux etrangers. De meme, qu'il n'y a pas de devoirs des annees precedentes disponibles pour les revisions.
CE qui revient a reviser l'equivalent du programme de spe (physique, chimie et maths). Alors que les questions sont hyper pointues (demandent de details genre le pKa de l'ammoniaque).
Deuxiemement, on passe le meme examen que les Japonais (pas de favorisme, OK), mais alors pourquoi le departement se plaint de ne pas avoir d'etudiants "caucasien").
Troisiemement, les professeurs sont tous pres de la retraite et sont trop stricts sur les reglements.
5.1.4. Do you want to give your e-mail so that people interested in this laboratory/boss/company can contact you?
  First Name  
  Family Name  
  e-mail  
  Your address  




If you have some questions or comments please send me a message:
loison(the usual sign)DamienLoison.com