Introduction

The theme of this special issue is “Integration”. The articles presented in this special issue discuss various ways that Hirosaki University’s SALC (“The English Lounge”) has become integrated into the university. This includes integration into the Liberal Arts English courses, as well as a special international exchange program called “Hayabusa College,” a minor program, and a university-wide lecture series. The authors of this special issue jointly oversee the day-to-day management of the English Lounge and have contributed the research articles or summary reports highlighting these different types of integration. As SALCs evolve to the demands of their unique environments, it is paramount to find ways to maintain their relevancy and centrality for language learning and cross-cultural understanding. We hope others who are involved in their own SALCs find this special issue useful and engaging.