Glossary

Plenary Council of the University

An organ for consultation and discussion established in AY 1948 following a proposal by the Student Union. Until AY 1979, meetings of the Plenary Council were held on an ad hoc basis in association with tuition proposals made by the university authorities (Executive Board of Trustees). The Rules of the Plenary Council of the University confirmed in 1988 state that the purpose of the council is to contribute to the advancement of the Ritsumeikan Academy through discussion of important matters pertaining to university management: (1) academic enhancement and campus life assistance; (2) tuition and academy financial management; (3) academy operational plans; (4) other matters considered necessary by the Plenary Council. The most recent Plenary Councils were held in AY 2016 and AY 2018.

R2020

R2020 refers to the strategic reforms that the Ritsumeikan Academy has been pursuing under the Academy Vision 2020 (Creating a Future Beyond Borders) and the medium-term plans to realize that vision (first half AY 2011-2015; second half AY 2016-2020), which were formulated to ensure that Ritsumeikan continues to be an academy of choice in the years up to 2020.

R2030

The Academy Vision R2030 (Challenge Your Mind, Change Our Future) was adopted in August 2018 as a new vision for the years up to 2030. On the basis of this vision, discussions are currently underway toward the establishment of a Challenge Design (medium/longterm plan) to be implemented from AY 2021.

Student Success Program（SSP）

The SSP is a program of student support designed to enable each individual student to become an autonomous learner through all parts of their student life, both curricular and extracurricular, and to achieve the maximum possible growth. Individual support activities, seminars, and other initiatives for enhancement of campus life have been launched progressively since AY 2017, and rolled out across all three Ritsumeikan University campuses since AY 2018.

First-year education

First-year education is a comprehensive educational program extending across curricular and extracurricular realms, including support for adaptation to not only university learning but also campus life.

ES（Educational Supporter）

An ES is an undergraduate student who provides support for instructors and students in class. By assisting with in-class group work, responding to students’ questions, and other forms of support activities for both students and instructors in class, ESs plays a role in generating more ef fective learning outcomes. These activities are also an opportunity for ESs themselves advance their specialized studies and to develop more broad-ranging knowledge and skills.

Peer learning

This term refers to mutual support activities among learners, with the expectation that by helping one another, students will experience growth for themselves at the same time as supporting the growth of others. Close to 3,400 RU students across 36 different organizations are involved in peer learning, including the Orientation Conductors who provide suppor t in small-group classes for first-year students.

Starting Researcher system

This system, which began operation in AY 2019, is designed to allow those completing doctoral programs at RU to play roles in enriching basic research across a variety of fields and encourage the production of research outputs, with a view to helping them find work as research professionals at research institutes, companies and the like soon after completing their studies.

Starting Assistant Professor system

This system, which began operation in AY 2019, is designed for two purposes: (1) to help those completing doctoral programs in RU’s four science and engineering-based graduate schools to accumulate a stronger research track record and move quickly to academic positions within and beyond Japan, and (2) to encourage young talent to enrich basic research in a variety of fields and produce research outputs at the same time as gaining teaching experience.

Career path support

RU has systems to support graduate student career paths (employment and further study) that link admissions, academic affairs, career development, scholarships, and other programs across the graduate schools as a whole.

Quit-smoking support areas

These areas have been operating on each of the university’s campuses since AY 2018 with the aim of helping users quit smoking by providing them with guidance and raising their awareness of the impor tance of quitting. In order to advance the university’s initiatives to prevent passive smoking in line with the amended Health Promotion Act, from AY 2019 these areas are being progressively developed so they meet the specifications for designated outdoor smoking areas.