TOPICS

Start: AmericanUniversity Ritsumeikan University Joint Degree Program Instagram 

The Instagram account will introduce program activities, students, Kyoto and Washington DC. AU and RU staff members will operate the account jointly!

Follow us at Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sakurascholars/

 #Sakurascholars 　 　　

Professor Ritsuko Kawamura was inaugurated as dean of the College of International Relations and trustee of Ritsumeikan Academy on April 1st. 

Dean Kawamura, a specialist in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, joined the College of IR in 1998. Her advanced seminar is famous for the research in food, agriculture, and rural development in Hiyoshi, Kyoto. She has contributed to the internship program at the Consortium of Universities in Kyoto for long years.

The College of IR will continuously make every endeavor to stay at the forefront of education and research in International Relations with Dean Kawamura’s leadership.

Ritsumeikan University is promoting gender equality in research and education through Research-Life Support Division for Promotion of Gender Equality. 

Message from Dean KAWAMURA (text)

Welcome to the College and the Graduate School of IR!

New Undergraduate, graduate students, and 5 faculty members newly joined our programs this April. In the welcome ceremony new Dean Kawamura encouraged students to make use of three ‘C’s: Circumstance, Chance and Community to the full extent to have a successful college life.

Welcome, New students and faculty members!

*Please check the University Matriculation ceremony news

On  March 20, the Ritsumeikan University Undergraduate and Graduate School Graduation Ceremony  was held. There,  264 students from the College of International Relations and 18 students from the Graduate School of International Relations were awarded Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

In the ceremony, Dean Kimijima, Dean Masuda and a alumni representative gave messages.

By reflecting diverse community of college, student representatives from International Relations Major(from Japan) and Global Studies Major (from Thailand) made address in Japanese and English.

Many family members and friends of graduates, faculty and staff members were there to celebrate. Graduates will soon start their new careers here in Japan and around the world.

Graduates, congratulations and good luck on your future!

For details please access to Ritsumeikan Website

A special meeting between students of Ritsumeikan University and young Israeli and Palestinian professionals who were visiting Japan under the Youth Invitation Program by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan was held at Kinugasa Campus of Ritsumeikan University on Friday, February 15. The purpose of the Program is to promote mutual confidence-building between the Israelis and the Palestinians and to deepen their understanding of Japan's efforts for the Middle East peace, with a view to helping both parties to realize a peaceful coexistence (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan).

10 young Israeli and Palestinian professionals from the government organizations, media, and IT and other business industries and 20 undergraduate and graduate students including the international students from India and Indonesia discussed the issues to come to a settlement in Israeli and Palestinian territories and the involvement of the international community under the direction of Prof. Mitoji Yabunaka, a former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. The exchange of opinions on the situations that Ritsumeikan students have understood from the media etc. helped them to think about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at deeper level.

 The College of International Relations at Ritsumeikan University has been actively working on human resources development in the area of Foreign affairs, international cooperation, and official business through the establishment of the International Civil Service Program, the lecture by Prof. Mitoji Yabunaka, the support by the Extension Center, and so on. Two alumni who will start working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan also joined the special meeting.

<Related links>
"Youth Invitation Program from Israel and the Palestinian Territories in 2019" (Japanese only)
To read the article, please click here.

"Foreign Minister Kono received a courtesy call from young Israeli and Palestinian professionals who were visiting Japan under the Youth Invitation Program" (Japanese only)
To read the article, please click here.

On December 8th (Sat), College of IR held the Open Seminar Competition by our students at Hall 1, Igakukan, before its commemoration ceremony and symposium.

Four teams, Minamikawa Seminar,　Nishimura Seminar, Honna Seminar and Suechika Seminar won the qualifying tournament and eagerly gave a presentation about their topics. After presentations, the participants were questioned by professional judges who came from companies and academic fields. It was a precious and rewarding experience for students.

After careful considerations, Honna seminar won the competition. They made a unique presentation which included a role play that was assumed by “Policy makers of Japan and Indonesia”, and “Honna seminar, who played the role of professionals of area studies”. Their presentation attracted audiences. Lunch reception and poster session also achieved success. Students and guests enjoyed exchanging their opinions over a light meal. Over 200 attendants from companies, academic institutions, alumni, students and Ritsumeikan Uji high school students attended the program. Comments like “Very useful discussion”, “High presentation skills”, “Well-made presentation” etc. were given by guests.

May we take this opportunity to thank all those guests who attended this competition and all operation staff.

Wakana Hattori (student committee member)

In Jan 7^th2019,Prof. Keiji Nakatsuji, who will finish his tenure in March made his farewell lecture in Kinugasa campus. Prof. Nakatsuji made an lecture titled “The End of the Cold War, Decline of Historicism, and My Scholarly Life"..

For students and colleague professors, who packed the classroom, Prof. Nakatsuji emphasized importance of “the deep and extensive knowledge of history” and “the decline of historicism is too dangerous to take for granted”. Prof. Nakatsuji joined Ritsumeikan in 1998 and contributed to various key programs for its internationalization like “Ritsumeikan International Institute".

Prof. Nakatsuji will continue his teaching at College of IR as a professor emeritus.

Professor Keiji Nakatsuji >>