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Our office will be closed from December 26, 2012 to January 6, 2013 for winter holidays.
We will be back in the office on Monday, January 7, 2013.

We are sorry for the inconvenience we may cause.

The International Studies Association of Ritsumeikan University has started the bi-weekly “IR Brown Bag Seminar” in English for its undergraduate and graduate students.

The new IR Brown Bag seminar offers International Relations students the opportunity to discuss current international affairs in an informal setting. Held every second week during lunch time, these seminars are a student-led initiative aimed at providing:

・an avenue for students to discuss and learn more about IR current affairs

・a new forum for students to meet other international/Japanese IR students

・an informal platform for students to practice debating skills


During each seminar, one student will briefly prepare and present the main topic of discussion and then lead the discussion. In this fall semester, students are discussing topics such as “Environmental Sustainability in Japan: A Post 3.11 Analysis”, “Mali Crisis: Mali Crisis: A new base for Islamic terrorists?” and “Training for Torture: The School of the America” The Graduate School of International Relations started its English-based program, GCP in 2003. In addition, the College of International Relations’ recently established the English-based “Global Studies Major” in 2011.

Many of our Japanese and international students are now studying in global environments. In the next Brown bag Seminar, students will discuss on following topic, “The Media and the Right to Privacy: How far should the Media go?”


Link: College of International Relations, Global Studies Major
https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/eng/ir/

Link: Graduate School of International Relations
  https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/gsir/eng/

On Saturday, September 22th, the Ritsumeikan University Undergraduate – Graduate School Fall Ｇｒａｄｕａｔion Ceremony 2012 was held at Suzaku Campus. 12 students from the College of International Relations and 20 students from the Graduate School of International Relations were awarded Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Hery Watono, from Indonesia, gave commencement speech as the graduates’ representative. Graduates will soon start their new careers here and around the world.

On Monday, August 27, 2012, associated U.S. graduate students from institutes including Yale University, Tufts University, University of Maryland of APSIA (Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) visited Ritsumeikan University and interacted with International Relations undergraduate and graduate students.
Associated U.S. graduate students of APSIA visited Japan for a part of the program “Japan Travel Program for U.S. Feature Leaders” sponsored by The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership.  U.S. graduate students of APSIA interacted with various important dignitaries, visited the area stricken by the Great East Japan Earthquake,
and also visited the Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University, the only official member of APSIA in Japan, at the end of the Japan travel program.   
The meeting was held by the graduate students of International Relations and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Students visited Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University.  At the museum, students walked around the exhibition about the educational philosophy of Ritsumeikan University, “peace and democracy,”and after that, discussion was held under the several themes like future task of Japan and the United States.
The vigorous discussion included not only Japanese and the U.S. students but also international students from Asia and Africa enrolled in Ritsumeikan University, ending on a high note.
After the discussion, students visited Tojiin Temple which was founded by the Lord of Takauji Ashikaga. By Ritsumeikan University students conducted a temple tour and introduced the historic gardens to the U.S. students, all the while promoting friendship between the two groups.
Interaction with the U.S. graduate students from APSIA was a meaningful opportunity for Ritsumeikan   undergraduate and graduates students who will lead future Japan-U.S. commerce. Comments from Ritsumeikan participants include, “I spent a stimulating and meaningful time exchanging views on a wide range of issues with U.S. graduate students, who will be future global leaders. And I am sure that the personal connections I established through this event will be of great advantage to my research on U.S. diplomacy” (2nd year, Master’s Program), and this comment: “U.S. students from APSIA were interested in Japanese students’ point of views, so we were able to have a real discussion.　It was such a refreshing experience for me to realize viewpoints that I was not conscious of throughout the meeting. Also they are such motivated students toward to the wide range of global issues. It made me think that I need to further develop specialized knowledge and skill”(3rd year, undergraduate students).             

*　APSIA（Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs）
APSIA (Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) is an organization of leading universities and graduate schools in International Relations education and research, its members including institutions such as Harvard University and Yale University. Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of International Relations is the only full member of APSIA among universities and graduate schools in Japan, being globally recognized as Japan’s leader of education and research in the field of International Relations.

*　The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP)

　　http://www.jpf.go.jp/cgp/e/index.html

The Center for Global Partnership (CGP) was established within the Japan Foundation in April 1991 to promote collaboration between the people of Japan, the United States, and beyond in order to address issues of global concern.　CGP, in collaboration with APSIA, created the Japan Travel Program for U.S. Future Leaders with the goal of fostering a new generation of leaders in the United States who are interested in achieving a greater understanding of Japan since 2009 and its roles in global affairs, and in engaging in dialogue with their overseas counterparts in Japan.

*　Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University
　　https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/mng/er/wp-museum/english/index.html

*　Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University
　　https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/gsir/eng/

On Tuesday, June 12, 2012, Visiting Professor Heikki Patomäki had a special seminar titled
"The Future of Global Governance" sponsored by the Graduate School of International Relations. Many faculty members, graduate and undergraduate students attended this seminar and actively participated in a question and answer session.

Visiting Professor Heikki Patomäki,is Professor of World Politics at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Previously he has also worked as a Professor of World Politics and Economy at the Nottingham Trent University, UK, and RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Professor Patomäki’s research interests include philosophy and methodology of social sciences, peace research, futures studies, economic theory, global political economy, and global political theory. His most recent books are The Anatomy of the Euro Crisis. What Will Come After Globalisation? (Into, 2012, in Finnish; Zed Books edition in English forthcoming in December 2012); and The Political Economy of Global Security. War, Future Crises and Changes in Global Governance (Routledge, 2008). He is currently working on two new books, Unprincipled Economics (with Jamie Morgan) and Global Futures. Professor Patomäki is a founding member of NIGD (Network Institute for Global Democratisation) and has also been an activist in the international ATTAC movement from its inception, currently chairing ATTAC Finland. In the 2011 Finnish Parliamentary elections, Patomäki stood as a candidate for the Left Alliance.