TOPICS
2025
2025 Global Simulation Gaming (GSG) Held on June 21 Ritsumeikan University College of International Relations
GSG is a course in which students take on the roles of real entities in the international community, such as “nations,” “international organizations,” “NGOs,” and “media,” and experience simulated international negotiations to solve actual international issues. The theme for the 2025 academic year was “International Security,” and students conducted negotiations based on this theme.
On the day of the event, 354 second-year students were divided into 58 actors.
Students from the Japanese-based course major International Relations major (IR major) and the English-based course major Global Studies major (GS major) participated together in English, deepening cross-disciplinary learning and strengthen connection across two different majors.
Students conducted preparatory learning from April to June through a combination of class-based lessons and groupwork-based lessons. Each actor group consisted of 5 to 8 members, who assigned roles such as president and foreign minister within their group and prepared for international negotiations with other groups.
In the actual program, one session was considered to represent one year in the real world, and two sessions were held in one day. Students held various international conferences, including the United Nations General Assembly, and actively engaged in international negotiations to resolve issues. Additionally, media actors reported on events through news broadcasts, with each actor leveraging their unique strengths in their activities.
Through GSG, students gained firsthand experience of the challenges and real-world nature of international negotiations—something that cannot be fully understood through TV or news alone. This experience not only cultivated their ability to analyze international events from multiple perspectives but also served as a catalyst for reflecting on their future academic pursuits and career paths beyond their third year.
Report on the guest lecture (Ms. IKEDA Waka : Independent / Freelance journalist)
Report on the guest lecture (Ms. TEWARI Nupur : CEO, Connect India-Japan)
Report on the guest lecture (Prof. Tokuchi Hideshi : Research Institute for Peace and Security、President)
Professor Tokuchi’s guest lecture explored security as a concept from academic as well as practitioner’s perspective. He emphasized on three main themes:
3. Importance of holistic approach in international relations
The Alumni Association General Meeting and Reception Party 2025 will be held on 28 June in Tokyo.
Report on the guest lecture (Mr. Jeff OTTO:Director of Fellowships and Next Gen Programs at Pacific Forum)
Report on the guest lecture (Professor David Satterwhite:Temple University Japan)
Africa -Understanding Africa and its growing global presence to reevaluate Japan’s place in the world-(Prof.IWATA Takuo)
Japan under the Allied Occupation -What happened in Japan during the Allied Occupation? How does it affect present-day Japan?- (Prof.FRENCH Thomas William)
Visiting Professor for Spring Semester 2025 (Professor YOO Ho Yeol)
Professor YOO offered a lecture course on the theme “North Korean Politics and Diplomacy”.
Many students attended his class, and they listened attentively while taking notes.
In addition to this undergraduate course, Professor YOO is also teaching a graduate-level course on the theme of " International Relations in East Asia". Professor YOO continues to teach until the end of the Spring Semester in mid-July.