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Ritsumeikan University offers undergraduate dual degree with The Australian National University and…

Ritsumeikan University (RU) will build on its global expertise in the study of the global liberal arts and the Asia and Pacific studies by offering a new undergraduate dual degree program with The Australian National University (ANU). The agreement will enable students from each institution to graduate with two degrees after four years of study.The signing ceremony was held at Ritsumeikan Suzaku Campus on October 2,2017.

The new agreement will be a partnership between the ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs and RU’s new College of Global Liberal Arts (GLA). RU College of Global Liberal Arts will be established in April 2019 after the approval of Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

RU President Mikio Yoshida signed the undergraduate dual degree agreement with ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC at the RU Suzaku Campus on October 2nd, following talks which began with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to ANU in Canberra July 2014.

RU President Mikio Yoshida said RU was delighted to partner with ANU on the new undergraduate courses.

“The newly-established GLA will offer Japan’s first bachelor’s course incorporating a college-wide dual degree program with an overseas university. RU has long been a leader in the global education field in Japan, and this partnership with ANU, which boasts world-leading education and research capabilities, will enable GLA to offer world-class educational programs with a completely new dimension. I am confident that GLA will contribute to the development of global leaders who will shape the future of Japan and the world,” President Yoshida said.

“Our ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs has a global reputation as the best place in the world to study the politics, history, economics, culture and languages of our Asia-Pacific region. This new dual undergraduate degree will give students from Japan and Australia a wonderful opportunity to deepen their knowledge of our region, and to learn from some of the best academics in the Asia-Pacific.”, Professor Schmidt said.

The dual degree will accommodate 100 students per year, who will spend time at both universities during the course of their four years of study. Courses will be taught in English, and will involve ANU academics delivering some courses in Japan.

There are two types of student groups, including the group starting from Ritsumeikan campus (90 students) and the other group starting from ANU (10 students) Students from RU will spend their third year at ANU, while ANU students will study at RU’s Osaka Ibaraki campus in their second and third years.

Two degrees will be conferred on students who have successfully completed undergraduate studies; a Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts from RU and with a Bachelor of Asia Pacific Affairs from ANU. The program is expected to start in 2019.