Episode
The eight competencies developed at Ritsumeikan Academy.
We introduce how they are developed through daily experiences, along with diverse episodes.
*These episodes are based on responses actually submitted by students at every level of education—including elementary, junior high, and high school students, as well as university and graduate students—in the Quantitative Survey for Ritsumeikan Academy Competency Framework conducted in the 2024 academic year. Information that could identify individuals has been removed or modified before publication.
Competency
Episode
- Classes
- StudyAbroad
- ExtracurricularActivities
- ClubsAndSocieties
- StudyingOutsideOfClass
- Research
- SchoolEvents
- ExtracurricularLessons
- Community
- Family
- FriendsAndPeers
- TeachersAndMentors
- Goals
- Effort
- Achievement
- Growth
- Collaboration
- SeekingAdvice
- GivingUp
- Worries
- Happiness
- Anxiety
- Confidence
- Change
- EntranceExamsAndQualifications
- JobHuntingAndInternships
- PartTimeJobs
When I first had a report reviewed by a professor in pbl in first year, he said I needed to try hard more. However, I already gave my best and I lost hope. Then, I realized that I was studying the wrong way so I changed the way I do things.
Self-efficacy
I feel like this past year, and specifically these past 2 semesters, a lot have happened to me. I took on harder courses and I had to move out of the dorm and navigate house-hunting and moving as an international student with low Japanese proficiency. Additionally, I faced a few relationship struggles and had to cut off a few friends due to conflicts in mindset and their behaviors. All of these struggles were happing around June to August - also a time in which mid-terms and finals at school were conducted. I was very stressed, about school, finding a part-time job, finding a house and dealing with toxic friends. Retrospectively, I am impressed I was able to pull myself through such situations. I suppose I could do so by setting more realistic academic goals after periods of burnout, looking for help for house-hunting from Japanese-proficient friends and talking to - cutting off toxic friends. My life and my decisions during this period, has reinforced my resilience as an international in Japan.
Resilience
My grade for Spring 2024 was not the best, especially after getting a high GPA the previous semester (Fall 2023). My life basically dropped for a few days, but from that fall down, I started to feel more motivated and reflective of my life. I decided that rather than focusing on the bad things I should instead avert my mind towards the positive things and change my perspectives. I remember one quote; "don't focus on the past or you'll miss the future." So, I decided to move on and do my best, and even if I fail that just mean that I have to try again.
Resilience
I learned how to innovate and learn how to be empathetic because I am taking all of my classes through an international perspective rather than an American one. My classes are being taught by professors from all over the world, and I'm having conversations with people about different issues and events while hearing so many different perspectives.
Empathy
To begin with the explanation, during my first semester at Ritsumeikan, as an international student I was in a brand new country with most of the work both curricular and non-curricular in my hands entirely. This was kind of overwhelming to begin with and alongside studies it made it a time management nightmare. But during my second semester, even though I have more work and research work compared to the first, my time management skill has improved and I've also gotten familiar with the city and the surrounding environment. In this case, the primary competency that I've gained would be Multitasking.
Multitasking
Results of programming isn’t enough so we needed to change the way to write code.
Multitasking
Before COVID-19, I was a smart and hardworking person. When the virus began to spread, I stayed home and gradually became unmotivated. In my country, many of us started feeling uncertain about our future, leading to nearly two years of stagnation. Now, here I am at Ritsumeikan University in Japan. I've become more open-minded and am beginning to see a bright future ahead.
Resilience
when I was a bachelor's degree, pursuing higher education made me eager to refocus on how to get scholarship, and although many times failed.
Resilience
Coming to terms with your identity is such a big part of your high school life, and I think realising that the way we act has a large impact on the world around us has taught me necessary lessons on self-improvement.
Self-efficacy