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
I have a goal to work in Japan after graduating from Ritsumeikan University, so I am doing my best to improve my Japanese skills. Since I enrolled in an English-based program, balancing my laboratory work with Japanese self-study has been quite challenging. Despite my busy schedule, I am making an effort to attend Japanese classes offered by the Graduate School of Life Sciences. As a doctoral student, it isn't easy to juggle research commitments with my Japanese learning. However, with the support of my lab mates and faculty staff, I believe that achieving my goal is possible. Last July, I challenged myself to take the JLPT test for N2 level; unfortunately, I did not pass. I was frustrated by the result because I missed passing by just 2 points. Everyone encouraged me to focus on the future and not dwell on past failures. So, I continued to seek more Japanese classes and eventually discovered a business Japanese course provided by Kyoto City. In this class, I encountered many new words that I had rarely heard before, along with valuable lessons in business manners. After joining this class, I resolved to take the JLPT test again in December 2024, though I am still waiting for the test results. In conclusion, no matter how many times I fail, I will keep striving to achieve my goal.
Resilience
I was kind of person who can be easily influenced by the words of other. After coming to Japan I learned to analyze the perceptions and learned how to act them emotionally. I realized after being burdened with the tasks I have never experienced before, I gradually started to de clutter the things with best possible alternatives. For example if I have to fill out the form which is written in Japanese that will give me almost headaches but I used Google translate and answer in best possible way. Another example was talking in front of people in class room, I tried my best even with clumsy attempts, gradually I learned that the gravity of the questions or answers are less important than the expressions becasue very few of them will remember what I speak.
Resilience
During group projects in a class, I took last semester with classmates. We work well with each other by firstly scheduling our work time together, considering our busy schedules and conveniences. Then, decide on each person's role or separate work responsibility and brainstorm how to deliver the presentation together. To ensure that the work is in good progress, we keep clear communication and ask among ourselves when any question arises and think of a way to tackle it together. After the group work is finished, we gain good feedback from the professor and other classmates. As a self-reflection, working on a task together also deepened our friendship.
Teamwork
I have tried to understand the fundamental of things from the first principle since I was in the Graduate School.
Understanding
Before studying economics here in the university, i had very general view of economic realities of the world. Studying economics here in university helped me look at those realities from a cause-effect perspective. This thinking made me think that i have acquired this competency.
Understanding
Through lectures and courses offered by the university, I have learned new things that I found very interesting and view as a great addition to my previous studies in my home country, especially about the interdisciplinary approach to policy-making, Japanese knowledge on disaster management and urban planning. As a result, I am able to adapt the knowledge to my research and studies.
Understanding
My interdisciplinary background has indeed gradually given me the ability to think scientifically, especially at the Master's level. As I learnt about different fields (politics and economics, humanities and the arts, social history, etc.), I realised that instead of trusting news and opinions from the news or the internet as I did when I was in my teens, I would think about the ideas that I was exposed to, or even once firmly believed, and weigh the pros and cons of them from both sides of the fence. Instead of being biased and making absolute judgements about things, I get comprehensive results from multiple perspectives and contexts, and consider how and why the information was combined.
Understanding
I developed advanced research skills, critical thinking, and subject expertise through rigorous coursework, collaborative projects, and hands-on learning experiences.
Self-efficacy
I never studied economics before. But now when i got enrolled in Economics, I had to cover a lot of basic concepts. Most of the course was totally new for me. I didn't give up and challanged myself to keep working hard. I wasn't quite satisfied with my grades in 1st semester but I took it as goal to get better grades in 2nd semester. I set goals and timelines to achieve those goals. And I did pretty well in 2nd semester. This is how I think I gained competence in taking initiative and fulfilling them.
Initiative