As social media comes to play an increasingly important role in university public relations, prospective students and other young people are showing growing interest in authentic, relatable information presented from a student perspective.
Ritsumeikan University established the Student PR Ambassador program to enable students to take an active role in public relations and communicate the university's appeal. This academic year, the program's inaugural year, the university recruited students from its three campuses—Kinugasa Campus in Kyoto; Biwako-Kusatsu Campus in Kusatsu, Shiga; and Osaka Ibaraki Campus in Ibaraki, Osaka—and 18 students were selected from among the applicants to serve as Student PR Ambassadors.
The Student PR Ambassadors will not merely appear in the content; they will take the initiative throughout the entire social media management process, including content planning, filming and appearing in videos, video editing, and evaluating the effectiveness of content after it is posted. In addition to TikTok, the group's activities are expected to eventually expand to other social media and video platforms, including Instagram and YouTube. The students themselves conceived R-Tok, the name of both the group and its account, by combining “Ritsumeikan” and “TikTok.”
Before beginning their activities, the students completed approximately one month of practical training. The program covered the principles of managing university social media accounts, the fundamentals of social media marketing, TikTok's algorithm, content planning, filming and editing techniques, risk management, and the responsibilities of information publishers. A Ritsumeikan graduate who is active as a social media influencer also delivered a special lecture, which served to deepen students' understanding of effective communication methods.
The students began producing videos during the training period and repeatedly refined their work based on feedback from Ritsumeikan's public relations staff and the instructor. With this groundwork complete, the Ritsumeikan University-approved TikTok account, R-Tok, launches today, and content sharing will now begin in earnest.

The Ritsumeikan University-approved TikTok account is more than just a public relations tool. It is a place where students can take on new challenges, as we are in charge of everything from planning to analysis. Along with conveying our genuine passion as students, the process of growing through experimentation is one of the attractive features of this project. By looking at Ritsumeikan from authentic perspectives unrestricted by conventional frameworks, we hope to bring the reality of the university closer to the general public. We kindly request your support.

Using content published by the Student PR Ambassadors on TikTok and other social media platforms, Ritsumeikan University will communicate its appeal to a broad audience by tapping into authentic student perspectives and relatable forms of expression. By providing students with opportunities to engage in practical public relations activities, we will also help them develop their planning and communication skills, and in turn, contribute to their learning and growth.

R-Tok: The Ritsumeikan University-Approved TikTok Account
https://www.tiktok.com/@ritsumeikan_university