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 region,” 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 - a group starting from Ritsumeikan campus (90 students), and another 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 a Bachelor of Asia Pacific Affairs from ANU. The program is expected to start in 2019.

●College of Global Liberal Arts (GLA)
RU’s College of Global Liberal Arts (GLA) will be the first in Japan to offer a dual degree program with ANU. Encompassing all subjects, the program will enable students to graduate with degrees from two universities.

To provide a liberal arts education appropriate to a globalized society, GLA will deliver a curriculum equipping students with insights into diversity, perspectives offering broad overviews, and practical intelligence linking theory to front-line realities. In addition to undertaking studies at RU, students will amass a host of cross-border experiences as they take classes and sample campus life in both Japan and Australia. Through such studies and experiences, GLA aims to produce graduates who can be leaders in identifying and resolving practical issues in the society of tomorrow, and who are capable of continuing to learn on their own initiative towards these ends.

◎Department/College: Department of Global Liberal Arts, College of Global Liberal Arts
◎Degree: Bachelor of Global Liberal Arts
◎To be established: April 2019
◎Location: Osaka Ibaraki Campus (Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture)
◎Number of Students Accepted: 100
◎Pathways for graduates: further study at professional graduate schools or research-focussed graduate schools in English-speaking countries (leading to careers as high-level specialists), and employment in companies where they can exercise their practical skills on the global stage.

●The Australian National University (ANU)：http://www.anu.edu.au/
●ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs：http://bellschool.anu.edu.au/