On October 2017, 10, Ritsumeikan University and the Australian National University (ANU) signed an agreement on a joint undergraduate degree program (dual degree = each can be obtained from two universities upon graduation).This agreement was realized as a result of repeated discussions between the two universities after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Australian National University in July 2.
The agreement is about a dual degree between the "College of Liberal Arts" and ANU's Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, which is being planned to be established at Ritsumeikan University's Osaka Ibaraki Campus in April 2019.
The College of Liberal Arts is a learning place to develop human resources who will lead practical problem finding and problem solving in the future society.For the first time in Japan, the undergraduate joint degree program has been incorporated into the entire curriculum.
It accepts 100 students each year and completes a four-year curriculum at both Ritsumeikan University and ANU University.All classes are conducted in English, and some ANU classes are also offered in Japan by ANU faculty.
Of the 100 enrolled students, 90 started studying at Ritsumeikan and 10 at ANU.Ritsumeikan students study at ANU in the third year, and ANU students study at Ritsumeikan in the second and third years.Students who complete the program can earn a bachelor's degree (Global Liberal Arts) from Ritsumeikan and a bachelor's degree in Asia Pacific Studies from ANU.
"ANU's Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs is recognized worldwide as the premier university for learning politics, history, economy, culture and language in the Asia-Pacific region," said ANU President Brian Schmidt. This undergraduate joint degree program will give students from both Australia and Japan a great opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the Asia-Pacific region and learn from the best researchers in the region. "
