International University of Japan

Infobox University
name = International University of Japan
motto = Where the World Gathers
native_name = nihongo|国際大学|Kokusai Daigaku


established = 1982
type = Private
chairman = Yotaro Kobayashi
president = Yasuma Sugihara
students = 289 (graduate)
free = 2,438 (from 101 countries)
free_label = Alumni
location = Minami Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
colors = blue
website = [http://www.iuj.ac.jp/ www.iuj.ac.jp] The nihongo|International University of Japan|国際大学|Kokusai Daigaku or IUJ is a private university located in Minami Uonuma city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

IUJ is the first, and one of the few Japanese universities which run their courses entirely in English. It was founded in 1982, primarily with the aim of providing a platform for delegates from all over the world to come together and work towards the betterment of the world. IUJ offers Master's degrees in international development, international peace studies and international relations, as well as MBA programs in business administration and e-business. IUJ is fully approved and accredited by the Ministry of Education, Japan.

The IUJ campus has an extremely diverse student body, with students from all over the world. In the 2007/2008 Academic year there were students from 47 different countries. The diversity can be illustrated by the fact that IUJ holds the Guinness World Record for the most nationalities in a Sauna (50). IUJ provides a balanced education through the discovery of Japanese and other world cultures. There are many chances to improve skills in communication, leadership, spirit for volunteering, judgment and decision-making in internationally diversified groups. To celebrate its international characteristics, IUJ hosts an international night called "Open Day" during the Fall term and an "ASEAN Night" during the spring term, during which students from the various countries showcase their respective cultures and cuisine to the local community.

IUJ is located near ski resorts in Niigata prefecture. Its location far from major cities such as Tokyo has affected its pursuit of academic excellence in the business field.

History

IUJ was founded in 1982 with the aim of developing global leaders with a high level of specialized theoretical and practical knowledge, together with an understanding and empathy toward the world’s variety of cultures, thereby enhancing their ability to contribute to the global society. It was established with extensive support from Japan’s industrial, financial and educational communities as well as from the local community. The Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) was the first school at IUJ. Leading supporters IUJ’s foundation included the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Japan Federation of Economic Organizations, Industrial Bank of Japan, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Japan Foreign Trade Council

In 1988, The Graduate School of International Management (GSIM) was established in collaboration with the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, USA, as the first US-style business school in Japan. In that same year, the Matsushita Library & Information Center (MLIC) was established with an endowment from the Matsushita International Foundation.

IUJ celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2007. In its first quarter-century of existence, more than 2,000 global leaders from 100+ countries have graduated from the school, establishing a strong network of worldwide alumni.

tructure

IUJ comprises two graduate schools, The Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) and the Graduate School of International Management (GSIM). Both schools offer Master’s degree programs.

In addition, the university also runs two research institutes. The IUJ Research Institute is based on campus and is made up of the former Center for Japan-US Relations, the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, the International Management Research Institute and the Research Institute of Asian Development, all of which merged in 1997 into the current entity. The Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM) is an IUJ research institute based in Tokyo. GLOCOM was established in spring of 1991 as a social science institute specializing in the study of information society and Japan. GLOCOM's research focuses on the social, economic and cultural impacts of new communications technologies.

Academic programs

Degree programs

IUJ offers only Master’s degree programs.

The Graduate School of International Management (GSIM) offers two graduate programs: a full-time MBA program and an E-Business Management (MEB) program (or "E-Biz" for short).

The Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) offers three graduate programs: the International Relations Program (IRP), the International Development Program (IDP) and the International Peace Studies Program (IPSP)( introduced in 2006).

All the courses are two-year programs, except the E-Biz program which runs for one year. All courses require a thesis submission at the end.

Language programs

In addition, IUJ offers two optional language programs, one in English and the other in Japanese. These language programs are offered to students from both graduate schools (GSIR and GSIM).

The English language courses are designed for non-native English speakers who wish to develop their English proficiency to the level required to participate fully in the English-medium environment of IUJ. It includes an Intensive English Program (IEP) held in the summer and Academic English courses held throughout the academic year.

The Japanese Language Program (JLP) offers non-native Japanese speakers the opportunity to learn the Japanese language at four different proficiency levels, from Basic to Advanced.

Research & Education PLATFORMs

To complement Academic work, IUJ requires all students to participate in research through a Research and Education Platform (REP). These platforms are sponsored by leading Japanese companies such as Panasonic, Fuji Xerox, Daikin and The AEON Group. The Platforms are designed in such a way that students participate actively in current research with faculty. The work done could culminate into a masters thesis. The IUJ Research & Education PLATFORM (REP) provides platforms upon which the characteristics of its two graduate schools are fused and developed in order to tackle practical and global problems. These platforms emphasize collaboration with other IUJ stakeholders such as sponsor companies, IUJ alumni, international organizations, governments, NGOs and the local community, so as to achieve a multidirectional and comprehensive approach to problem solving.

There are currently 17 themes under the aegis of the IUJ-REP. The themes are diverse, ranging from “International Cooperation, Development and Human Security” to “The Impact of Mobile Technologies on Markets and Societies”. Guest-speakers from academia and the industry are frequently invited to IUJ to give lectures on the various issues covered by the different themes. Participants can develop general but adequate and adaptable skills in tackling global issues in addition to their specialized knowledge acquired in their respective fields of study. As such, IUJ actively encourages its students to participate in the IUJ-REP.

The following is a comprehensive list of IUJ REP platforms:
# Global Governance and Development
# Studies in East Asia Community
# International Cooperation, Development and Human Security
# Evolution of Financial Systems under Globalization
# Community Involvement, Disaster Recovery and CSR
# The innovations of ICT and their strategic use in Governance, Society, and Globalization
# The impact of Mobile Technologies on Markets and Societies (website: [http://mocolab.net/ Mobile Consumer Lab] )
# Migration and the transformation of Japan into a Multicultural Society
# New Leadership in Japan and Asia under Globalization
# Corporate Restructuring and Mergers and Acquisitions
# Performance Evaluation and Incentive Syste
# Developing Sustainable Customers
# Toward Value Co-Creation through New Forms of Customer Relationships
# Dynamics of Strategy Formation
# Corporate Environmental Strategy and Management
# Descriptive Exploration of Global Financial Markets
# The Productivity and Efficiency Analysis: Techniques and Applications

For more details about the IUJ REP platforms go to [http://www.iuj.ac.jp/Platform/]

Campus and student life

Location

IUJ is located in Minami Uonuma city, a small city on the southeastern end of Niigata prefecture, Japan. It is approximately 100km south of Niigata city, the prefectural capital, and 230km northwest of Tokyo. The IUJ campus is situated in scenic but rural surroundings, in a region of Japan known as “Snow Country” because of the heavy snowfall in winter. Apart from paddy fields and mountains, the area has a concentration of onsen (hot springs) and ski resorts, making it a popular destination during the winter season.

The nearest railway station and town is Urasa, approximately 4km away. The Joetsu Shinkansen has a stop at Urasa station. From here, it takes 40 minutes to reach Niigata city and 100 minutes to reach Tokyo by shinkansen (bullet train). IUJ runs a regular shuttle bus service between campus and Urasa station. Larger towns within a 30-minute drive from IUJ include Muika-machi and Koide. There are also local buses and trains in operation, but public transportation in the area is generally limited.

Dormitory facilities

There are three single-student Dormitories and one Married Student Apartments (MSA). All the dormitory rooms are well-equipped and offer LAN connectivity. The monthly dormitory fee (as of 2008) is ￥32,000 for the single rooms and ￥50,000 for the MSA.

There is an on-campus convenience shop, Yamazaki. There are also various recreational and sporting facilities available to the students.

tudent activities

Every full-time student enrolled in IUJ is automatically a member of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), the students' union of IUJ. The GSO Executive Committee is a body of elected student representatives in-charge of general student welfare. Two other similarly-elected student bodies, the IM Council and the IR Council, take care of the academic welfare of the students in their respective schools (GSIM and GSIR).

IUJ students are encouraged to form their own clubs and societies. As such, a host of student societies have sprung up over the years, covering various academic, sporting and religious interests.

Corporate sponsorship

IUJ has retained strong connections with the Japanese business community since its inception, and this is also reflected by the number of corporations that have sent sponsored students to IUJ over the years. Sponsored students hail from various industries like finance, electronics, manufacturing, telecoms, construction and retail. This wide variety of sponsor companies enables IUJ students to build strong networks across the Japanese business community.

Internship and job placements

IUJ’s career service, the Career Counseling and Services (CC&S), organizes career workshops, mock-interviews and also coaches & guides students in their job and internship hunt. Besides, it publishes IUJ Resume Book and distributes it to the companies. The career service also initiates and co-ordinates the on-campus selection and recruitment of candidates.

Close ties with Japanese industry and business give IUJ an added advantage. The career service leverages upon these strong connections to increase the number of opportunities available to IUJ students. According to the 2007 IUJ Placement Report [http://www.iuj.ac.jp/career/pdf/2007PlacementReport.pdf] , 70% of employment candidates who went through career services secured jobs before graduation.

Exchange Programs

IUJ has established student exchange programs with more than 40 respected institutions across Asia, Europe, and North America. The purpose of the program is to give students various opportunities to learn in different educational environments and to broaden their horizons. Up to ten credits earned at the host institution could be transferred to IUJ with no extra tuition paid to the host institution.

Updated lists of the [http://gsir.iuj.ac.jp/idp/exchange.html GSIR partner schools] and [http://ibs.iuj.ac.jp/mba/list.html GSIM partner schools] can be found at the respective school websites.

External links

* [http://www.iuj.ac.jp/ International University of Japan website]
* [http://www.glocom.ac.jp/ GLOCOM – Center for Global Communications]
* [http://mba.eiu.com/ Economist Intelligence Unit – Which MBA Online]
* [http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/modern_society/people_and_places/most_nationalities_in_a_sauna.aspx]
* [http://www.umex.ne.jp/E/index.cfm/ An Active Local Association]