History
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) is an international higher education institution in Japan. APU was founded in April 2000 through the collaboration of three parties, namely Oita Prefecture, Beppu City, and the Ritsumeikan Trust, which is one of the oldest and most distinguished private non-profit educational institutions in Japan. APU’s values are based on a vision of freedom, peace and humanity, as well as the enhancement of international mutual understanding in the Asia Pacific region. Although APU was established less than 20 years ago, it has already gained recognition as the most international university in Japan with a strong international orientation in its aims and educational programs, along with its teaching faculty, administrative staff, and enrolled students who come from all over the world.
Location
APU is located on the outskirts of Beppu City (population of approximately 120,000) in Oita Prefecture in Kyushu, the southernmost island of the main Japanese archipelago. Beppu is one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations, being the home of the world’s second largest outflow of hot spring water, and approximately 1.2 million tourists that visit Beppu every year. The large international student population and constant influx of visitors make Beppu one of the most lively and cosmopolitan cities in Japan.
APU as an International University
APU provides education to approximately 5,700 students, of which about 2,800 are international students from 91 different countries, thus creating a truly multi-cultural environment on its campus. Among these students, presently 194 are enrolled in the Master’s Course and 20 in the Doctoral Course of our Graduate School. All APU undergraduate programs are taught on a bilingual English-Japanese basis, while graduate programs are conducted entirely in English.
APU students by country:
http://en.apu.ac.jp/home/about/content57/
Special Features
APU strives to play an important role in the academics of the Asia Pacific region. Despite its short history, APU has already welcomed Nobel Laureates Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Prof. Amartya Sen, and Prof. Lee Yuan Tseh for keynote lectures, and has hosted major academic events in collaboration with the United Nations, ASEAN, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Asia Pacific Water Forum. APU has also invited many corporate executives of leading multinational companies to speak and interact with students on campus.
List of past visitors:
http://en.apu.ac.jp/home/about/content47/
Our graduate schools have gained acclaim by being selected for prestigious scholarship programs offered by the Asian Development Bank, ABE Initiative master's degree and internship program, and the Japanese Government. APU's innovative approach to education has also repeatedly been recognized under the Japanese Government’s “Top Global University Project,” and it was placed among the Top 25 universities for the 2018 Japan University Ranking by the Times Higher Education.
As our profile grows both in Japan and around the world, APU graduate students will have more and more opportunities to come face-to-face with some of the top decision-makers in this region, while gaining broader exposure for their own research. We value diversity and warmly welcome all those who have a desire to play an active role in fostering international cooperation and sustainable development.
Over 300 JDS Fellows have studied at APU until now, along with many other dispatched government officials from around the world. Our graduates have gone on to work at embassies in Japan, various ministries and agencies, and the ASEAN Secretariat. APU takes pride in sending out graduates that can contribute to the development of their countries after studying here.
Video clips about APU can be found on our YouTube page and at the following link:
http://en.apu.ac.jp/home/experience/
The Graduate School of Management (GSM) offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Our faculty members and students come from many different parts of the world creating an ideal environment for developing international mutual understanding which is one of the APU’s founding values. The Graduate School of Management (GSM) and the College of International Management (our undergraduate counterpart
) have been accredited from AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in August 2016. AACSB, an association of more than 1,500 educational institutions in 90 countries, ensures quality management education and currently less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide have earned its accreditation.
About the Program
The APU Graduate School of Management (GSM) offers a case based method education inspired by Japanese business and management with a strong foundation in established management techniques and opportunities for independent research. Classes are conducted entirely in English in a multicultural environment, giving students the chance to benefit from the experiences of experts in the field and learn the skills and sensibilities required for a successful career in international business.
Course Structure and Content
The GSM’s MBA program consists of required courses, specialization courses and electives. Students must take 44 credits or more in order to graduate. One of the features of the GSM is that students can take introductory, intermediate and Japanese language courses as electives based on their proficiency. Many GSM graduates have gained employment in Japan after learning Japanese in addition to their graduate studies. A management seminar course is also offered as one of the specialization courses to assist students in gaining a deeper understanding of their field by writing a master’s thesis, report, or a case study.
Areas of Specialization
The GSM’s MBA program is divided into four areas of specialization. Three discipline-based specializations are offered, namely Marketing and Management, Accounting and Finance, and Innovation and Operations Management. In the Japanese Management specialization, students learn Japanese business and management using a multi-disciplinary approach.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The MBA program integrates management knowledge from all over the world and focuses on the Asia Pacific region. With its commitment to producing successful leaders for one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world, the program is conducted entirely in English. The MBA curriculum is internationally competitive and provides a comprehensive business education by focusing on functional areas of business such as Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Management, and Operations. The program requires students to complete a range of foundational business subjects and provides opportunities to specialize in various areas of business. One of the distinctive aspects of the program is a specialization in Japanese management.
Students currently working for governments in their home countries will find the MBA curriculum quite useful and applicable to their work. In direct contrast to the workings of the public sector in many countries, our curriculum places an emphasis on missions and goals rather than rules and procedures, on results rather than inputs, and on recipients of services rather than managers. The curriculum also introduces radically different ways of managing public services to the program participants.
Students completing APU’s MBA program will acquire a range of skills, competencies, and knowledge as demonstrated in the following program learning objectives.
Minimum Required Credits |
Credit Rules | ||
---|---|---|---|
Required Subjects |
22 | Analytical Foundations | |
Core Business Fundamentals | |||
Capstone | |||
Elective Subjects |
8 | Japanese Management | Students are strongly recommended to register for subjects related to their chosen specialization |
Accounting and Finance | |||
Marketing and Management | |||
Innovation and Operations Management | |||
Seminars | 6 | In addition to the credits earned from the Seminars, students must submit and obtain a Pass grade for a Master’s thesis, final report or a case study to fulfill the graduation requirements. | |
Core Related Subjects | - | Credits earned from Core Related Subjects will count towards the credits required for program completion. | |
TOTAL 44 |
Required Subjects | |
---|---|
Analytical Foundations | |
Quantitative Analysis And Statistics | Managerial Economics |
Core Business Fundamentals | |
Marketing | Business Ethics |
Finance | International Management |
Leadership and Organization Behavior | Accounting |
Technology Management | Theories of Institutions |
Capstone | |
Strategic Management | |
Elective Subjects | |
Japanese Management | |
Financial Institutions and Markets | Management of Japanese Family Business |
Management in Asia and Japan | Quality and Operations Management |
Japanese Corporations and Asia Pacific | Hospitality Management |
Accounting and Finance | |
Financial Institutions and Markets | Financial Engineering and Risk Management |
Financial Accounting | Managerial Accounting |
Corporate Finance | |
Marketing and Management | |
Management in Asia and Japan | Product Development Strategy |
Management of Japanese Family Business | Marketing Strategy |
Hospitality Management | Marketing Research |
Human Resource Management | |
Innovation and Operations Management | |
Quality and Operations Management | Entrepreneurship and New Business |
Information Technology Management | National Innovation Systems |
Supply Chain Management | Project Management |
Seminars | |
Management Seminar I | Management Seminar III |
Management Seminar II | |
Core Related Subjects | |
Core Related Subjects | |
Decision Making Under Uncertainty | Database Management |
Management Information Systems | Advanced Research Methods |
Japanese Language Subjects | |
Japanese for Communication I | Japanese for Communication III |
Japanese for Communication II | Japanese for Communication IV |
The following is a list of the faculty members qualified to supervise JDS Fellows. Fellows will choose their seminar supervisor based on their research interests before the beginning of their 2nd semester at APU. During their first semester at APU, students take required subjects which allow them to receive specific and detailed guidance from faculty members.
As of June, 2020
Faculty Name | Position | Specialization | Research Field |
---|---|---|---|
ALCANTARA Lailani L. | Professor | JM MM |
International Expansion, Innovation Diffusion, Macro Organizational Behavior |
ACKARADEJRUANGSRI P. | Associate Professor | MM | Consumer Behavior, Marketing Strategies, Strategic Business Management, Interdisciplinary |
BARAI Munim Kumar | Professor | AF | Fiscal Studies, Finance Theory, Public Finance, International Business, Poverty and GB Model of Microcredit, Financial Markets of Japan |
BEISE-ZEE Marian | Professor | IOM | Service Management and Marketing, Innovation Marketing, Service Quality, Health Care Marketing, Consumer Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility, Discrete Choice Analysis |
CHEN Shu-Ching | Professor | JM MM |
Customer e-loyalty, Online community Customer Loyalty, Customer Value, Market Orientation, Service Employees, Customer Experience, Customer Satisfaction, Customer e-loyalty, Online Community |
CLASTER William B. | Professor | IOM | Fundamental Informatics, Intelligent Informatics, Statistical Science, Business Administration, General Mathematics (includes Probability Theory/Statistical Mathematics), Sentiment Mining |
CORTEZ Michael A. |
Professor | AF | Managerial Accounting for Business Studies, International Trade in Services, Sustainability reporting, Environmental Accounting |
FUJII Seiichi | Professor | IOM | New Product Development. Innovation Management, Technology Management, Business Administration |
FUJIMOTO Takeshi | Professor | JM MM |
Business Administration, Marketing |
GUNARTO Hary | Professor | IOM | Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Digital Media Studies &Technology, E-Tourism, World Cultural Heritage |
HAIDAR Ali | Professor | JM MM |
Managerial Commitment, Managerial Values, Employment Relations |
Khan Muhammad Tahir Abbas | Professor | IOM | Spread Spectrum Communications, Applications of ICT, Community Building |
KIM Rebecca Chung-hee | Professor | JM MM |
International Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Ethics |
LEE Geunhee | Associate Professor | JM MM |
Business Administration |
MIYAZAKI Kumiko | Professor | JM IOM |
Strategic management of technology and Innovation management; Innovation systems,Science and technology policy |
NAKAJIMA Katsushi | Associate Professor | AF | Finance, Economics |
OTAKE Toshitsugu | Professor | AF JM |
Financial Risk Management, Modeling, Strategic Logistics Engineering, FinTech |
PARDO Phillip Dean |
Professor | AF | Business Analytics, Hospitality Accounting, Valuation, Taxation, Audit Committee, Medical Tourism, Virtuous Management, Natural Capital Accounting |
SAITO Hiroaki | Associate Professor | MM | Service Management, Employee well-being, Emotion in organizations, Leadership |
SATO Hiroto | Associate Professor | AF | Management Accounting, Cost Accounting, Capital Budgeting |
SHINOHARA Yoshiki | Associate Professor | MM | Business Ethics, Business and Society |
WANG Mariner | Professor | MM | Business Administration, Global Logistics, East Asian Global Logistics, International Trade, International Business English, Asia Pacific Management, |
YOKOYAMA Kenji | Professor | JM IOM |
International Trade Operations, Institutions and Customs, Family Business, Japanese Management |
YANG Jeongwoo | Associate Professor | AF | Internal Controls, Internal Audit, Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Organizational Management |
ZHANG, Wei-Bin. | Professor | JM AF |
Growth Theory, Trade Theory, Urban and Regional Economics, Economic Dynamics, Ethics, East-Asian Philosophy |
Abbreviations:
JM: Japanese Management
AF: Accounting and Finance
MM: Marketing and Management
IOM: Innovation and Operations Management
Date | Targeted students | Event & things to-do |
---|---|---|
Fall Semester | ||
Mid-Late September | Everyone | New Students Orientation Period (including moving into AP House and Entrance Ceremony) |
Beginning of October | Everyone | Registration for Fall Semester Classes |
Beginning of October | Everyone | 1st Quarter Classes Start |
Mid-November | 1st Semester Students | Seminar Orientation Session |
Mid-November | 3rd Semester Students | Work in Progress Presentations |
Late November | Everyone | 1st Quarter Final Examinations |
End of November | Everyone | 2nd Quarter classes start |
Late December | Everyone | Early January: Winter Holidays |
Early January | 1st Semester Students | Report of Supervisor Selection |
Beginning of February | Everyone | 2nd Quarter Final Examinations |
Early-Mid February | Everyone | Winter Session |
Late February | Everyone | Spring Holidays begin |
Spring Semester | ||
Late March | Everyone | Registration for Spring Semester Classes |
Early April | Everyone | 1st Quarter classes start |
April 25 | Final Semester Students | Report on Type of Research Project and Summary Submission |
End of May | Everyone | 1st Quarter Final Examinations |
May 31 | Final Semester Students | Research Project Submission |
Beginning of June | Final Semester Students | 2nd Quarter Classes Start |
Late July | Final Semester Students | 2nd Quarter Final Examinations |
Beginning of August | Everyone | Summer Session |
Mid-August | Everyone | Summer Holidays Begin |
Mid-September | Final Semester Students | Graduation Ceremony |
Accommodation
All graduate students are entitled to a room in one of APU’s student housing facilities, AP House 4, which will help them adapt to their new life in Japan and to concentrate on their studies. All rooms are equipped with basic facilities, including internet access. AP House 4 is located off-campus in downtown Beppu, from which it takes about thirty minutes to reach campus by bus. If students wish to live in different off-campus housing it is possible to find other affordable options, as Beppu is considerably less expensive than other Japanese cities for private apartments and shared student housing. Students can also get assistance in locating and renting accommodations from Creotech, a university-affiliated company.
Campus Facilities
APU’s classrooms are equipped with the latest audiovisual and computer technology, enabling our students to take part in conferences and seminars occurring in other parts of the world in real time. The library, part of the Ritsumeikan Network, allows students to utilize over 2.3 million books and provides access to a wide range of academic journals and other useful publications through online databases. Within the Faculty Office Building, graduate students have their own lounge, study spaces, lockers, and computer rooms. Furthermore, with access to the Faculty Office Building, students can easily consult with their supervisors during office hours. Other on-campus facilities include a cafeteria and cafe catering to a wide range of dietary requirements, a general store and a bookshop. In terms of athletics, APU has a gym, a weight training room, tennis and basketball courts, a soccer field, track, and other facilities.
Support Services
At APU, students have access to a full range of support services on campus. These include a Health Clinic and counseling service for all students and staff without any charge, a Student Office that facilitates extra-curricular activities and offers advice on lifestyle issues such as accommodation, a Research Office that provides support for research activities, and an Academic Office which supports students in terms of their curriculum, course registration, master’s thesis submission, and other academic needs.
Language Environment
Since APU is a bilingual campus, all administrative offices such as the Academic Office and Student Office operate in both English and Japanese.
The APU MBA program offers an internationally competitive curriculum taught entirely in English at a Japanese university. The program makes use of a wide range of case studies of world class Japanese and non-Japanese corporations and many of these cases are developed at APU. The program requires completion of several fundamental business subjects and provides the opportunity to specialize in functional areas of business such as Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, and Production. In addition, we offer a specialization in Japanese management. The philosophical and conceptual base of the Japanese management style can be found in the stakeholder model of governing corporations where companies operate like communities. Japanese corporations, by and large, have refrained from focusing on short term gains and yet they are innovative, create world class products, and successfully satisfy the demands of their various stakeholders. Asia is increasingly becoming the economic powerhouse of the world and many corporations in Asia are providing fierce competition for these Japanese corporations. There are thus lessons to be learnt from the experiences of Japanese corporations.
In APU’s MBA classes you will meet students from nearly all continents of the world who will assist you in developing international mutual understanding and provide you with the competency to deal with intercultural differences. We invite you to take advantage of this unique multicultural environment in Japan and to explore the challenges corporations in Japan and in other Asian countries are currently facing.
Myanmar was part of a government controlled economy for a very long time and opened its economy only very recently. The nation is doing its best to improve conditions for its citizens by encouraging local entrepreneurship and by inviting foreign investment. Japan is one of the first Asian nations to fully industrialize through its own efforts and it is ready to share its experiences with other Asian nations. One of the major contributors to Japan’s success is the management practices of its corporations. You will have the opportunity to learn these practices in addition to general business practices that are specific to various functional areas of business. If you are currently working for a government, you will find that our MBA curriculum is very useful and will provide you with the opportunity to consider alternative ways of managing public services in your home country on your return.