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 APU graduate school focuses on fostering global leaders with a broad perspective based on the extensive knowledge and skills needed to face the challenges of our world’s rapidly changing society. It aims to educate and equip students to contribute to the sustainable and harmonious development of the Asia Pacific region by acquiring the necessary advanced expertise on administration, the environment and development economics, as well as learning to solve issues practically. Students will thus actively contribute to sustainable development and cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and the world.

All programs in the Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (GSA) are taught entirely in English, and the rich curriculum allows students to tailor their own study program based on their interests and requirements with their supervisors’ consultation. Approximately 50% of our faculty members come from outside Japan and a significant number of our Japanese faculty hold postgraduate degrees from world-renowned universities. Introductory and beginner Japanese language classes, together with an academic writing course, are available to interested graduate students.

Most subjects are run on a two-month quarter basis, with two quarters per semester. Some courses are offered on an intensive basis during the vacation periods between semesters. In addition to regular coursework subjects, all students must complete seminar subjects and submit a final research report or Master’s thesis.

At APU’s Graduate School, students can expect to develop practical policy-making skills through discussions with students dispatched from government agencies in developing countries, students from Japan, and other donor countries. By approaching issues from various perspectives, students will acquire a greater ability to solve problems effectively.

Besides regular classes, APU holds an average of 20 seminars on campus each year by invited speakers that include distinguished researchers, ambassadors, foreign diplomats, and officials from international organizations, NGOs, and corporations. Known on campus as RCAPS Seminars and Social Outreach Seminars, these offer students an opportunity to network with and gain the latest insight from leaders in various fields.

International Cooperation Policy (ICP) – Development Economics

Students from Pakistan will be accepted into the International Cooperation Policy Division in the International Cooperation Policy (ICP) Major.
APU was founded in the year 2000, with the aims of cultivating capable human resources and creating a new academic discipline to serve the future of the Asia Pacific. These aims are grounded in an awareness that as we look to a new era of regional community in the Asia Pacific, it is imperative to ensure the peaceful, sustainable growth of the region and coexistence between people and nature, and among a diversity of cultures. The educational and research aims of the ICP Major (as enshrined in university regulations) are to develop advanced specialist knowledge in public administration, development, health, tourism and other fields essential to the development of the Asia Pacific region, to formulate practical solutions to problems in the region, and to contribute to its sustainable development and coexistence. The aforementioned contribution to the development of human resources for the future of Pakistan is precisely consistent with the raison d'etre of APU itself. Upon completion of this Master’s Course, students will have the knowledge and skills needed to immediately contribute to the enhancement of public administration in Pakistan. They will be the next generation of leaders that can propose and evaluate policies and work for solutions. Students will also study important areas such as the kind of policies and structures in place at aid institutions including the World Bank, ADB, JICA, and other NGOs.

Being able to negotiate well with donor countries and related institutions in one’s own country, as well as create development policies, are highly sought after skills. Regardless of the ministry or agency they belong to, human resources with these skills are critical for their country’s development.

While students learn subjects such as "International Public Administration", "Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation", "Healthcare Economics" and "Development Economics", they also take part in seminar subjects and fieldwork to further enhance their education and develop themselves into highly-specialized experts in their fields. Students from Pakistan will be taught and supervised by faculty members from more than 20 countries with career encompassing international organizations, Japanese and foreign governments, development institutions like JICA and others. There is great diversity among students of this program, with many administrative officials studying here on scholarships from JDS, ADB, the World Bank, and JICA. Through this program, JDS Fellows can build a global network and gain vital cross-cultural communication skills.

This program aims to educate and equip highly-skilled experts that are strong in both theory and practice. By connecting theory with practice, APU develops students into practical leaders that will be able to contribute to Pakistan’s development in many areas.

<Outline of the special program>
(i) Organize a series of special initiatives and seminars by invited experts and other individuals working in the fields of regional administration, financing, personnel management, analysis of social and economic statistics, and formulation of social policies to correct disparity.
(ii) Organize visits to organizations and agencies working in the aforementioned fields and learn about approaches adopted in Japan.

(iii) Liaison and coordination with the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Japan will furnish opportunities to be updated on the perceptions of and challenges faced by public officers in the students' home country.
(iv) Provide JDS students with opportunities to learn about local initiatives in practice by utilizing APU’s numerous friendship and exchange agreements with municipalities in Oita prefecture, the City of Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture, and the City of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture
(v) Organize visits to the Oita Prefectural Government and/or other municipal authorities in the prefecture and provide opportunities to visit municipal authorities in fields related to the students own research interests
(vi) Provide English writing support to JDS fellows throughout their studies at APU to help them develop and complete their master’s research and master’s thesis.

A minimum of 32 credits is required for completion. As shown in the following table of credit requirements, JDS Fellows must take and pass a designated minimum number of credits from each Subject Category. Credits for a subject are obtained by earning a passing grade for that subject. All students must complete an extended piece of writing that presents the findings and conclusions of their individual research. Students may choose between a Master’s Thesis or a Research Report.

<Credit Requirements for Completion>

<Subjects Offered in the International Cooperation Policy Major>

Below is a list of APU Faculty members who are qualified to supervise JDS Fellows. Fellows will be matched with faculty members in their division. Their supervisor will be confirmed within one month after classes begin.

Abbreviations:
DE: Development Economics Division
IPA: International Public Administration Division
SS: Sustainability Science Division
PHM: Public Health Management Division
TH: Tourism and Hospitality Division

Reference: 2020-2021 Academic Calendar (Tentative)

Accommodation
The residence designated for graduate students is AP House 4 which is located off-campus in downtown Beppu.　It takes about 30 minutes to get to campus by bus.
Besides AP House 4, a wide range of private apartments are also available within a short bus ride from the campus, with affordable rent compared to other Japanese cities. Creotech, a university-affiliated company, provides assistance to students in locating and renting accommodation.

Campus Facilities
APU provides certain facilities exclusively for graduate students, including a spacious common room, a separate computer lab, and study spaces for both Master’s and PhD students. There are approximately 2,000 high-speed internet connected computers available for student-use on campus, and students can also use their own laptops to access the APU network via plug-in ports at several convenient locations or through wireless LAN.

The APU library has an extensive collection of publications in English and Japanese. Students can easily borrow books from all universities within the Ritsumeikan Trust and pick them up at the APU counter. A wide range of academic journals and other useful publications is also available through online databases. The library is open from 8:30 to 24:00 (class days).

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.

Furthermore, APU considers life of Islamic students and provides halal food and a space for praying on campus.

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 process, etc.

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.

From University:

We hope that students in the ICP Major will acquire the knowledge needed for developing a long-term perspective on development issues, as well as the capacity to address real-life issues by connecting theory to practice. In particular, ICP aims to produce individuals capable of engaging the actual practice of formulating and implementing development and aid initiatives. Within each specialization, we aim to integrate seminar-based research supervision on specific topics with coursework that imparts important knowledge and theoretical perspectives into a curriculum that is highly effective in equipping students with the skills they will need in their future careers.

Taught in English by faculty members who have ample experience guiding JDS Fellows, each class makes the most of APU’s cultural diversity. In-class discussions are enriched by the variety of experiences our students have already gained in workplaces in their home countries. This is the ideal forum in which to prepare you for a career in international development on the world stage, and particularly here in the Asia Pacific region.

APU is proud that over 300 JDS Fellows, including 3 Pakistan students, have studied here until now and went on to be active at various government agencies or to teach at university. Our faculty members look forward to supporting the next group of students that enroll here, who will become future integral policymakers who will contribute to the enhancement of public administration and finance in Pakistan

We look forward to welcoming you as a member of our diverse and exciting campus.

From JDS Fellow:

Mr. Idrees Muhammad
1st batch (2019 -)

Contrary to other students, I have chosen my present University i.e. Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU in short) on the basis of following three advantages which I have not found in other universities, not only in Japan but in most of other countries which made APU far more superior and highly sought after.

• Academics
• Accommodation
• Environment

Almost all faculty members are Doctors and have updated expert knowledge in their respective fields. They have their offices in Academic Block and accessible to students after classes. Contrary to other universities, faculty members of APU belong to diverse countries and nationalities which bring unique experience to learning environment. Each student is assigned to a research supervisor and his research process is supported by four researchers right from research proposal to final presentation. Same goes for students which belong to all continents because APU offer numerous lucrative scholarships to students other than JDS, and attract thousands of students all over the world which make it truly an international university. One of the distinguish feature of APU is its diverse student base. 50% of APU students are international students and studying on various scholarships in under graduate and graduate apart from JDS. These international students add flavor to extracurricular activities in societies and clubs of University and a good reason for international exposure. Finally APU library is one of the most highly rated library in Japan. It is also accessible through Virtual Private Network (VPN) through student’s laptop. It not only have physical and digital reservoir of books and articles but also connected to other libraries of various universities in Japan.

APU has four dormitories or hostels such as AP House 1, AP House 2, AP House 3 and AP House 4. Except for AP House 4. All others are reserved for undergraduate students while AP House 4 is assigned for graduate students. These dormitories provides up to date facilities to students free of cost ranging from printing and photocopying to learning Japanese. Dormitories have their own kitchens, laundry, indoor and outdoor games, common rooms, lawns and dining rooms. Charges of dormitories are also reasonable. Besides one can stay in private rented house in the city as I do. I first resided in AP House 4 for 3 months and then shifted to a rented house in Beppu city which my family arrived. Accommodation in rented house is also good as rents are low in Beppu and you can have a taste of Japanese style of living.

APU is located on the top of a Hill in small coastal city called Beppu. As located uphill, it is surrounded by lush green mountains and a blue lagoon of vast Pacific Ocean on foothill which serves as mirror to university and mountains. Most of the time, our university campus as well as the Beppu city is covered by clouds and steams. Beppu is a tourist resort and invite millions of visitors from all over the world to its famous “Beppu Onsen” or hot spring waters. It is ranked 2nd in the world for its hot spring water. So an international university is located in international city.

For final compliment for my university, I would say that if circumstances give me opportunity to get further education, I will definitely select APU for my Doctoral degree.