In any given academic year there are students from about 50 countries. This diversity is accentuated by the fact that there are only 310 total students on campus. The diversity was celebrated as part of IUJ's 25th anniversary through a Guinness World Record record breaking attempt - "The most nationalities in a sauna (50)".[4]
History
The tree-lined main entrance and facade of IUJ
IUJ was founded in 1982 by representatives of business, government and world organizations. It was established with extensive support from Japan's industrial, financial and educational communities as well as from the local community.[5]
IUJ is Japan's first graduate-school-only university (no undergraduate campus), and the first to use English only in the classroom.
In 1988, the Graduate School of International Management (GSIM) was established in collaboration with the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, United States, as the first US-style business school in Japan, and the first MBA to teach only in English. In that same year, the Matsushita Library & Information Center (MLIC) was established with an endowment from the Matsushita International Foundation, now called the Kinoshita Matsushita Memorial Foundation (KMMF).[5]
Structure
The Matsushita Library and Information Center
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, the GSIR offers PhD degree programs.
The university runs two research institutes: The IUJ Research Institute based on campus and The Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM) located 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.
The Graduate School of International Management (GSIM) offers four graduate programs: a full-time 2-year MBA program, a 1-year MBA program targeted at company sponsored students with over 5 years of experience, and a Japan-Global Development Program and the Digital Transformation Program . The Business School's working Motto is "Leveraging Emerging Asia for Global Advantage."[6]
The Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) offers three graduate programs and 5 master's degrees: International Relations Program (IRP) offering an MA in international relations and MA in political science, the International Development Program (IDP) offering an MA in International Development and an MA in economics, Public Management and Policy Analysis Program (PMPP) offering an MA in public management and an MA in Public Policy, Japan-Global Development Program (JGDP) offering an MBA in International Relations/Economics/International Development/ Public Management, the International Public Policy Program offers a Master in International Public Policy.
Since cross-registration is encouraged, students may select 'elective' courses from other programs to customize their graduate degree program for their individual professional goals.
All courses require a thesis as part of the degree requirements.
Language programs
IUJ offers two optional language programs, one in English and the other in Japanese.
The English language courses are designed for non-native English speakers who wish to develop their proficiency to the level required to participate fully in the English-medium environment of IUJ. IUJ offers various English program, it includes an Intensive English Program (IEP) held in the summer and academic English courses that mostly for students to prepare their thesis writing and it 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.[7]
Flowchart of the IUJ Research & Education PLATFORM
Ties to Corporate Japan
Its Global Partnership program puts IUJ in formal relationships with over 50 companies in Japan spanning banking, consulting, trade and logistics firms. These companies, and more, take advantage of IUJ's Non-degree programs, such as the Executive Degree program, the Global Leaders program, and the 8-week Intensive English Program.
Exchange programs
IUJ has established student exchange programs with more than 50 institutions across Asia, Europe, and North America. The purpose 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 GSIR and GSIM partner schools at the respective school websites.
The following are GSIR's students exchange partners:
IUJ campus in winter, with the Echigo-Sanzan mountains in the background
Location
IUJ is located in Minami-Uonuma, a small city on the southeastern end of Niigata prefecture, Japan. It is approximately 100 km south of Niigata city, the prefectural capital, and 230 km northwest of Tokyo.
Dormitory facilities
Student dormitories at IUJ
There are three single-student dormitories each housing about 100 students, and one married-student apartments (MSA) with just 18 units for married couples. Each dormitory has inexpensive coin laundry/dryer facilities. All the single dormitory rooms are well-equipped and offer LAN connectivity. MSA is unfurnished. As there is a waiting list for the units, a lottery system is used to allocate them. For those needing to bring families with school aged children, off-campus housing options are supported by an English speaking land.[8]
There is an on-campus convenience shop, Yamazaki. There are recreational and sporting facilities available to the students.
Tennis courts in scenic surroundings
Student Activities and Elected Offices
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 and campus life activities, plus outside events.
There is a number of annual on-campus and off-campus events organized by GSO with support from IUJ office and other clubs, such as IUJ Olympics, Ski Day, holiday parties, music nights, game nights, etc.
Two other elected student groups are the IM Council and the IR Council. These groups take care of the academic welfare of the students in their respective schools (GSIM and GSIR), and in close cooperation and communications with the Deans offices.
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