Global Center for Higher Education(GHE)
International strategy

International strategy

Akita University revised its international strategy in May 2021. In order to promote the globalization of the university amidst the rapid progress of globalization in society, we formulated four strategies and set achievement indicators for the end of Academic Year 2024.

Outline

Chapter 1 International strategy

Strategy 1 Developing international human resources

1. Promotion of the acceptance of international students

(Achievement target: 250 students per year by the end of AY2024(200 students by the end of AY2020))

  • Promote English versions of the syllabi
  • Establish programs to be taught in English
  • Develop international student housing and the ICT environment
  • Enhance external communication in English
2. Promotion of study abroad by Japanese students

(Achievement target: 20 percent increase by the end of AY2024(17.4 percent by the end of AY2020))

  • Strengthen English proficiency by making external qualifications and examinations such as TOEIC a requirement for advancement(Achievement target: Obtain a score of 400 points or more from 2nd year to 3rd year)
  • Participate in overseas training and internship programs
  • Enhance study abroad information sessions and international student exchange events
3. Ways of promoting both acceptance of international students and study abroad for our students
  • Implement credit transfers(Achievement target: Additional 5 universities by the end of AY2024(6 universties by the end of AY2020))
  • Establish double-degree programs(Achievement target: Additional 2 programs by the end of AY2024 (1 program by the end of AY2020))
  • Implement virtual study abroad programs(Achievement target: 4 programs by the end of AY2024(no program by the end of AY2020))

Strategy 2 Promoting international collaboration with overseas universities

  • Strategic conclusion of inter-university agreements(Achievement target: 20 percent increase by the end of AY2024(64 universities by the end of AY2020))
  • Establish overseas offices and enhance their use(Achievement target: 3 new offices by the end of AY2024(7 offices by the end of AY2020)))
  • Establish overseas branches
  • Establish overseas alumni associations

Strategy 3 Enhancing international joint research

  • Implement international education and research programs by obtaining external funding and other methods
  • Hold and co-host international symposiums with partner universities and others
  • Enhanced efforts to further develop the abilities of our graduate students and young researchers, through strengthening of overseas dispatch, and to recruit international researchers

Strategy 4 Developing the professional qualifications and competence of faculty and staff in response to the internationalization of Akita University

  • Improve the quality of the competence of faculty and staff, including the development of English language skills, international awareness, and responsiveness necessary for work related to international affairs

Chapter 2 Framework for evaluation of the international strategy

  • Based on the international strategy, an action plan will be created that includes the goals to be achieved and specific activities for each academic year in order to enable related departments to work together on the internationalization of the university from a medium- to long-term perspective.
  • Each academic year, the International Exchange Division of the Global Center for Higher Education evaluates the progress of the action plan at its meetings, and clarifies the achievements and points requiring improvement in that academic year.

Chapter 3 Review of the international strategy

  • If the International Exchange Division Meeting deems that the goals stipulated in the International Strategy have already been achieved, the International Strategy will be reviewed where necessary.