Why | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

APU has been selected as one of the Top Global Universities in Japan. In order to become the world’s greatest Global Learning University with the most diverse community, APU has developed a remarkable, multicultural campus, which is home to international students from over one hundred countries and regions.

Off-campus Programs at APU are not limited to the subjects offered on-campus, and have instead been developed around the keywords, “cross-cultural communication”, “language acquisition”, “specialization”, and “career development”. Students should not complacently believe that they have learned all they could simply by experiencing the overwhelmingly multicultural environment at APU. Off-campus Programs are an opportunity to put your studies into practice on the world stage. In addition, by bringing your experiences back to APU, you can contribute a new set of values to the learning environment on-campus.

APU offers Off-campus Programs that match students’ individual interests and fit into their four-year study plans. These programs serve to build a community of creative students who embody the ideals of APU.

Off-campus experiences give you a chance to break out of your shell

The international nature of APU’ s campus sometimes leads students to believe they can experience a variety of different cultures without having to study abroad. However, we at APU believe that there are many things students can only learn by stepping outside of the APU campus. By centering themselves in a new environment with new people and novel experiences, students who participate in our Off-campus Programs have opportunities to grow and thrive.

Learn about the real world

APU brings together students from all over the world and exposes them to a wealth of ideas and cultures. However, students should not limit themselves to the APU campus. We believe that going beyond the borders of APU enables students to break free of their own preconceived notions and grow as individuals, which is our sincerest wish for our students. At APU, we have created an ideal environment in which diversity and cultural differences are respected. However, this is not always the case in society at large. That is why it is important for students to move out of their comfort zones and learn through an off-campus program.

Ability to succeed in any environment

Experiencing the real world and facing questions such as, “Why do cultural and religious differences cause conflict?” and, “Why are we unable to understand each other?” allows students to discuss how to change the world for the better in greater depth upon their return to APU. Similarly, moving back and forth between campus and the outside world grants students the ability to succeed in any environment and the power to change the world around them. Through this process, we want students to become resilient in every sense of the word. While participating in APU’s Off-campus Programs, students will cultivate perseverance and gain the abilities to analyze problems, propose solutions, and enact those solutions in the real world.