NEWS

On July 18, Thursday, 2024, the final presentations for APU’s College of International Management 4th-year required subject “Global Management (Capstone)” were held.

In the Global Management (Capstone) course, students utilize the knowledge they’ve learned thus far in the College of International Management to take on the challenge of solving real business issues. During the class, a representative engaged in business planning and marketing at the forefront of a company is brought in, and students listen to talks about project content and the business world. Topics for students to engage with are set based on business challenges that the company is facing, and students are organized into teams of domestic and international students to consider solutions to those issues making full use of the business studies knowledge they have learned.

The Capstone course in the AY 2024 Spring Semester was held in cooperation with Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. (below, Mitsubishi Estate). On April 18, a representative from Mitsubishi Estate’s Kyushu Branch came to APU and presented an overview of Mitsubishi Estate’s business projects, the shape that Fukuoka City aspires to be and its challenges, and the topic of the course this time, “Consideration of a New Vision for Fukuoka City to Become a Leader City in Asia and Initiative Proposals to Mitsubishi Estate towards that Purpose”. During the Q&A Session that day, students quickly raised many questions to the company to understand the challenges encompassing the business projects and actively examine the circumstances to work towards considering solutions. After that, the students worked to devise policy measures towards those challenges in groups and underwent activities such as research, meetings, and presentation preparation over the next three months.
On July 18, the students’ final presentations were delivered, and the four groups who moved on from the qualifying round gave their presentations before six representatives participating in person and online from Mitsubishi Estate’s Kyushu Branch in the finals. That day the presentation was broadcast online outside the venue for the final round and the presenters proceeded to give a magnificent presentation while being observed by over 300 other students.
Each group gave presentations on business project ideas to meet challenges based on topics such as the establishment of healthcare centers, coexistence with childcare, and environmental facilities to improve quality of life. Questions regarding the specific project plan were raised by participants and lively discussions were held. The team that proposed initiatives to revive the shopping district in which many shops had closed and restore town activity under the topic of “Plans to Enliven Fukuoka City ~ Turning Fukuoka into a Leader City in Asia” became the overall champions.
At the end of the meeting, General Manager Kusano of Mitsubishi Estate’s Kyushu Branch provided the following words of appreciation for participation in the project over approximately four months: “I am very glad to have sensed the high level of ability and passion of the participating students. For all participating students, the experience of having earnest discussions with peers from various backgrounds in APU’s uniquely diverse environment will undeniably aid them in society in the future.”
APU’s College of International Management will continue to prepare opportunities for students to practically utilize the knowledge they’ve acquired and take on the challenge of solving business issues going forward.