Challenges in the Second Year Since the Launch ―Cultivation of Global Business Leaders―

Established in April 2019, the Chuo University Faculty of Global Management is a new faculty with the goal of developing global business leaders who can fulfill an active role in the international community. In the first academic year after its launch, the highly-motivated students in the faculty's inaugural class exerted their capabilities and implemented several extracurricular activities while expanding the points of contact with the business world. Even now that we are forced to engage in online activities due to COVID-19, the students remain enthusiastic.

From the perspective of a faculty member who facilitates the extracurricular activities of students, this article introduces the efforts and challenges of the Faculty of Global Management over the year since its establishment.

During the last academic year, in a dialogue between faculty members and students who had just entered the faculty, it was found that students wished to visit corporations. In response, visits to corporations and public institutions were planned and implemented in the fall semester. Being extracurricular, students are required to take certain amount of time not only on the day of the visit, but also for preparation and follow-ups. Therefore, faculty members in charge of coordinating the visits were worried about how many students would want to participate. However, the number of applying students far exceeded our expectations. Accordingly, faculty members requested those corporations and institutions to accommodate more students. Ultimately, during the period of October 2019 to January 2020, 103 students (total visits: 177) from among the 309 first year students visited a total of nine corporations and public institutions.

When visiting these sites, in addition to listening to an explanation of work from people in charge, students were also given opportunities to engage in activities such as group discussions and tours to factories, studios and operation centers. Themes which were addressed during these visits included the proper attitude for working and experience which should be acquired while at university. Participating students had a first-hand look at what it takes to enter society as working professionals, and received invaluable hints for considering their careers.

Furthermore, as an opportunity for summarizing results, we held a joint briefing session to announce and discuss what was learned at each visit, and to deepen mutual understanding.

Corporations and public institutions visited in the 2019 academic year (INPO)
Trade Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd.; Nomura Securities Co., Ltd.; Polygon Pictures Inc.; Fuji Television Network, Inc.; NHK World-Japan; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation; Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
For details, please visit: https://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/academics/faculties/globalmanagement/news/2020/02/47807/

The Faculty of Global Management also plans to visit corporations and institutions in the 2020 academic year. In the program, ten second-year students will provide support for a series of activities; for example, notifying and recruiting first-year students, assisting in preliminary learning, leading groups on the day of the visits, and managing joint briefing sessions. In preparation for the fall semester, these supporters have been repeatedly holding online meetings. In order to create opportunities for even more effective learning through the visits, supporters are drawing upon their experiences from the previous academic year and enthusiastically providing consultation which includes proposals for the annual plan. We expect these activities to serve as a positive example in which the faculty executes plans by having students fulfill a leading role and having faculty/staff members provide assistance.

Last October, the Faculty of Global Management entered into an internship agreement between Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (hereinafter, "MFTBC"). Based on the agreement, three first-year students participated in a one-month internship from this February. The students were placed in the human resources department and purchasing department, and were given the opportunity to engage in the actual work that is to be utilized by MFTBC even after the end of the internships. As part of the Daimler AG organization, MFTBC has a global work environment with employees of more than 50 different nationalities. Working in this environment is an invaluable experience for students that leads to their future. Moving forward, the Faculty of Global Management will promote participation in internships at diverse workplaces both in Japan and overseas, including MFTBC.

For details, please visit: https://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/academics/faculties/globalmanagement/news/2020/03/48538/

In April of this year, the first class in the Faculty of Global Management became second-year students and welcomed new students for the first time. The first-year students making up the second class of the faculty were starting life at Chuo University without having met their classmates and faculty members. Therefore, a group of volunteer second-year students organized a "Welcome 2nd" initiative, and held online consultations to welcome first-year students and provide information.

The first meeting was held on April 25 (Saturday). Seven second-year student volunteers conducted an online meeting for about 50 first-year students. The volunteers prepared a presentation to answer questions which were received in advance; for example, methods for studying subjects taught in English, using computers, participating in the compulsory short-term study abroad, and the atmosphere in the faculty. The volunteers also answered questions via a chat function. The second meeting was held on May 9 (Saturday) and focused on a Q&A session. The third meeting was held on May 24 (Sunday) and invited Dean Hisashi Kawai of the Faculty of Global Management as a special guest. In this casual meeting, Dean Kawai answered questions from volunteer interviewers, and addressed the 61 participating students regarding his expectations for undergraduate students and the future of the faculty.

Comments including the following were received from first-year students who participated: "At first, I had a lot of worries, but participating in the meetings put my mind at ease and I'm now looking forward to life at Chuo University." "Collecting information is difficult. However, I learned so much from the meetings and I now feel relieved." "It was great listening to advice from older students--I'm so happy because it makes my enrollment at Chuo University feel even more real!" "I felt uneasy as I was only able to participate in online classes. I didn't have any idea about the real atmosphere at university. Listening to advice from senior students made me feel reassured." Even amidst the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the online meetings successfully conveyed the encouragement and desire to take action by second-year students while assuaging the concerns of incoming first-year students.

For details, please visit: https://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/academics/faculties/globalmanagement/news/2020/05/49250/

The Faculty of Global Management has its own "Active Student" scholarship to support students in taking the initiative to address issues. Through this scholarship, one student conducted a field survey of slums and trash mountains on Cebu Island in the Philippines and carried out support activities for children in February this year.

Through the same scholarship, a student has researched onomatopoeia and imitative words in the Balkans, and another student participated in NPO activities in Cambodia.
Furthermore, the 13th Nojima Memorial Business Contest, which was held by Chuo University in the last academic year, was won by a student from the Faculty of Global Management.

For details, please visit: https://www.chuo-u.ac.jp/academics/faculties/globalmanagement/news/2020/01/47419/

Additionally, the Faculty of Global Management has established many opportunities for students to deepen learning which is applicable to their own future. For example, there are opportunities for practical exercises and interaction inside and outside of classes, such as special lectures given by business people and invitation of an extensive lineup of guest speakers from various fields in the class. Moreover, the compulsory short-term study abroad program is an opportunity for students to broaden their horizons while experiencing diversity.

The Academic Support Center for undergraduate students offers a variety of direct learning opportunities on a daily basis, including conversation with faculty members who are native speakers of English and Chinese. The center is always staffed by such faculty.

The merit of a new faculty is that there are countless opportunities for students and faculty members to undertake various efforts together. The Faculty of Global Management is full of students who are motivated to personally create the history and tradition of the faculty. Moving forward, the faculty will continue to support undergraduate students who constantly propose their own unique ideas and take a sense of ownership while embracing challenges. Similarly, faculty and staff members will continue to take on challenges. The greatest driving force behind the efforts of faculty and staff is making it possible for students to exert their full abilities. I hope that our students will cultivate rich humanity and will perform as global leaders in diverse roles.