Rikkyo University

Mr. Guttormsson Hoskuldur Hrafn (Iceland)
Master in International Business (MIB),
Graduate School of Business

"I've been intrigued by Japan ever since my aunt gave me a souvenir from Japan. I really enjoyed studying in Japan on an exchange program when I was an undergrad, and that inspired me to pursue graduate studies in this country.

Rikkyo’s Master in International Business program is perfect for someone like me who wants to learn the ins and outs of international business. After expanding your horizons in the mandatory courses, you can further your area of interest through a wide selection of electives. All classes are conducted in English, but you also have the option of taking Japanese language courses. I want to find a job in Japan, so I’m now working on polishing my keigo.

The most impressive things about this program are the high quality of the courses and the diversely international makeup of my classmates. Both the Japanese and foreign instructors teach us fascinating approaches. I found the course on Japanese corporate culture to be especially eye-opening. Also, you get to learn about many different cultures and values by engaging in discussion with students from countries and regions across the world—Europe, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Thailand, Nepal, and Tanzania, to name just a few. In the future, I want to be involved in business connecting Japan and Scandinavia. Currently, I’m doing an internship at the Icelandic Chamber of Commerce in Japan. I hope that someday I will be able to contribute to the economic growth of both sides."

Ms. Li Na (China)
Doctoral Program, Graduate Degree Program in Tourism,
Graduate School of Tourism

"I specialized in Japanese culture as a Master’s student in China, and I spent a year studying at a Japanese university on an exchange program. That experience inspired me
to pursue doctoral studies at a university in Japan. Japan’s entire tourism industry is very excited about the 2020 Olympics. I myself love to travel, and wanted to learn more about tourism. The choice of where to do my doctoral studies was easy, as Rikkyo had much to offer as a pioneer in tourism studies. Currently, I’m doing research on how local food culture is changed by tourism. In my seminar, the professor and students engage in their own research, and it’s a great environment for improving my research because the others offer their ideas and comments. At first I was concerned about the level of my Japanese skills, but I studied with the help of the Japanese Language Support Desk at the Center for Japanese Language Education. I have many good memories of that experience, including the time I participated in a Japanese speech contest at the suggestion of an instructor there.

Rikkyo has partnerships with many universities in other countries, so there arediverse opportunities for Rikkyo students to study abroad. If I get the chance, I’d really like to study in the US. By following up my studies in China and Japan with new learning experiences in the US, I think I could gain new perspectives. Eventually, I plan to go back to China and hopefully teach Japanese language and culture at a university there. Having lived and studied in Japan, I think that I have many things I could The 50th Tokyo 6 Universities Athletic teach."