Educational Policy and Curriculum

Educational Policy

Curriculum Policy

 A feature of this program is that students move each semester from Japan to Taiwan and then to France, taking classes and receiving research guidance at universities in each country. The program incorporates the unique merits of our own university with those of the University of Bordeaux and National Taiwan University, our respective curriculums and educational structures complementing and enhancing one another. The universities also provide accommodation for the students during their stay and ensure a good study and living environment on campus. As well as acquiring 45 credits or more, students conduct special subject research instead of a master’s thesis, and summarize the results of their two years of study while also giving a written and oral presentation of a research and/or business proposal. In addition, we have established a learning outcome evaluation system unique to this program called GLidD, in which tutors at the three universities provide academic support while checking the level of achievement of the students. In the fourth semester, students complete their special subject research instead of a master’s thesis, and those who pass a final examination jointly held by all three universities are awarded a Master’s Degree in Agro-Biomedical Science in Food and Health and receive a graduation certificate signed by all three university presidents.
 Armed with food and health related knowledge and practical abilities as well as negotiating skills and practical English skills developed in Introduction of Agro-Biomedical Science conducted in Japan, Agro-Biomedical Science Laboratory Seminars conducted in Japan and Taiwan, Combined Field and Laboratory Studies conducted in Taiwan and France, and Corporate Internships held in all three countries, graduates of this program can expect to find work in a wide range of occupations including the safety evaluation departments of drug and food companies in Japan and overseas.

 Because the program nurtures expertise concerned with the physical benefits and safety of food resources and health foods, students conduct educational research particularly in the fields of medical science, hygiene and public health. Expertise in food manufacture and processing is also important for achieving the goals of the program, and so we have organized the curriculum in collaboration with related areas of agriculture.

Human Resource Development Goals

 In response to the global challenges that human beings face of maintaining and improving health and securing a safe supply of food, we develop high-level international experts who, based on the principle that a balanced diet leads to a healthy body, understand the impact of food on health from an academic perspective and who can bridge the gap between R&D and global societal needs.
 The knowledge and skills that students acquire in order to achieve this human resource development goal are described below. The student’s achievement level of these abilities will be evaluated by a learning outcome evaluation system (GLidD).

Generic knowledge and skills

Literacy
  • Ability to think across different fields, backed up by expertise
  • Language skills to be able to utilize expert knowledge and ability
Coordination ability
  • Judgment and planning ability in overseas fields
  • Ability to interact and negotiate with multiple nationalities
  • Management skills within different fields and industries
Practical skills
  • Practical ability to give shape to and execute ideas
  • Ability to express oneself through presentations, self-promotion, etc.

Expert knowledge and skills

Ability to connect health to food resources
  • Knowledge about the functionality and medical application of biological resources
  • Knowledge about diseases and physical disabilities resulting from food
  • Knowledge about policies concerned with food resources and medical care
Ability to understand heath security challenges
  • Knowledge about social medicine such as the safety of chemical substances including food resources and medicines
Ability to understand food security challenges
  • Knowledge about the evaluation and development of biological resources (including safety) and the sustainable use of food production systems

Program overview

 In this program, all classes are conducted in English. Students gain expert knowledge about agricultural and medical science (combining food security, health security, agriculture and medicine). They also cultivate agricultural and medical scientific literacy, coordination ability, and practical skills through fieldwork in each country, corporate internships, entrepreneurial training, etc. In response to the challenges of maintaining and improving health and securing a steady supply of food, the program provides a foundation for students to become high-level international experts, global innovators who can bridge the gap between R&D and global societal needs.
 After graduating from the program, we believe students will forge a path for themselves as global innovators, hands-on professionals who can propose new guidelines in internationally active companies such as general trading and distribution companies, food companies, pharmaceutical companies, nursery companies, think tanks and consultancies, etc. We also expect them to work in situations where they coordinate and implement projects on the front line of R&D and marketing and feed their results back into society.

Overview of GIP-TRIAD

Overview of GIP-TRIAD

GIP-TRIAD Schedule Until Graduation

Schedule of GIP-TRIAD until graduation

Degree Examination

Degree conferral policy

 A degree is awarded to a student who has earned sufficient credits in accordance with course methods and graduation requirements and who is recognized through an oral examination on their special subject research and a final written examination as having attained the following learning outcomes.

  1. The student has acquired basic knowledge and skills related to food safety evaluation and health maintenance on a global scale.
  2. Regarding real global challenges in food safety evaluation and health maintenance, the student understands the process from setting up a problem to resolving it professionally, and can plan and develop specific methods for problem solving.
  3. The student has an international perspective along with cultural adaptability, and the practical ability to get things done in serving people and society.
  4. The student can communicate well and demonstrate leadership in the field of international activities.
  5. The student has the creativity to innovate through interdisciplinary learning and advanced practical research.
  6. The student has acquired a cross-cutting perspective that is not limited to his or her area of specialization.

Special subject research

 Special subject research shall include food and health related research or social activity results based on a two-year learning outcome. Presentations and oral examinations are carried out in English.

 Part or all of the special subject research can be kept publicly unavailable.

Examination system

 An examination panel made up of faculty members from the three universities judges whether a student has passed or failed in accordance with the degree conferral policy. A pass is awarded based on the approval of all three universities.

 The degree conferring universities shall make any necessary updates to their university rules on degree accreditation and the issue of graduation certificates under the program.

Learning outcome evaluation system (GLidD)

 GLidD (Growth & Learning identification powered by Instructional Design) is a web-based system for evaluating learning outcomes using a rubric. In this system, the student answers a series of questions that have been set based on the target knowledge and skills of this program, and a reviewer assesses whether those answers are adequate or not. If an answer is assessed as adequate, the student is deemed to have passed that question. Because the system enables students to reflect on their own learning experience through a series of processes, its role is not only to evaluate their achievements but also to support their studies. The system is also used in association with special subject research, internships, and career support. GLidD evaluations are carried out at three stages, at the end of the first and third semesters and before completion of the fourth semester, and the questions at each stage are mainly set with the following points in mind.

  • Completion of first semester: Confirmation of basic knowledge and skills, motivation for special subject research, motivation for internship, motivation for career development
  • Completion of third semester: Confirmation of learning outcomes at the three universities, acquisition of content for special subject research, support for selecting an internship
  • Completion of fourth semester: Establishment of two-year learning outcomes, confirmation of knowledge and skills needed to graduate, support for completing complete comprehensive report

 By providing students with guidance as we operate this system, we appropriately evaluate their level of achievement while helping them to progress systematically and effectively from enrollment to graduation. Click here for more details.

Submission of Comprehensive Report