Ms.Jung on the extreme right with NTU students

Participating UTxNTU Student Exchange Program 2023 was one of the highlights of my MBA-IB life. I had virtual sessions for about 6 weeks and visited the National Taiwan University for 4 days in this program. It was very impressive to see all the students participating in this program actively. Everyone encouraged each other to share their opinion and took some part in the presentation. Through this program, I was able to learn a can-do attitude and teamwork from everyone. Moreover, I could enhance my skills in discussions and public speaking. In addition to academic experience, I also had rich cultural experiences. During the program period, a club fair was held on the National Taiwan University campus, and I was able to meet and interact with many students. Furthermore, through the half-day city tour, I was able to understand Taiwan's culture and build friendships with other students. I am grateful to the University of Tsukuba for allowing me to have this unforgettable experience.

Ms. Jia WELLS
School: Sasin School of Management (Thailand)
August - September 2022

I'm so thankful that Tsukuba provides me with this great opportunity, and there is no doubt to say this is one of my highlights during Tsukuba MBA-IB. The exchange program with Sasin for 1 module (5 weeks) was a great experience to study with business people who have global aspects and also a great opportunity to learn from professors from various backgrounds. Sasin is not only a great place to learn but also a great place to meet aspiring people. Every class had some group works, and during the group work, I could have deeper interaction with classmates and exchange business ideas. The activities on and off the campus with classmates made my Sasin journey became more special, and sparkle. I appreciate everyone in Sasin helped me to understand and connect with Thailand, and I believe this experience could be valuable for my future career.

Mr. Hajime NISHI
School: Sasin School of Management (Thailand)
May - August 2020

Operation Management:
helicopter project

Online course via zoom

Tsukuba MBA-IB was an unforgettable experience for me. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, learning became virtual via Zoom and started from end of May. However, the learning was quite smooth because of the well preparedness of the professors. I took courses in Spring B and Spring C with 12 varieties of courses. Although classes were very tough, they were worth taking. I took the following courses: Entrepreneurship, two courses in Accounting, three courses in Data analysis, Marketing, Business strategy, two courses in Operations Management, HR and Global Management. The Business strategy, Entrepreneurship and Marketing courses were practical to my current job as a new business development of Corporate Strategy Department. Global and Japanese firm case studies combined with how to apply frame works were truly insightful. Also, Tsukuba has substantial of Data Analysis courses. This was my first time to learn R. I could learn relationship between hypotheses and data. From HR and Operation Management, I could acquire Japanese operational excellence, Japanese typical organization and latest global firm HR system. Tsukuba courses were based on active learning and demanding. Those were very exciting experience! My classmates were all excellent students. They were so kind, friendly and hardworking. Actually, at the end of the spring C course, we had some groupwork every night towards the final group presentation. It was a good memory now. Students also came from variety of countries (ratio 25% around). Through my study experience at SASIN EMBA and working in Thailand, I got to think that I would like to contribute to Japan’s economy in terms of showing Japan’s presence globally. Thus, I chose to study at Tsukuba MBA-IB to gain from Japanese point of view. So, I was very satisfied with this. I recommended the TSSP program.

Ms. Yanisa Dithaluksana
School: Sasin School of Management (Thailand)
December 2019 - January 2020

Ms. Yanisa (front, center in black) with her Tsukuba MBA-IB Classmates

My 2 months at the University of Tsukuba’s MBA-IB program as an exchange student offers me not only academic growth but also personal development. It took me out of my linguistic and cultural comfort zones, as well as empowered me to face any challenges I might face in business and personal area. The offered courses are diverse and well-balance for strengthening both hard and soft skills. The professors are very professional. They have real-life experience and they bring their wealth of their experience and successful career stories to the class. They also share a great passion for knowledge and encourage students to to take initiative and strive for higher standards. During the exchange term I spent at the University of Tsukuba MBA-IB, I realized that it offers a lot more than studying at the top universities in Japan. The MBA experience that offered here transcend the classroom. Over the past three months, I am very enlightened and humbled to have work with many brilliant minds. It helps me gain a broad and sophisticated worldview and diversify my thoughts and values on both business and non-business matters. University of Tsukuba MBA-IB did not only provide internationally friendly atmosphere but also supporting from classmates. It was a great journey with great camaraderie. Studying at University of Tsukuba MBA-IB is definitely adding my MBA life to be more dynamic and a truly transformative experience.

Ms. Panalee PITAKSUTEEPHONG
School: Sasin School of Management (Thailand)
November 2019 - January 2020

Ms. Panalee (front, second from the left)
with her Tsukuba MBA-IB Classmates

Ms. Panalee (left) with her Classmates
and Finance Professor

The three months exchange program at the University of Tsukuba had been a valuable and pleasant experience for me. I decided to enroll to the program because of my interest in the Japanese culture and discipline that shape its society and businesses. I took three completely different courses (Business Model Innovation, Valuation, and Stress Management) where class discussions exposed me to different perspectives and aspects of Japanese businesses and culture. Opinions shared and exchanged by Japanese and non-Japanese classmates broadened up the spectrum of my business knowledge.
Apart from the exceptional academic, I was warmly welcomed by my classmates who are very friendly and helpful. I enjoyed group projects and discussions because the classmates are enthusiastic and cooperative. Outside of class, we had two main gatherings where I got to enjoy different types of Japanese food in the cozy and local restaurants.
Moreover, the flexibility of course selections allowed me to manage my schedules so I could explore different parts of Tokyo and Japan on my free time. It was a good work-life balance for me at Tsukuba.
It is a precious experience and I am glad for this opportunity at the University of Tsukuba.

Mr. Alexander KIM
School: University of California, Irvine (USA)
October - December 2019

Alex KIM (left)

Alex KIM
(back row, second from the right)

My 3 months at Tsukuba University as an exchange student were a life-changing experience, not only in the classroom but also beyond the walls of the university. In school, I have learned a lot from my classmates about the local companies and the Japanese way of doing business. To learn more about the Japanese thinking, perseverance, and the ability to make impossible possible was one of my goals to come to Tsukuba Business School and that goal was achieved. It was insightful to see how some companies rise while others fall and to learn from their successes as well as mistakes. I will always remember Professor Hirai’s “unanswerable” strategy questions and Professor Tan’s candid feedback sessions.
My classmates at Tsukuba were helpful and hospitable. I appreciated our not too often but warm and sincere gatherings. I also had an opportunity to travel around Japan. One of the most memorable stops was the Toyota factory in Toyota city. It was my “dream comes true” moment to see the birthplace of the Toyota Production System.
I would strongly recommend other international students studying at Tsukuba Business School as well as visiting Japan if they have a chance.

Mr. Chi Liu
School: Shanghai University (China)
September - December 2019

Chi Liu (extreme left)

Studying in the University of Tsukuba was an unforgettable experience. From the choice of TSSP-program to the final admission procedures, the whole process was smooth, the professor in charge of this program was careful and responsible. The selection of courses was very flexible, I could choose the courses direction according to my major and interest. All courses were valuable and the professors had well prepared. In the class, students' communication, discussion, and group work were carefully supervised by professors to ensure that students gain something in class. The students were also very friendly and enthusiastic, and it was glad to study and finish team work with them. We also had had two dinner parties in which the pleasant atmosphere and the delicious Japanese food were the best memories. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in TSSP-program, and I also hope that others who participate in this program can gain something at the University of Tsukuba and enjoy the life in Japan.

Mr. Yoshinori OTA
School: University of California, Irvine (USA)
October 2019

It was a great opportunity for me to join UCI The Paul Merage school of Business, MBA/FEMBA program in fall semester as an exchange student for almost three weeks.
TSSP was the one of my major objectives I wanted to participate in during my time at the University of Tsukuba, MBA-IB program. It is to understand overseas business scene more so that I can grow in the global market towards the future. UCI Merage is a heartwarming place.
The most worthwhile asset I got from this experience is the networking with many attractive people there who have strong growth mindset including the exchange students from top level MBA school in the world. In the class, I found some professors use Japanese business topics in their contents.
In the marketing class, we learned how we can obtain customer insights with using actual advertisement cases. It was impressive as I could experience actual feelings class mate have in their usual life scene. I was also given the opportunity to explain Japanese advertisement case in the group discussion. It was an interesting experience to explain the story with the social background.
I appreciate University of Tsukuba for giving me this opportunity again.

Mr. Jingjun JIANG
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany)
Jun - July 2019

Since I began working, I gradually learned a lot of advanced technologies and management concepts of Germany especially in the construction machinery industry that I work in. This has given me a stronger interest in studying in Germany. Fortunately, this time I was given the great opportunity to study at LMU as a short-term exchange student. Moreover, I was able to choose the related courses what I am interested in. Through this period of study, I have a deeper understanding of German thinking of judgment and analysis on business, also I am better exposed and related to the interesting German culture and social life. This experience will definitely help me both academically and professionally. In addition, as a married man with a family, this two-month life alone makes me more grateful for my family and the happiness of my everyday life. In short, this great experience allowed me to harvest more than I expected. Hereby, I would express my sincere thanks to the University of Tsukuba (MBA-IB) for giving me this precious opportunity and I am also grateful to the professors, staff, classmates and friends of LMU for their warm concern and help. Studying at LMU in Germany is an unforgettable experience that I shall cherish for life.

Ms. Yanhong SONG
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany)
Jun - July 2019

I appreciate the great chance given by Tsukuba, studying in Munich School of Management, LMU for around 1.5 months under the TSSP program. I had a great time there and I must say it was a meaningful experience for me. The courses provided at LMU were high level, which was not surprising considering the strong academic background. Though I found it a bit difficult to catch up with the classes as I didn’t start to take the courses from the beginning of the term. This is the reason why I wish I had taken the tutorial courses during my stay which I believe would be helpful for deeper understanding.

Mr.Ryusuke OMICHI
School: City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
October 2018

As I look back on my time spent in City U, I am grateful that I got this opportunity. Even if I stayed for only one week, I have learned a lot, made good memories and met great classmates. I attend only a part of the course, and that is why it was difficult to catch up with the classes. However, I had a productive week since my classmates and professors were very kind and supportive. Undertaking MBA program truly broaden my knowledge. I especially enjoyed lectures about the current situation of Hong Kong business and the analysis of the company in China. Moreover, the professors were sophisticated, inspiring and they helped me focus on learning. Overall, I am very satisfied with this experience and I recommend using the program effectively.

Mr.Hwaho LEE
School: University of San Diego (USA)
September 2018

Hwaho LEE (front row, middle)

Before I entered the MBAIB, going to San Diego was one of my goal. And I had the very big opportunity to study at University of San Diego. Classes are well organized and small sized classes have similar atmosphere to the MBAIB. And they are very interactive. Faculties really focus on discussion in classes and students are very desperate to speak their ideas. The level of discussion is appropriate, and everybody listens very carefully and develop the quality of discussion. That is impressive. I mainly took marketing courses and because of their long period of courses, classes treat topics step by step. Comparing with the MBAIB, they explain a lot of examples and discuss about them a lot. They really focus on the student’s understanding of the contents. But studying among native American English speaker was a tall order for me. I could understand the faculty’s explanation, but discussion with students was very difficult for me. And at first, I felt I could understand them, but as the discussion kept going deeper, I really felt difficulties to catch up with what’s going on. But through this experience, I was stimulated a lot. Competing with global leaders needs a lot of knowledge and experiences. I feel I don’t have both enough. I was very lucky to feel this fact from my heart. Also, I found how to improve American English. I believe all these experiences will help my success in the future.

Ms.Akane TAKEZAKI
School: University of San Diego (USA)
September 2018

First of all, I deeply appreciate this great opportunity provided from the University of Tsukuba and University of San Diego. Without a doubt, we can learn much more from our firsthand experience. San Diego is southern part of California states, so naturally it is really favored both in human resources and opportunities. A lot of well-known and cutting-edge enterprises based closely in the area that makes University of San Diego possible to provide practical experience with those firms as a project base. It is fantastic practice that students try and test to see if learned academic theory can really apply to the real life factors for solving actual issues in firms.
Other noteworthy feature in San Diego University is that a number of different race and
nationality students exist in the campus. It is surprisingly very diversified they are really coming from almost all over the world. This fact has distinct advantage when comes to case study discussions, many perceptions and cultural background spontaneously cultivate great discussion. Even though I have experienced TSSP only in University of San Diego among other university options. I highly recommended University of San Diego to those who want to truly understand how is the real global environment going to be.

Mr.Andreas GNAN
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
June - September 2018

The TSSP-program was an overall great experience for me and I felt welcomed from the very first day. Any kind of problem I faced studying in Japan I was supported by the University of Tsukuba. Over the spring semester in 2018, I participated in six classes in various fields of business regarding marketing, finance, strategy and human resources. This broad spectrum of classes helped me to get a better understanding of what issues companies face in a globalized world. The different national backgrounds of my fellow students were thereby also very helpful to look at problems more open-mindedly in the future. Furthermore, the campus location of the MBA-IB program in Tokyo is great to experience one of the most interesting Cities in the world. I am very thankful to study for a couple of months at the University of Tsukuba.

Ms.Tunyanun UDOMDEEPALANGCHAI
School: Sasin School of Management (Thailand)
April - May 2018

I joined the class of International business for about two months as an Exchange student from Sasin School of Management, Thailand.
I was the only one exchange student in that semester, however everyone welcomed me with kindness and also Japanese style party.
It was a great experience for me to joining this class. I can learn a lot about the culture and the way of thinking of different background people, especially from the Japanese classmates. The activities and group project in the class also the collaboration among the student, opened my mind to more globalize world.
I attended the class of Applied Political Economy, Digital Marketing and Cross cultural business. The class that I choose is really variety that make me see many angle of academic.
Because not all of this class have similar thing in Thailand. However, some class that basically the concept close to Thailand but because of different kind of people lead to really different topic.
In summary, I really thankful and appreciate to have this opportunity.

Mr.Tobias POLLOK
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
October 2017 - February 2018

I had a great time in the classes as well as activities and the interaction with the students here at MBA-IB. I felt ‘included’ and welcomed. Thank you for such a great experience.

Ms.Chikako NOBUHIRA
School: City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
May 2018

I joined the Enterprise Diagnostic Residential Trip together with the MBA students from City University of Hong Kong that took place in Malacca, Malaysia. It was a very short stay, but I have learned the importance of strategic thinking. It was important to grasp big picture and understand where we are at. Collecting information would help to understand that, but without strategy, it wasn’t enough to provide a practical proposal. I could apply what I learned in MBA-IB to the group discussions. And also, I realized the importance of instruction in learning process. On the other hand, when the discussion was heated, the language changed to Cantonese and I couldn't understand it at all. It was a good opportunity to think about how I should behave in such a situation. I believe the experiences through this trip helped broaden my perspectives, and learning motivation for the rest of MBA-IB school life.

Mr.Koji ARIE
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
April - May 2018

Unlike my past TSSP experiences where I either started from the beginning of the term or took independent modules, I found that at times it was difficult for me to catch up with the contents and main concepts of each class (since I didn’t attend from the start of the term and some contents were a continuity from the previous weeks). Apart from one tutorial class, all the classes I took were lecture-based with minimal interaction. That being said, the professors’ delivery skills were very high quality however, students’ engagement in classes were rather low, especially at the undergraduate level. Although I did not select tutorial classes, I should have tried them to be involved in classes to experience a more interactive learning environment. The class slides and material were well organized, and aided my understanding.

Mr.Suyeong YI
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
April - May 2018

Classes are well designed with a good mix of academic and practical application through lectures and tutorials, and students are exposed to the most updated ideas and are very confident in the subject as well. I was really pleased with that experience and grateful for the opportunity to interact with multinational young future leaders and was a great honor to learn from experienced and high profile professors. It was a fruit experience. The questions raised in classes during this program on the connecting innovation strategy and business strategy deeply enlightened and reminded me the importance of logical communication network, design thinking and co-creation for open-innovation. Without a shadow of doubt, this is the worthy program to be taken and I believe that these experiences definitely improve my perspectives on my business project management. Thus, I strongly recommend this program for everyone who wants to see and feel a borderless world.

Ms.Sawako ITO
School: City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
April - May 2018

Sawako ITO (left)

I had decided to apply to TSSP mainly for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to sharpen my understanding of business fundamentals by taking classes which I have already learned last year (MBA-IB). I had believed that I could deepen my understanding by learning with students who had different backgrounds. Secondly, I had wanted to learn with Chinese students since Hong Kong and China have become an important market for my company’s current business. I found that Chinese people kept an open-minded attitude toward learning something new and discussing conflicting or controversial topics. However, most of the students used Chinese when the discussion became too complicated and it sometimes made me feel a sense of alienation. At the same time, I noticed that I also did the same thing in Tsukuba and it might have made some students feel the same. I believe these experiences will enrich my study back in Tsukuba.

Mr.Koji ARIE
School: Grenoble Ecole de Management, Paris Campus (France)
March 2018

This has been an enriching experience. I attended the ‘User Experience’ course managed by two professionals working in the design industry. The classes were intensive, structured around group work and discussions which led me to experience the entire process of UX design. Even though I was there for an extremely short duration, I was able to grasp the entire concept of UX. While the interviews conducted (by the students for the data collection exercise were basically in French) undoubtedly were stressful (as I could not understand), I regarded them as invaluable experiences in teaching me ways to adapt and deal with challenging situations as well as developing resilience to overcome similar situations in the business world.

Photo: Paris campus,Grenoble Ecole De Management

Ms.Yuko SATO
School: Korea University Business School (Korea)
March 2018

This was such an enriching, eye-opening and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
I attended five different courses and was given a breadth of learning opportunities in areas such as Innovation Management, Leadership, and Product Development.
In terms of class content, cases of Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motor were often used by professors. Japanese companies such as Sony, Sanyo, and Toyota were used to draw comparisons.
There was also rich student diversity as there was a high ratio of foreign students (approximately 40% - 50%) from the States and Europe (particularly Scandinavia) attending KUBS.

Mr. Takeshi KOJIMA
School: Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University(Thailand)
February 2018

I enjoyed the active and interactive class environment as well as the chance to interact and exchange information with non-Japanese classmates and international faculties at the top-ranked university in Thailand. This experience helped me develop an understanding of the academic environment in Bangkok as a manager who is taking charge of study abroad coordination in my workplace. After taking high quality of classes with talented classmates, I came to the conclusion that these experiences have without a doubt provided me an opportunity to broaden my perspectives.

Ms.Mieko ODA
School: Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University(Thailand)
February 2018

I was delighted and fascinated to join the MBA programme at Sasin even though it was a very short stay (for a week). It was a very fruitful experience and broadened my horizons from having the opportunity to interact with young and talented future business leaders and by learning from experienced and high-profile
professors. Although the period of stay was limited, I could have a chance to acquire new
skillset and gain enriched learning experiences in marketing analysis, decision making and the concept of venture capitals.

Mr.Yoshiyuki SAKAI
School: Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University(Thailand)
February 2018

Attending Sasin was fruitful experience for me to broaden my horizons in learning how future Asian business leaders in Thailand refine their competence as well as expertise and also helped enrich my professional life further from the interactions that I had with them. Although the period of stay was limited, I could have a chance to equip myself with new learnings and gain better insights into the way of thinking and approaching various disciplines. It was highly stimulating and motivating having studied together with the students there. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage myself to strive for greater heights professionally as well as to improve the quality of my output.

Mr.Koji ARIE
School: University of San Diego (USA)
September 2017

It was the first time for me to attend school abroad.
The classes that I attended were held after 4 pm, where students with full time jobs can attend. The students were a mix of full-time, part-time and exchange students.
I took a variety of classes such as Legal & Social Environment of Business, Marketing for Managers, Organization Change and Design, and Digital Marketing and Social.
Each class had around 20 students. Most of them were conducted in a lecture style infused with very active interaction.Students not only answered the professors’ questions but also asked a lot of questions as if it was a discussion-based class.
What I leant the most was how to learn actively. Through this (TSSP) experience, I feel less shy to speak up in class (in MBA-IB) and meetings (in business).

Ms.Ai WAKABAYASHI
School: Korea University Business School (Korea)
September 2017

I had the opportunity to get to know some young Korean university students at another MBA-IB program in Norway.
During my interactions with them, I realized that I did not have enough knowledge of my neighbouring country.
I felt ashamed and that experience motivated me to learn about South and North Korea and to go on an exchange there.
Classes were well-organized and the style (of classes) was very similar to MBA-IB.
I focused on taking courses in the field of Organizational Behavior as this is the area if my main focus even in the MBA-IB program.
The classes there were so exciting as KUBS offered a mix of both theoretical and practical aspects.
I was able to further deepen my knowledge on the various theories and learn the applications in the real business world.

Mr.Takeuchi SHIGEKI
School: KUniversity of San Diego (USA)
September 2016

University of San Diego(USD) is a private Roman Catholic institution situated on 180 acres overlooking San Diego's beautiful mission bay. The MBA program is provided at a three-story building "OLIN HALL", which is specialized for the MBA course. The number of students are relatively small and the relationship between the faculties and the students seems to be very close as same as at Tsukuba MBA.

I took classes in "Strategic Execution" Casten Zimmermann, PhD (12 hours) and "Financial Management and Analysis" Marko Svetina, PhD (6 hours) during a week. "Strategic Execution" is to provide students with an opportunity to integrate the various topics introduced throughout the program by engaging its strategy execution. We learned the cases, (1) Disney: Losing Magic in the Middle Kingdom (HKU885), (2) Cirque du Soleil – The High-Wire Act of Building Sustainable Partnerships (9-709-411), (3) Tesla Motors, Inc. (MH0032) and (4) Google Car (9-614-022). "Financial Management and Analysis" is a Finance class. By using an example of a portfolio manager's job, the professor explained them in an easy-to-understand manner. My TSSP was a very short period, but experiencing the MBA class in the US was exciting and helped me to know the atmosphere of the course in the MBA-origin country.

San Diego is the base of the US Navy, where "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982, Paramount Pictures) Richard Gere, was filmed, and has a very log-long sea shore, where many surfers seeking "Big Wednesday" are visiting and surfing. This long coast is a motif of the famous music song "California Dreamin' "

Ms. Jia Qiao
TSSP incoming student from Shanghai University (CN)
November 2014 - February 2015

"During I exchange study in Tsukuba University, I learned a lot of professional knowledge. The professors are high level, and the classmates are eager to become well trained managers. Through group study, I learned how to cooperate with people from different countries. In the modern world, it is important to have cross border communication and management ability. Three months are passing quickly. But the exchange study experience is precious and unforgettable. I hope I can come back some day. Thank you every one!"

Ms.Naomi Kitta
TSSP outgoing student at Grenoble Ecole de Management (FR)
February 2015

Grenoble is world capital of science and technology. It is the 5th most inventive city in the world according to Forbes. GEM is ranked in the top 6 in France, top 25 in Europe and top 50 worldwide. GEM is the business school of the world-renowned GIANT innovation campus with an international faculty of more than 700, including full time and guest professionals. The school itself is very international and filled with energy from all around the world.

France is considered as one of centers in fashion and beauty. My interest was particularly in learning luxury brand business in this country for which I chose Grenoble Ecole de Management.

Classes are very interactive, and ideas are shared in all the classes very open. Students are exposed to most updated ideas in the subject, and international students are from a number of different countries such as China, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey and United States. If you want to be in truly international environment, this is a place to go.