2023 Newsletter TMU Times Vol.8
CONTENTS
- Study abroad programs have resumed!
- Meeting A Tokyo Global Partner Scholarship Program student
- Third Global Discussion Camp
- TMU–UM JOINT SYMPOSIUM: Online, 2023
- Starting from 2024, the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science will accept applications for fall enrollment
Study abroad programs have resumed!
Various outbound programs, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have now resumed. We sent 48 students in the fall of 2022, and plan to send 7 more students to partner universities in various countries in the spring of 2023. Many of the returning students said that students overseas often take the initiative to speak up and actively guide the direction of the class, which is stimulating and feels different from Japanese universities, and that they were able to interact and make friends with people from all over the world, not only through their studies but also through club activities and daily life in the dormitory.
Through our short-term study abroad program, we sent 23 students to Canada in the summer of 2022, and plan to send 11 more to Canada and 3 to Taiwan in the spring of 2023. Many of the students commented that participation in the training program was their first experience overseas, and returning students said that going overseas during the pandemic required a lot of preparation, but that they were glad that they participated in the program. They gained more confidence in themselves through their experiences there, and are considering also taking on the challenge of participating in a medium-to-long-term study abroad program sometime in the future.
In addition, nearly 100 international students who had enrolled in Tokyo Metropolitan University but were unable to enter Japan and who had been receiving instruction online were able to enter the country all at once during the 2022 academic year. Now the number of international students seen on campus has also increased. In October, we received 49 exchange students for the first time in 3 years, and the International Student House has sprung to life once again.
In the 2023 academic year, we will continue to send and receive even more students, and work to further enhance our programs to provide as many students as possible access to a broad range of international experiences.
Meeting A Tokyo Global Partner Scholarship Program student
The Tokyo Global Partner Scholarship Program was started in 2022; the scholarship is awarded to high-achieving students who wish to pursue their graduate education at Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU).
By bringing together students from across the globe, the scholarship aims to promote TMU as an educational and research hub for collaboration and innovation that contributes to the development of Tokyo and beyond.
We spoke with Ms. Hasina Tabassum Chowdhury, who enrolled as a doctoral student after being awarded the scholarship.
Please tell us where you are from.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you about myself. I am from Bangladesh, and I work as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Industrial and Production Engineering at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology in Gazipur. I live in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
What are you planning to study at our university?
I have enrolled as a doctoral student in the Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, which is part of the Graduate School of Systems Design. I am working under the supervision of Professor Koji Kakehi. In my home country, I focused on simulations of stress distribution on carbon nanotubes. Here at TMU, my research is centered around nickel-based superalloys in a selective laser melting machine. During this research, I will explore the properties of the nickel-based superalloy IN718 in different conditions, using the selective laser melting machine. I will also use the machine to simulate the heat transfer analysis of manufacturing IN718. As superalloys play a significant role in aerospace materials, this research will add new dimension to current knowledge on aerospace materials.
How exactly has the scholarship program’s financial aid helped you?
As it is not possible for students from Bangladesh to achieve higher study with our own money, the scholarship is indeed highly beneficial for us. This program’s financial aid helped me to achieve my dream of enrolling in a doctoral program at a renowned university. I feel very happy to have been nominated for the program. Because of the program, I can continue my doctoral study as well as earn a livelihood here with the financial aid.
In general, how is your life in Japan?
When I first came to Japan, I was a bit nervous about the new environment. But as time went on, I became more accustomed to the new life. The thing that surprises me most is the automation process in Japan. Japan is utilizing the highest benefits of technology, and many innovative technological inventions are used in everyday life; these also secure our lives. Although experiencing a language barrier is common here, I try to overcome it using Google Translator. The people of Japan are very charming, helpful and polite, which also impressed me. The people here have a very disciplined lifestyle, which is necessary in life.
What are your thoughts on your future career?
As I am a teacher in my home country, I want to take back to my country the enriched knowledge that I aim to gain here. I then want to implement and share my knowledge with my colleagues as well as my students, and bridge the knowledge gap between Japan and Bangladesh. I also want to perform collaborative research in future.
For more information about the Tokyo Global Partner Scholarship Program, visit:
Tokyo Global Partner Scholarship Program | Tokyo Metropolitan University (tmu.ac.jp)
Third Global Discussion Camp
The third Global Discussion Camp (GDC) was held in a mixed online and in-person delivery mode in August 2022. The GDC is a TMU Strategic Partnerships Program initiative launched in January 2018. The GDC is designed to provide unique opportunities to Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU) and its strategic partners’ undergraduate students to come together, have discussions, present their research, and develop presentation and professional skills. Students from the participating universities were divided into four groups based on the research topics they had selected in advance. From Day 1, they undertook group online assignments and projects, performed field work and excursions together in Tokyo, and discussed their research results at the TMU’s Minami-Osawa Campus under the supervision of TMU faculty members. Finally, to wrap up the GDC, each student group presented what they had learned to the larger TMU community.
GDC THEME
Lessons learned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Group Topic 1: How to utilize the Olympic legacy
Group Topic 2: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Group Topic 3: Enhanced Accessibility for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Group Topic 4: Spirit of Volunteerism Spread through the Olympic and Paralympic Education
DATE & PROGRAM
Date | Program |
August 4 | Online Orientation and Group Work (assignments provided in advance) |
August 15 | Plenary Session Group Work 1 |
August 16 | Interview with Tokyo Metropolitan Government Officials and Tokyo 2020 Games Volunteers Field Work 1 |
August 17 | Excursion: Japan Olympic Museum Field Work 2 |
August 18 | Group Work 2 |
August 19 | Presentation |
*TMU participants took part in an English seminar before the program to prepare for their program participation.
PARTICIPANTS
・Tokyo Metropolitan University: Four undergraduate students
・University of Leicester: Four undergraduate students
・University of Seoul: One undergraduate student
・University of Malaya: Five undergraduate students
PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT (TMU)
・Professor Shin Aiba, Department of Urban Science and Policy, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences
・Associate Professor Shigemi Otsuki, Department of Urban Science and Policy, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences
・Associate Professor Sae Shimauchi, International Center
・Assistant Professor Toshiya Oishi, International Center
・International Affairs Office
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
TMU–UM JOINT SYMPOSIUM: Online, 2023
On January 25, 2023, a joint symposium was held online with Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU) and the University of Malaya (UM), a strategic partner.
At this symposium, UM and TMU agreed to unify a larger and more diverse group of participants from different fields, including astrophysics, social anthropology, social welfare, mechanical engineering, economics and business, medicine, and many other areas. In addition, the event aims to showcase current research in numerous fields, explore possible areas of collaboration between the two institutions, and improve the quality of future research projects. These objectives were undeniably achieved.
In the meantime, the President of TMU, Professor Dr. Takaya Ohashi, and the Vice Presidents, Professor Dr. Masao Ayabe and Takashi Hotta, actively exchanged ideas with the representatives of the University of Malaya: Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Shaliza Ibrahim and other professors regarding potential future projects centered around research exchange.
INTRODUCTION
This symposium acts as a platform that enables researchers and organizations to share valuable information and experience, which will subsequently contribute to more refined research projects being performed. The TMU–UM Joint Symposium aims to improve the quality of future research projects by exchanging insights via oral presentations. The anticipated participation by the guest will allow a more significant contribution to achieving the maximum impact. The TMU–UM Joint Symposium will be conducted online (webinar).
OBJECTIVES
・To provide an interactive online platform by showcasing and sharing the experience of research projects led by either UM or TMU researchers.
・To support the research projects via exchanging ideas and opinions, as well as sharing cutting edge, latest, and more effective practices in handling research projects that could impact cities and nations.
・To attract collaboration opportunities via digital platforms with adaptation to the post-pandemic “new normal.”
THEME
Emergent Research and Social Implementation: Increasing Research Impact Through Partnerships
PROGRAM
Opening Remarks by Professor Dr. Takaya Ohashi, President of the TMU, and Professor Ir. Dr. Shaliza Ibrahim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the UM
![]() |
![]() |
Plenary Session
・Professor Ir. Dr. Fatimah Binti Ibrahim
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UM
![]() |
![]() |
・Professor Dr. Yutaka Ito
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, TMU
![]() |
![]() |
Parallel Sessions (Presentation and Discussion)
Breakout Room 1 Natural Sciences | Breakout Room 2 Humanities & Social Sciences |
Prof. Naoyuki Kubota and Assistant Prof. Takenori Obo Prof. Ming Yang Associate Prof. Ezoe Yuichiro Associate Prof. Dr. Najihah Mohd Hashim Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Dr. Nuradilla Mohd Fauzi Prof. Ir. Dr. Chong Wen Tong Associate Prof. Dr. Jeyraj Selvaraj Associate Prof. Dr. Khor Sook Mei Moderator: |
Associate Prof. Shin-ichiro Ishida Associate Prof. Shinichi Murota Associate Prof. Ryo Izawa Emeritus Prof. Dr. Azirah Hashim Dr. Donnie Adams Paramasivam Dr. Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain Associate Prof. Dr. Kwek Kian Teng Prof. Tan Maw Pin Dr. Jillian Ooi Lean Sim Moderator: |
![]() |
![]() |
Closing Remarks by Professor Dr. Masao Ayabe, Vice President for International Affairs, TMU
![]() |
OTHER
Number of participants: Approximately 60 faculty, graduate students, and staff of TMU and UM
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starting from 2024, the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science will accept applications for fall enrollment
Course Highlights
We offer life-changing education and the opportunity of ground-breaking discoveries in the molecular to ecological sciences. Our curriculum is designed to provide students with a robust foundation in cutting-edge science and the skills and knowledge necessary for a productive scientific career. Join us for an immersive experience in biology.
- Courses offered in English
- Various hands-on field and laboratory courses available
- Small class sizes with active learning
- International collaborations with partner universities across the globe
- Empowering the next generation of scientists
![]() |
For more information, visit Tokyo Metropolitan University’s (TMU) website:
Tokyo Metropolitan University | TMU Full Undergraduate Biological Science Curriculum in English
Admission
Applications for the fall semester (October) enrollment will be available in April 2024!
Financial Support
Undergraduate students can apply for either full or half exemption, as well as installment payments of the tuition fees after entering TMU.
For the latest information, see the TMU admissions office website:
Study at TMU :: Study at TMU | Tokyo Metropolitan University