Committed to promoting student and scholar exchange with outstanding institutions from around the world, Waseda University recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes a framework to collaborate in double degree programmes with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), which actively pursues new opportunities to develop innovative teaching collaborations with world-renowned universities.

The signing of the MoU was done by Prof. Aiji Tanaka (President of Waseda University), and Prof. Rocky S. Tuan (Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK). At the signing ceremony, Prof. Masahiko Gemma (Vice President for International Affairs and US-Japan Research Institute at Waseda) and Prof. Wong Suk-ying (Associate Vice-President at CUHK), as well as senior representatives from both universities were also present to witness the event.

Waseda and CUHK will introduce double undergraduate degree programmes focusing on social science disciplines in the first instance. The first programme to be launched in the academic year 2019–20 will pair the BA in Social Science—Transnational and Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Innovation—at Waseda and BSSc in Global Studies Programme at CUHK. Participating students will spend the first two years at their home institution and the last two years at the partner university as a basic course structure. Upon successful completion of the graduation requirements, students will be awarded with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Waseda and a Bachelor of Social Science degree from CUHK. Another double degree programme with Waseda’s BA in International Liberal Studies Programme is under planning.

Prof. Aiji Tanaka remarked, “We, all the faculty members, administrative staff and students at Waseda University, are honoured to have signed a new MoU for double degree programmes with CUHK. CUHK is a comprehensive research university with a global vision and a deep-rooted Chinese culture and tradition of multiculturalism. Considering that CUHK is an internationally renowned centre of excellence in education and research and that Waseda University is now the most globalised university in Japan, the newly established double degree programme will certainly enhance the quality of education in both universities. Students who participate in the programme will also be able to acquire new and broader perspectives while studying at their respective host university. Thus, this new double degree programme between Waseda and CUHK will contribute to our efforts in fostering a new generation of leaders who can excel on the global stage.”

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan said, “We are excited to be working with Waseda, our long-time partner and a world-class university in Japan. The double degree programme will allow students to benefit from the quality teaching of the two universities, experience different cultures and learning environments, and build their global competencies and competitiveness. We expect the programme will attract some of the top achievers who look forward to challenging themselves with an academically rigorous curriculum that we have jointly developed with Waseda.”

Waseda and CUHK have a long history of collaboration with the first formal partnership established in 2002. The two universities have since developed multi-faceted partnerships, covering student and faculty exchange. Both universities are founding members of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education and part of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.

Waseda University

Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university which has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. Today, the student body at Waseda is approximately 50,000, over 7,900 of whom are from overseas, hailing from 125 countries.

For more information of Waseda, please visit www.waseda.jp/top/en

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Founded in 1963, CUHK is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West.  Under the University’s unique collegiate system, the programmes and activities offered by its nine colleges complement the formal curricula by delivering whole-person education and pastoral care. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All faculties are actively engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines, with an array of research institutes and research centres specialising in interdisciplinary research of the highest quality.

CUHK is recognised as the most innovative university in Hong Kong for the fourth consecutive year and is ranked 26th in the Asia-Pacific region by Reuters’ latest “Asia Pacific Region’s Most Innovative Universities” listing.  The University currently has more than 1,000 granted patents in different jurisdictions worldwide. Some of these patents have been licensed to relevant industries that help bring these innovations to the market to benefit society. In academic year 2018-19, CUHK has received 202 granted patents and filed 315 patent applications for inventions developed in the areas of medical technology, biotechnology, information technology, telecommunications, and materials science.

For more information of CUHK, please visit www.cuhk.edu.hk