Joint Program Courses: A Semester Highlight of Intensive Learning and Exchange

Each semester, the Joint Program Courses (JPC) transform extended holiday weekends into a concentrated period of learning, exchange, and connection. Students from MBA, EMBA, MSc, and short-term exchange programs—taught in both English and Japanese—come together at our flagship Nagoya campus to earn core credits through an intensive three-day format. Courses normally delivered over four days are redesigned into a rigorous schedule that challenges participants academically while encouraging sustained interaction across programs and campuses.

This semester’s JPC welcomed a particularly diverse cohort, including visiting students from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (India), and Michigan Ross School of Business, who joined our Business School specifically for the January intensive period. These short-term participants studied alongside regular degree students, double degree candidates, and semester exchange students who had been enrolled throughout the fall term—making the Joint Program Courses the very first classroom experience at our Business School for many of the visiting students.

Courses offered during this term:

• Driving Strategic Innovation
• Leading Diversity in Organizations
• Leading Global Business
• Designing Organizations
• Driving Competitive Advantage
• Talent Management in the Digital Era

Taught by experienced faculty with deep academic and professional backgrounds, the JPC lineup reflects our Business School’s commitment to practical, discussion-driven learning grounded in real-world business challenges, and have become a once-a-semester focal point for the entire academic community. Students, faculty, and staff alike anticipate this period as an academic “marathon”—an intensive yet rewarding convergence of ideas, perspectives, and people. For students in Japanese-taught programs, English-language courses offer a valuable chance to engage with international peers, while visiting and exchange students gain a deeper understanding of the broader learning environment. The result is a shared experience that extends well beyond the classroom.

Check out class reports for our two Joint Program Courses for international students linked below.