Graduate School of Global Food Resources
Self-Assessed Progress Report

Period: 2017 - 2018

Hokkaido University

July 2019

Contents
I．Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3
1.

Educational Principles and Goal .................................................................................... 3

2.

History ............................................................................................................................ 3

3.

Organizational Structure ................................................................................................ 3

4.

Organizational Reform and Vision for the Future .......................................................... 4

5.

Midterm Plan (Third Term: April 2016 – March 2022) ................................................. 8

II．Education in Detail ......................................................................................................... 10
1.

Educational Objectives and Features ........................................................................... 10(1) Objectives(2) Features

2.

Education Implementation System .............................................................................. 14(1) Faculty Organization(2) Education Implementation System(3) Approach Toward Educational Improvement and Reforms

3.

Educational Quality Improvement and Educational System........................................ 18(1) Educational Reform and Implementation System(2) Faculty Development(3) Class Questionnaires

4.

Admission of Students ................................................................................................. 19(1) Admission Policy for Master’s Course(2) Admission Procedures(3) AO Exam
(4) Admission Quota and Capacity(5) Enrollment and Capacity(6) Admission of Working Students(7) Admission of International Students

5.

Educational Content and Good Practices ..................................................................... 22(1) Curriculum Organization(2) Educational Good Practices

1

6.

Educational Outcomes.................................................................................................. 25(1) Students’ Acquired Academic Skills, Qualities and Abilities(2) Students’ Evaluation of Learning(3) Students’ Evaluation of Educational Outcomes7.

Support for Students ..................................................................................................... 26(1) Guidance for Students(2) Guidance for Working Students(3) Guidance for International Students(4) Admission/Tuition Fee Waivers and Scholarships(5) Commendation System

8.

Implementation of Educational Activities (outside the educational organization) .... 28

Attached Materials ................................................................................................................. 292

I.

Introduction

1.

Educational Principles and Goal
Originating from the four basic principles of this university (i.e., Frontier Spirit, Global
Perspectives, All-round Education, and Practical Learning), the educational principle of thisgraduate school is to raise talented and capable individuals who;
✓ Have broad perspectives on a global scale combined with a deep interest in local society,✓ Understand the importance of food resources as a survival strategy in the twenty-first century,✓ Have a noble spirit that rejects selfishness and seeks to contribute to the human society.
Based on the educational principles above, we raise future international leaders who understandthe diverse and multilayered food resource problems facing the world and are capable of presenting
specific solutions to these problems and putting them into practice.
To that goal, we conduct leading, academic, and synthetic educational research that integrates
humanities and sciences. The educational goal is to produce talented individuals endowed with bothwide-ranging knowledge and capability of understanding the world's food-resource problems from acomprehensive perspective and the expertise to be able to suggest solutions to those problems andput them to practice.
2.

History
April 1, 2017

Graduate School of Global Food Resources founded.

3.

Organizational Structure (Figure 1)
The graduate school has a dean, who manages all operations of the school as the operating
director. A candidate for the dean is selected by a vote of the full-time professors in the graduate
school at the Faculty Council Meeting. Information on the selected candidate is reported to thepresident of Hokkaido University, who appoints the dean. The school also has a vice dean, who
supports the dean, and the dean appoints the vice dean from among the full-time professors at thegraduate school. Graduate school faculty members are classified into the three groups of
Production, Environment and Governance, and each group has a chair. The chair, who is selectedfrom among the full-time or specially appointed professors or associate professors at the school,supervises the operations of the group on behalf of the group and acts as a liaison and coordinatorwithin and beyond the group.
The school has a Faculty Council, which offers opinions to the president; 1) on the selection ofdean candidate, 2) on the admission, expulsion, re-enrollment, disciplinary punishment, completionand degree conferment of students, 3) on the selection of faculty candidates of the school, and 4) on
curriculum organization. The council also discuss important matters on the school. Members of theFaculty Council include a full-time professor, associate professors, assistant professors andspecially appointed academic staff (including specially appointed professors, associated professors,3lecturers and assistant professors. In principle, the Faculty Council meets every month, and an
extraordinary meeting is held if necessary.
Under the Faculty Council, standing committees on personnel affairs, general affairs,
accounting, education, admission exam, public relations, etc. are established for discussions on
related matters. Besides, we place special committees as needed, and discuss advice other than theabove or matters in need to be addressed.

Figure 1. Organizational structure

4. Organizational Reform and Vision for the Future1) Education that integrates the humanities and the sciences with the participation of diverse faculty
members from multiple departments
Since academic 2005, Hokkaido University has gradually been introducing the “graduate
school/research faculty system,” under which the previous graduate school organization has been
divided into an educational organization to which students belong, and a research organization towhich faculty members belong. This system has enabled us to redistribute educational resources in
the university without being bound by the research areas of individual faculty members, and toforge a “multi-stream educational organization” to take advantage of the strength of the4comprehensive university.
The Graduate School of Global Food Resources has built an interdisciplinary educational
system with the participation of diverse faculty members. Those are; Research Faculty ofAgriculture, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Research Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,
Research Faculty of Economics and Business, Research Faculty of Education, Research Faculty ofMedia and Communication, Research Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Research Faculty of
Health Sciences, and other faculties (Table 1).
The Research Faculty of Education left this cooperative framework in academic 2018 due tothe retirement of a faculty member, but the Research Faculty of Engineering has joined thestructure. With the cooperation of multiple departments, education that integrates the humanities
and the sciences are provided.
Table 1. Number of full-time faculty members
School year

2017

2018

Department／Job Title

Prof.

Assoc.
Prof.

Lecturer

Assist.
Prof.

Prof.

Assoc.
Prof.

Lecturer

Assist.
Prof.

Research Faculty of Agriculture

5

4

3

2

4

4

3

1

Field Science Center for
Northern Biosphere11Faculty of Fisheries Sciences

1

1

Faculty of Economics andBusiness

1

1

Faculty of Education

1

Research Faculty of Media
Communication

1

1

Faculty of Environmental Earth
Science11Faculty of Health Sciences

1

1

Faculty of Engineering
Subtotal
Total

1
9

7

3
21

2

7

7

3

2

19

The Graduate School of Global Food Resources had 21 full-time faculty members when it wasestablished in 2017, but there are 18 full-time faculty members as of April 2019. Over the past two
years, circumstances such as retirement and transfer to other universities have led to the loss of
three full-time faculty members. They have not yet been replaced.

5Budgets of national universities, especially the Management Expenses Grants from the central
government continue to be reduced at all the national universities across the country, which also
leads to the tightening of faculty expenses. Hokkaido University plans to reduce faculty expenses
by 7.5% during our 3rd Mid-term Goals Period (the six years from 2016 to 2021). As a result, there
have been cases where handling of personnel has not been smooth. This has led to a situation where
the faculty has no leeway in any department, so there is no room for cooperation between the
Graduate School of Global Food Resources and other departments.
Despite these circumstances, we must secure a certain number of faculty members to ensurethat the educational philosophy and goals set forth by the Graduate School are achieved. We mustalso continue to establish links with the institutes outside the university to bring in faculty fromthose institutes through cross-appointment.
2) International Education in Collaboration with GI-CoRE
To promote international collaborative research and education, the Global Institution for
Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE) of Hokkaido University was established in April
2014. Currently, GI-CoRE has six global stations (GS), where collaborative research and education
with top-notch educational and research units from overseas are promoted. To further develop
research results obtained at these global stations toward education, new educational organizations
are to be established. The Graduate School of Global Food Resources is a new graduate school thatwas created based on collaboration with the Global Station for Food, Land and Water Resources(GSF) (Figure 2).
The GS initiative is a distinctive feature of Hokkaido University whereby faculty members
from overseas universities may be assigned to Hokkaido University through cross-appointments.
The Global Station for Food, Land and Water Resources has cross-appointed multiple faculty
members of overseas universities. The educational system of the Graduate School of Global Food
Resources has been planned through discussions with these overseas faculty members. Efforts arebeing made to build a stronger research and education system through multiple international forums
organized by GI-CoRE, study meetings, and workshops to promote collaborative research.
In the master’s course, lectures were given by 14 faculty members from overseas universities inacademic 2017 and by eight such faculty members in academic 2018. The overseas universities
included the University of California Davis, the University of Wisconsin, the University of
Massachusetts Amherst, Iowa State University and other U.S. universities; Paris Diderot University
and other European universities; and the University of Sydney.
Besides, leading researchers from overseas universities, including Washington State University(USA), Lincoln University (New Zealand), and Kasetsart University, will participate in GSF.
Through seminars and other events, students of the graduate school will have opportunities for daily
exchanges with overseas researchers. Such a learning environment is indispensable for thedevelopment of individuals with global perspectives.

6

From the long view on the faculty structure, it is necessary for us to continue securing a diverse
array of human resources for our faculty. Regarding the diversification of faculty members amidst
budgetary constraints, if large amounts of external funding can be introduced, the budget will allow
for faculty members to be hired. The acquisition of external funding is another effort that must be
promoted.
3) Inviting multiple part-time lecturers
At the Graduate School of Global Food Resources, lectures have been given not only by fulltime faculty members of the graduate school and those of GI-CoRE, but also by faculty members
from other departments within Hokkaido University, including the Research Faculty of Advanced
Life Science and the Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine. The number of such lecturers was 14
in academic 2017 and 11 in 2018.
In addition, a former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Sri Lanka andfaculty members from other universities have given lectures as part-time faculty members. The
number of such lecturers was two in academic 2017 and five in academic 2018.
Excellent faculty members and researchers from Oregon State University, the University ofWashington, the University of Florida, the University of Western Australia, Seoul National
University, the University of Minho and other overseas universities have also given lectures as parttime faculty members. The number of such lecturers was seven in academic 2017 and 15 in 2018.

Figure 2. Global Station for Food, Land and Water Resources (GSF) at the Global Institute forCollaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE)

7

5.

Mid-term Goals and Mid-term Plans (Third Term: April 2016 – March 2022)

Table 2. Graduate School of Global Food Resources Mid-term Plans(Third Term: April 2016 – March 2022)
Ⅰ. Measures to be taken to achieve the goals related to improvement in the quality of university
education and research
1. Measures to achieve the goals related to education(1) Measures to achieve the goals related to educational content and outcomes
1) Provide all lectures in English for the master’s program.
2) In collaboration with the Research Faculty of Agriculture and other institutes, promote the projectwith emerging countries of tropical Asia to form educational and research bases in Asia.
3) Implement educational programs involving overseas faculty.
4) Provide interdisciplinary and international education beyond the boundaries between thehumanities and the sciences.
5) Promote active learning through Wandervogel Study.
6) Introduce self-study programs in English.
7) Implement active learning in ethics subject.
8) Provide a lecture, “International Understanding,” to develop global leadership.
9) Create a curriculum map.
10) Introduce the quarter system.
11) Formulate an assessment policy.
12) Consider the establishment of joint educational programs with overseas universities after the
doctoral program is started.
(2) Measures to achieve the goals related to the education implementation system
1) Utilize the Center for Teaching and Learning of Hokkaido University, and implement an
independent faculty development program to enhance the faculty’s education/educational
supportability.
(3) Measures to achieve the goals related to support for students
1) Establish a student guidance system featuring multiple faculties soon after admission to respondflexibly to each student’s learning progress.
2) To enhance support for students with disabilities, expand the cooperative system among schoolstaff members, and raise the faculty’s awareness through the faculty development program.
(4) Measures to achieve the goals related to admission procedures
1) Circulate admission information through overseas liaison offices.
2) Expand examinations for international students by using English proficiency certification tests andother measures.

83. Measures to achieve the goals related to education and research focused on collaboration
with society, social contribution and the community
1) Publicize outcomes of education and research through HUSCAP (Hokkaido University Collection of
Scholarly and Academic Papers).
2) Hold a series of seminars involving overseas faculties to deepen interaction with the citizen andcontribute to regional development.
4. Measures to achieve other goals(1) Measures to achieve goals related to globalization
1) Utilize and reflect the outcomes of the international collaboration of the GI-CoRE Global Station for
Food, Land and Water Resources, in the education of the Graduate School of Global Food
Resources.
2) Establish education and research bases in multiple countries through the project with emerging
countries of tropical Asia.
3) Promote the Summer Institute using the provided courses.
4) In collaboration with the Graduate School of Agriculture and other schools, promote the Learning
Satellite program with overseas universities.
5) Develop collaborative educational programs with overseas universities to promote student
exchange between Japanese and overseas students.
6) Dispatch students for exchange events at overseas universities.
7) Create and apply a safety management manual for students traveling overseas.
8) Appropriately collect students’ study experiences and utilize for promotional activities.
9) Promote collaboration with Hokkaido University Ambassadors and Partners.

9II. Education in Detail
1. Educational Objectives and Features(1) Objectives
The Graduate School of Global Food Resources has established the following missions todevelop personnel who can propose and implement specific solutions to the world’s food resource
issues, and provides multidisciplinary education that transcends the conventional boundaries
between the humanities and sciences.
1. To solve global issues concerning food and the resources that essential for food production,such as water and land
2. To overcome withstand climate change issues through the development and popularization of
new agricultural technology and methods for creating and preserving production environments
3. To establish systems to ensure safety for all people and fair division and supply of food on a
global scale
4. To foster glocally (globally and locally) minded personnel who can think globally and act
locally
5. To develop creative leaders of international teams who possess an indomitable spirit andtechniques for creating new resources
6. To develop quick-acting personnel with both specialist knowledge and practical skills who canthink on their feet in initiatives to contribute to economic development in JapanThe course will also provide a generalist education on problem-solving methodology,
equipping future personnel with the following four skills:
1. Taking action: The ability to engage in problem-solving, based on accurate analysis ofsituations and strong communication skills
2. Integration: The ability to understand the realities of global and local issues from a broad,comprehensive and multifaceted perspective and apply knowledge from both the humanities
and the sciences
3. Organization: The ability to engage in discussions and negotiations for the purpose ofinternational cooperation and drive projects with strong leadership skills
4. Fundamental problem solving: The ability to identify the root of an issue and propose specificmethodology that will lead to a solution
In the doctoral course, which began on April 1, 2019, education and research are deepened todevelop specialists with comprehensive strengths who can present multifaceted solutions (Figure 3).

10T-Type Personnel Training Curriculum
T-Type Personnel Training Curriculum
Distinctive Curriculum Composition

Master’s
Program

ActionUnifiedOrganize【Wandervogel
Study】【Curriculum that
Integrates the
Humanities andSciences】
Introductory Courses
Themed Courses【Led by Business
People from Outsideof the University】

Wandervogel Training,
Pre- and Post-Exercises

Special Lectures in Food
Resources
Special Exercises inFood Resources

Basic approach【Problem Based
Learning】
Exercises in Food
Resource Studies
Research in Food
Resource Studies

Master’s Degree
AwardedAdvanced approach

Doctoral Program【Problem Based
Learning】

DoctorateAwardedTruly integrating humanities and sciences, different fields, and new, complex
academic disciplines Born from practical “dialogue”
the between faculty and students⚫ World-Class Foreign Instructors Invited➢ In order for this university (which is efficient in foodproduction education) to strengthen its stance andfooting, we invite experts in basic scientific fields suchas food analysis, biomaterials, and all other fields suchas distribution, policy, trade, and food culture.
⚫ Education that Integrates the Humanities
and Sciences➢ Based on research guidance from multiple instructors in
different specialized fields, we implement “multieducation” for understanding the modern world’s
situation, economics, history, folklore, philosophy, andso on.
➢ Education that integrates humanities and sciences isplanned by instructors in “the sciences” of agriculture,engineering, and health, and “the humanities” ofeducation and economics.
⚫ Wandervogel Study➢ Emphasizes local sites and fosters the spirit of practicallearning through mid/long-term study stays at various
domestic or overseas locations.
⚫ Master’s/Doctoral Program Education in English➢ All education (lectures/training/exercises) is conducted
in English.
⚫ Consistent Education in Technological Systems➢ By means of a consistent education from environmental
conservation to food production, we train talented,
pioneering individuals with international negotiation
abilities commonly used throughout the world.
⚫ Mixed Education with Working Adults and Students➢ We accept working adults who wish to relearn and open
up specialized graduate school education for diverse
students who will diligently apply in the future.

Figure 3. Education in the Graduate School of Global Food Resources with T-type personnel training
curriculum11(2) Features
1) Comprehensive education covering “Production, Environment, and Governance”
To provide education toward the resolution of growing global food resource problems, acomprehensive understanding of the food resource problems from the three perspectives isnecessary. 1) Production, a field involving food production, food processing, fishery product andother food manufacturing, fungi, genomes, genetic resources, and food health management; 2)
Environment, a field involving land and water resource management and conservation, forest
resources, agricultural machinery, molecular materials, biological environments, geosciences, andecosystem monitoring; 3) Governance, a field involving global economy, international politics,
agricultural economy, agricultural statistics, and regional economy. To this end, it is essential toprovide interdisciplinary international education that integrates the humanities and the sciences.
In the first year, students take an introductory subject that is common to all the food resource
fields as well as taking individual intro subjects in Production (P), Environment (E) and
Governance (G) as compulsory subjects. Subjects related to P/E/G other than introductory subjects
are also provided. Concerning the wide range of topics, four subjects are provided for each of P, E,
and G, and to complete the course; students are required to take at least six subjects (six credits)from among them. A variety of subjects are also provided for each of P, E, and G as elective
subjects. Students can take them not only in the first year but also in their second year.
This curriculum allows students to learn about systematized food resource knowledge andtechnologies and expecting them to acquire flexible thinking and profound insight to deal with foodresource problems.
2) Wandervogel Study
The Graduate School of Global Food Resources holds fieldwork subjects called Wandervogel
Study (Table 3). Through these subjects, students visit locations in Japan and overseas to gain
firsthand knowledge of the realities of issues concerning food resources. This provides educational
development as they become aware of food resource issues around the world, and autonomously
and proactively link these issues to their areas of interest.

12

Table 3. Outline of Wandervogel Studies
Course Name

Main
Year

Number of Credits

Wandervogel
Study in Global
Food

１

Compulsory

１１Compulsory

１２Compulsory
elective

Independent study efforts for solving
１

Recognize the challenges within

Wandervogel
Food

２

Compulsory
elective

agricultural groups/local governments,
１

problems within Japan.

Wandervogel
Research
Global Food
Resources V

and independently study efforts forsolving and improving food-resource

Resources IV

Internship inand improving various food-resource
problems in various parts of the world.

Resources III

Study in Global

and improving food-resource problems

Myanmarin Developing Countries.

Wandervogel
Food

Denmark

Independent study efforts for solving

Resources II

Study in Global

and improving food-resource problems
in Developed Countries.

Wandervogel
Food

Main Training
Site

Independent study efforts for solving

Resources I

Study in Global

Objective/Content

２Compulsory
elective[１]*

Multiple(various
overseas
locations)
Multiple(various
domestic
locations)

Deepen expertise and conduct master’sMultiplethesis research/research on designated(various

topics at sites outside of school such as

overseas /governments, research institutions, anddomestic

corporations at home and abroad.

locations)※Subjects where the number of credits is in [ ] are taken through multiple class titles, and they
may be taken as any one of those subjects.

13

2. Education Implementation System[the analysis item](1) Faculty Organization
This graduate school is comprised of 21 full-time faculty members (at the time of establishment
on April 1, 2017; 18 as of March 31, 2019) under university-wide cooperation beyond the previous
undergraduate and graduate education (Figure 4, Table 4). Each of the members belongs to one of
the following groups:
Production: Group of the full-time faculty members from the Research Faculty of Agriculture,
the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, the Research Faculty of Education, and the
Research Faculty of Health Sciences.
Environment: Group of the full-time faculty members from the Research Faculty ofAgriculture, the Research Faculty of Engineering, and the Research Faculty of Environmental Earth
Science.
Governance: Group of the full-time faculty members from the Research Faculty of Agriculture,
the Research Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, the Research Faculty of Economics and Business, andthe Research Faculty of Media and Communication.
Teaching staff from other departments at Hokkaido University and those from overseas
universities are assigned to the school as part-time staff. Teaching staff from overseas research
institutes and other domestic universities are also assigned as part-time staff to provide a wide
variety of educational programs that integrate humanities and sciences. Teaching staff from the
Research Faculty of Fisheries Sciences on the Hakodate Campus also teach as full-time staff.

Table 4. Numbers of faculty members
Group NameProf.

Assoc. Prof.

Lecturer

Assist. Prof.

Total

Production

3

2

1

1

7

Environment

1

4

1

1

7

Governance

3

1

1

0

5

Total

7

7

3

2

19

14

Figure 4. Faculty Organization(2) Education Implementation System
1) In the graduate school, matters of curricula, education, and operations are discussed by theStudent Affairs Committee before being determined at the Faculty Council of the graduate school.
2) An Educational Guidance Committee comprising an instructor and two assistant instructors
is formed for each student shortly after the course begins (mid-April). The faculty makes use of thebenefits of this multi-instructor approach, building a flexible instruction framework that approaches
the subject matter from a wide range of perspectives. Care is taken to ensure that each committee
comprises faculty from different areas of study (see attached material 1, “Organization policy of
the Educational Guidance Committee”).
3) In the academic degree examination of the graduate school, after the preliminary
examination by the Educational Guidance Committee and the examination of eligibility to submit athesis, the oral defense is evaluated by the Thesis Examination Committee based on the thesis

15evaluation standards, and then degree conferment is determined by the Faculty Council and theresult is sent to the president of Hokkaido University (see attached material 2, “Organization
Policy of the Thesis Examination Committee”).
(3) Approach Toward Educational Improvement and Reforms
To develop global leaders who are engaged in resolving growing problems of global foodresources, the Graduate School of Global Food Resources has developed a curriculum that gives
students exposure to food resource problems in national and international settings and allows themto resolve the issues based on that exposure, and provides “T-type” personnel education system thatcombines comprehensive basic education and field-oriented specialized education (Figure 3). The
establishment of a graduate school that develops global leaders will lead to the formation of aninternational hub for education and research on food resources.
1) Comprehensive education covering Production, Environment and Governance
To provide education toward the resolution of growing global food resource problems, it isnecessary to comprehensively understand food resource issues from the three perspectives of
Production, Environment and Governance. To this end, the school provides interdisciplinaryinternational education that integrates the humanities and the sciences. An Educational GuidanceCommittee comprised of a supervisor and sub-supervisors is also formed for each student to createa system under which the student can learn systematized food resource knowledge and techniquesfrom faculty members in specialized fields.
2) Education in English
The graduate school provides its education all in English. In addition to full-time educators,
researchers and non-Japanese part-time lecturers in diverse fields who gather at GI-CoRE havediscussions in English at the class and the Luncheon Seminar.
Students who have been admitted to the master’s course immediately have opportunities toimprove their English skills at the Intensive Course and the E-learning Course taught by lecturers
from language education company.
3) Wandervogel Study
The Graduate School of Global Food Resources holds field work subjects called Wandervogel
Study (Table 3). Through these subjects, students visit locations inside and outside Japan to gain
firsthand knowledge of the realities of issues concerning food resources. This provides educational
development as they become aware of food resource issues around the world and autonomously andproactively link these issues to their own areas of interest.
Wandervogel Study is provided as a fieldwork subject, which is a distinctive feature of thisgraduate school. Wandervogel I to V are provided in the master’s course, and VI in the doctoral

16

course. The last two year’s Wandervogel Study implemented in the master’s course achieved asignificant learning effect; students recognized various initiatives in the real world throughfieldwork that included pre- and post-study. According to the follow-up survey, participating
students themselves feel a high sense of achievement.
In Wandervogel Study, full attention is given to the safety of students, such as by having
multiple faculty members to accompany the students up to the study location, and by arranging for
vaccinations before training.

Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] At the expected level[Reason] We judged to be at the expected level from the following reasons: Enough faculty
members to maintain the educational activities have been secured since the school’s
establishment in academic 2017. An educational guidance system and an academic
degree examination system are prepared. The first master’s course student of thisgraduate school finished their degree at the end of academic 2018.

17

3. Educational Quality Improvement and Educational System[the analysis item](1) Educational Reform and Implementation System
In order to continue to achieve high levels of student satisfaction and educational achievement,
we need to continue to improve our curriculum, develop an appealing syllabus, and catch up witheven better teaching and learning methods.
In part of our curriculum, however, there is overlap in the extent of the subjects. Also, somestudents from various backgrounds may find some classes overly technical. We recognize that the
curriculum must be constantly checked and reformed.
(2) Faculty Development
We are recommending to all our affiliated faculty members to take and learn numerous and wide
variety of training course and lectures arranged for the faculty development of our university teaching
staff. Notably, in keeping with the graduate school’s focus on overseas education such as the
Wandervogel Study and fieldwork, we invited a speaker from the Otaru Quarantine Station (Ministryof Health, Labour and Welfare) in January 2018 and had a lecture on infectious diseases and its
preventive measures during traveling overseas.
(3) Class Questionnaires
A class questionnaire was conducted in academic 2017 and 2018.
The results for academic 2018 showed that more than 75% of answers were favorable for all
items. In some items, the percentage of favorable responses exceeded 80% and showed excellent
results: “the goal and details of courses and evaluation method in the syllabus were easy to understand”(88%); “classes were satisfying as a whole” (84%); and “classes were intellectually stimulating, andmade me want to study more” (84%).
Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] Exceeds the expected level[Reason] We judged to exceed the expected level, because more than three-fourths of allquestions on the class questionnaire received favorable answers on average, whichmeans high ratings from students. It is also so judged because awareness ofeducational quality enhancement is maintained at a high level through the faculty
development seminar on overseas training and fieldwork and through efforts toimprove the curriculum for higher levels of student satisfaction and academic
achievement.

18

4. Admission of Students [the analysis item](1) Admission Policy for Master’s Course
Under the four basic principles of Hokkaido University (i.e., Frontier Spirit, Global
Perspectives, All-round Education and Practical Learning), the Graduate School of Global Food
Resources call for the students who;✓✓✓

acquire both wide perspectives on a global scale and deep understanding on local societies,
are aware of the importance of food resources in the 21st century’s strategy for survival,
have a noble spirit and a willingness to abandon selfishness and contribute to human society

In more specific terms, we are seeking students who are keen to;✓ approach and solve problems with a broad perspective that encompasses the humanities andsciences,✓ receive hands-on, practical education in both national and international settings,✓ take the initiative to search for, identify, solve, raise and examine issues,✓ work in a global society with a pioneer spirit,✓ develop strong communication skills, team work and turning ideas into action,✓ seek the diverse practical job opportunities beyond academic research.
The Graduate School of Global Food Resources willing to accepts students from a wide varietyof backgrounds, with the aim of finding highly ambitious and talented students and providing themwith an education that encompasses the humanities and sciences to foster personnel that will meetsociety’s wide-ranging needs.
(2) Admission Procedures
For Master’s course, students are selected through a comprehensive assessment comprising 1)
an English proficiency test, 2) a short essay exam, and 3) an oral test. Selection is conducted by the
Admission Exam Committee, undertaken by the dean, the vice dean, a faculty member from eachfield and other person deemed necessary by the dean.
The general entrance exam is carried twice a year. In addition, we have a special entrance
exam for international students. They can make their applications online, and interviews are
conducted by email or Skype to make the process easier for overseas nationals who wish to apply
for the course.
(3) AO Exam
It is no AO Exam system (admission based on recommendation) for this school.
(4) Admission Quota and Capacity

19The admission quota for the master’s course has been 15 students since its establishment on April
2017 (Table 5).
Table 5. Admission quota and capacity in the Graduate School of Global Food Resources
2017
Master’s Degree Program
Major Name

Admission
quota

Number of Enrollees
1st year

Subtotal

2nd year

Global Food Resource
Studies Major

15

17 (3)

17（3）

Total

15

17 (3)

17（3）

113 %

113 %

Replenishment rate ofstudent quotas
2018

Master’s Degree Program
Major Name

Admission
quota

Number of Enrollees
1st year

Subtotal

2nd year

Global Food Resource
Studies Major

15

16 (3)

17 (3)

33 (6)Total

15

16 (3)

17 (3)

33 (6)

107 %

113 %

110 %

Replenishment rate ofstudent quotas* Figures in parentheses indicate international students.

(5) Enrollment and Capacity
Enrollment in the master’s course exceeded the quota in both academic 2017 and 2018 (Table 6).
Table 6. Master’s Degree Program (Admission quota: 15）
Numbers of successful examinees
Number of
GeneralGeneralSchool year
For International
enrollments
Admissions
Admissions
Students(1st term)(2nd term)
17
15
5
1
2017
(3)
(1)
(5)
(0)
2018

Number ofpeopledeclining
enrollment
4
(3)

16

13

2

3

2

(3)

(2)

(2)

(0)

(1)

* Breakdown of international students in parentheses(6) Admission of Working Students

20

There are no working students because the admissions exam for working students has not been
established.
(7) Admission of International Students
As shown in Table 5. Admissions quota and enrollment in the Graduate School of Global Food
Resources

Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] At the expected level[Reason] We judged to be at the expected level, because of the establishment and publicationof its admissions policy and because of the admissions quota exceeded 100% of theplanned quota.

21

5. Educational Content and the Good Practices[the analysis item](1) Curriculum Organization
1) The number of credits necessary for completion is shown in Table 7.
2) All 51 subjects (12 required subjects, 17 required electives and 22 electives) are taught inEnglish. As all of the subjects at this school are taught in English, all students are able tocomplete their course entirely in English.
3) As one of the typical subjects of this school, an elective subject “International
Understanding” is offered. Japanese and overseas lecturers who are working in a global
society are invited to give talks to equip students with the knowledge and training they willneed in their future work as global leaders.
Table 7. Number of credits required for completion
Compulsory
Compulsory
Division Nameelective
subjects
subjects
Division of Global Food
Resource Studies

At least
21 credits

At least
6 credits

Compulsory elective
subjects(fieldwork subjects)

Total

At least 2 credits

33 andabove(Source: Hokkaido University Graduate School of Global Food Resources Regulations(2) Educational Good Practices
1) Luncheon seminars were held for our faculty and students with talks by experts in each field
who have been invited from universities and other institutions overseas. Nine luncheon
seminars were held in 2017 academic year and seven were held in 2018 academic year.
2) Field work courses (Wandervogel Study I (Compulsory subject)) is held in Denmark every
June and Wandervogel Study II (Compulsory subject) is held in Myanmar every February to
promote exchange between our students and the students in these two countries. Wandervogel
Study I and II employ active learning methods such as a presentation session in English at theend of each course.
3) From 2018 academic year, Wandervogel Study III is held in Australia, the Philippines and
New Zealand in September and Wandervogel Study IV is held in Furano City in October.
Active learning is used, with plenty of discussions with local faculty and engineers.
4) The English education program combines intensive courses with small class sizes taught byexternal lecturers and a self-study program using e-learning.
5) An elective course on International Understanding is offered. Japanese and overseas lecturers
who are working in a global society are invited to give talks to equip students with theknowledge and training they will need in their future work as global leaders.
6) In keeping with the graduate school’s focus on overseas education such as the Wandervogel
Study and field work, a speaker from the Otaru Quarantine Station (Ministry of Health, Labourand Welfare) was invited in 2018 academic year for a faculty development session on22

infectious diseases to be aware of when traveling overseas and preventive measures that canbe taken.
7) An Educational Instruction Committee comprising an instructor and two assistant instructors
is formed for each student shortly after the course begins (mid-April). The faculty makes useof the benefits of this multi-instructor approach, building a flexible instruction framework thatapproaches the subject matter from a wide range of perspectives. Care is taken to ensure thateach committee comprises faculty from different areas of study.
8) When selecting international students, applications are made online and interviews are
conducted by email and Skype to make the process easier for overseas nationals who wish to
apply for the course.
9) From the academic year of 2018, a summer course was established with mutual acceptance
between Hokkaido University and the National University of Singapore (NUS). One student
from the Graduate School of Global Food Resources participated and attending lectures at
NUS, a plant factory and oil palm plantation to receive a local education, as well as receiving
pre-departure support and attending joint classes in Hokkaido.
10) Two overseas learning satellites are held: Wandervogel Study I (project name: Dairy Farming
and Resource Recycling in a Developed Country: Learning from Denmark) and Wandervogel
Study II (project name: Tackling Food Resource Issues in a Developing Country: Field Workin Myanmar).
11) The graduate school functioned as a summer institute, teaching three classes: “Diversity inAgriculture”, “Agricultural Resource Economics” and “Special Course in Food Resources:
Economic Statistics on Food Resources”.
12) The Hokkaido University Teaching Assistant (TA) System is used to financially support
excellent graduate students (Table 8).
Table 8. Adoption of the Teaching Assistant (TA) and Research Assistant (RA)TA
School year
Classification

2017

Specialeducation
Graduate
education
Sub total

2018

Specialeducation
Graduate
education
Sub total

AdoptednumberNumber ofcourse subjects

0

0

7

5

7

5

0

0

8

8

8

8

23

RA

0

0

Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] Exceeds the expected level[Reason] We judged to exceed the expected level, because the following are well underway
in the second year after the school was established: Wandervogel Study in Japan andelsewhere, which is a distinctive feature of the graduate school; the Luncheon
Seminar, which is held with invited overseas experts; and the Summer Course,which is a student exchange program with the National University of Singapore.

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6. Educational Outcomes[the analysis item](1) Students’ Acquired Academic Skills, Qualities and Abilities
As indicated in the curriculum policy, the curriculum of the graduate school is intended todevelop individuals with extensive knowledge, expertise and acting/unifying/organizing abilities
who can understand global food resource problems from a comprehensive perspective and canresolve such problems. In this curriculum, the degree conferment rate of the master’s course is very
high, at 97% (Table 9), which supports the idea that students have acquired the academic skills andabilities expected of them by the graduate school.
The graduates of academic 2018 obtained their jobs where extensive knowledge and expertiseare required, such as national government employees, local government employees and privatecompany employees. This outcome is also evidence supporting the above.
Table 9. Degree awarded
2018
DegreeMaster’s degree

Number of awards

Award rate within thestandard term

16

97.0%

(2) Students’ Evaluation of Learning
In the questionnaire at completion of the course in academic year 2018, most of the respondents
gave 4 out of 5 points for almost all evaluation items on learning, showing that student satisfaction
was high.
(3) Students’ Evaluation of Educational Outcomes
The questionnaire at completion of the course in academic 2018 also showed that student
satisfaction with educational outcomes was high. For example, students gave 4.3 out of 5 points for“the ability to find and resolve problems,” which is the educational goal of the graduate school, 4.4
out of 5 points for “presentation ability,” and 4.3 out of 5 points for “foreign language (English)
skills.”Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] Exceeds the expected level[Reason] We judged to exceed the expected level, because students showed high satisfactionin the questionnaire after the course in academic 2018, and because the rate ofdegree conferment was very high.

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7. Support for Students[the analysis item](1) Guidance for Students
After the entrance ceremony, a student handbook and materials for registration guidance are
distributed and then registration guidance is provided. The entrance ceremony and guidance are in
English. After the guidance, the research of faculty members in each field is outlined.
(2) Guidance for Working Students
There are no working students because the admission exam for working students is not
implemented.
(3) Guidance for International Students
As well for international students, as is the case for general students, a student handbook andmaterials for registration guidance are distributed after the entrance ceremony, and then registration
guidance is provided. No special care for international students is given.
Since all lectures are in English at this graduate school, every student can complete the course
in English alone.
(4) Admission/Tuition Fee Waivers and Scholarships
Students with excellent academic records who have difficulty paying admission and tuition fees
for financial reasons are exempted from admission and tuition fees.
Financial support is provided to students who study overseas using the overseas study support
system of the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) (Table 10).
Table 10. Applications for overseas travel support for students
Number of
School year
Adopted number
applicants
2017

15

15

2018

17

11

Note: Only applications under the overseas study support system are counted.

(5) Commendation System
1) In the presentation meeting of master’s thesis research/research on designated topics, prizes
are given for excellent presentations (Most Outstanding Research Presentation Prize andOutstanding Research Presentation Prize) based on an evaluation of the day’s presentations
and Q&As by all faculty members.
2) The Poster Presentation Prize is awarded based on the results of an examination of student
poster presentations at international symposiums.

26

Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] At the expected level[Reason] We judged to be at the expected level, because all the events including the entrance
ceremony and guidance are in English and because overseas travel support systems
and commendation systems are well prepared.

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8. Implementation of Educational Activities (outside the educational organization)[theanalysis item]
The following talks such as lectures for local citizens, public seminars and international
symposiums were held.
1) 2017 academic year
i. Public talk for Hokkaido University Sustainability Week 2017: “How Can Ancient
Agricultural Practices in Japan and the USA Inform Modern Agriculture Sustainability?”ii. Joint seminar between Hokkaido University and the Research Institute for Humanity andNature: “Rediscovering Agriculture -Insights from Fields Around the World”
iii. Special lecture on agriculture and international food resources: “Young people! Why not bea global talent!?”
iv. Special lecture on agriculture and international food resources: “Integrated Management of
Water Resources and Reuse of Waste Water”
2) 2018 academic year
International Symposium for the Recovery of the World’s Food Resource Systems (hosted by
GI-CoRE’s Global Station for Food, Land and Water Resources and jointly hosted by the Graduate
School of Global Food Resources). A poster presentation session was held for students in themaster’s course at the same symposium, with awards given to four students.

Level of this analysis item and the reasons[Level] Exceeds the expected level[Reason] We judged to exceed the expected level because various lecture meetings for students
are actively held.

28

Attached Materials

29

Attached material 1
Organization Policy of the Educational Guidance Committee

1. Members
1) Number of members: three (one supervisor, two sub-supervisors). However, members should befrom at least two different fields to ensure the absence of bias.
2) Scope: The above three members should be full-time faculty members (excluding GI-CoRE
faculty members (part-time faculty members from other departments at HU) and invited faculty
members (part-time faculty members from other universities)). However, if necessary, faculty
members from other graduate schools/faculties, other universities and overseas universities may
be assigned as sub-supervisors.
3) Eligibility for supervisor: Any full-time faculty member, regardless of the job title, may become
the supervisor.

2. The Committee Organizing
During a certain period of time after admission, the student, the student’s desired supervisor andsub-supervisor candidates should deliberate to select two sub-supervisors. The plan is submitted
under the supervision of the Educational Guidance Committee, and then the Student Affairs
Committee makes a decision.
If many students want the same faculty member as their supervisor and if adjustments are necessary,
the Student Affairs Committee will make adjustments after asking the faculty member and students
for their feedback.

3. Major tasks of the Educational Guidance Committee
1) Confirmation and guidance on choice of courses
2) Confirmation and guidance on research progress and learning situation
3) Advice and guidance on the relationship between Wandervogel Study and the student’s
research
4) Judgement of need to review the members of the Educational Guidance Committee at thecompletion of the first year in the master’s course
5) Advice and guidance on the selection of master’s thesis research and the selection of thetheme6) Preliminary examination for the master’s thesis research and doctoral thesis7) Examination of the master’s thesis research topics and doctoral thesis and the examination ofeligibility to submit a thesis30

4. Report on activities of the Educational Guidance Committee
The Educational Guidance Committee confirms and gives advice on the student’s research progress
and learning situation, and reports its activities on a regular basis.
1) Time for report: twice a year (at the completion of term Ⅱ for terms Ⅰ and Ⅱ, and at thecompletion of term Ⅳ for terms Ⅲ and Ⅳ)
2) Details of report: dates and details of activities

31

Attached material 2

Organization Policy of the Thesis Examination Committee

Members
Master’s course
Number of members:

three (one chief examiner, two vice examiners)

Chief examiner:

Any full-time faculty member, regardless of the job title, may
become the chief examiner. The supervisor may also become thechief examiner.

Vice examiners:

If necessary, faculty members from other graduate schools, otheruniversities and overseas universities may be assigned as vice
examiner.

Doctoral course
Prescribed separately.

32