Academics
Educational Expansion Overseas by the University of Tsukuba
Educational Expansion Overseas by the University of Tsukuba
The University of Tsukuba has established an overseas campus in Malaysia and, in response to requests from the Government of Japan and partner countries, has supported the establishment of universities in various regions around the world. The University also contributes to educational operations by dispatching faculty members to deliver courses and provide academic support at these institutions.
University of Tsukuba, Malaysia (School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design)
In 2019, then Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia requested then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan to establish a hub for Japanese-style education in Malaysia. Based on the agreement between the two governments, the University of Tsukuba established a degree-granting undergraduate program at the University of Malaya campus on September 1, 2024, marking the first time a Japanese university has established a degree-awarding faculty overseas.
The School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design is a design-oriented program centered on data science, offering interdisciplinary, problem-solving-based education that bridges the humanities and sciences. The program incorporates practical learning through collaboration with lecturers from Malaysian and Japanese companies, enabling students to explore real-world challenges and develop actionable solutions.
Courses are delivered in 狗万app足彩,狗万滚球 and Japanese, with some components in Malay. Fourteen full-time faculty members from the University of Tsukuba's main campus are stationed at the Malaysia campus, covering a a wide range of fields including life and environmental sciences, information engineering, comparative literature, political science, and subculture studies.
Approximately 40 students are admitted annually through recommendation-based and aptitude-based entrance examinations. Applications are welcomed from Malaysia, Japan, and other countries.
Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT)
The Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) was established in September 2011 at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) International Campus in Kuala Lumpur. Its establishment followed discussions initiated by a 2001 proposal from Prime Minister Mahathir to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi regarding the creation of a Japanese university branch campus in Malaysia.
MJIIT is a graduate-focused institution designed to cultivate human resources capable of supporting sustainable development in Southeast Asia through the adoption of Japanese engineering education principles and methodologies. A consortium of 27 Japanese universities - including the University of Tsukuba - along with government agencies and industry partners, collaborates closely to support its operations.
The University of Tsukuba jointly offers the Joint Master's Degree Program in Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (JMSES) with MJIIT. The program focuses on environmental science, environmental engineering, and environmental policy, aiming to develop professionals with both specialized expertise and a broad, integrative perspective to address global challenges and contribute to a sustainable society.
Students complete one semester at their home institution, followed by two semesters at the partner university, where they take specialized courses and conduct fieldwork for their master's thesis. In the final semester, students return to their home university to complete their thesis and undergo a joint evaluation by both institutions.
Graduates are awarded a joint Master's degree in Sustainability and Environmental Sciences conferred by both the University of Tsukuba and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.Graduates are awarded a joint Master's degree in Sustainability and Environmental Sciences conferred by both the University of Tsukuba and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Vietnam-Japan University (VJU)
Vietnam-Japan University (VJU), a member of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, was established in 2014 based on a joint statement issued in 2006 by Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Nguyen Tan Dung. The university aims to become a new world-class research institution while fostering highly skilled professionals capable of addressing Vietnam's societal needs, including those of Japanese-affiliated companies.
VJU offers eight master's programs - Nanotechnology, Infrastructure Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Public Policy, Area Studies, Business Administration, Global Leadership, and Climate Change - as well as six undergraduate programs, including Japanese Studies, Computer Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Smart Agriculture and Sustainability, Food Technology and Health, and Mechatronics and Japanese Manufacturing.
Its mission includes developing globally active leaders, managers, and specialists, and promoting knowledge transfer between Vietnam and Japan through advanced research in cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary fields.
Since its establishment, the University of Tsukuba has actively supported VJU in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other Japanese universities. In particular, for the Master's Program in Public Policy, Tsukuba serves as the coordinating university, with faculty from the social engineering and humanities fields delivering lectures locally and facilitating internships at organizations such as the Ibaraki Prefectural Government, Tsukuba City Hall, and Japanese companies.
Dr. Nguyen Hoang Oanh, Vice Rector of VJU, is an alumnus of the University of Tsukuba, having earned a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences.
Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST)
The Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) is a national university established in Alexandria in 2010 at the request of the Egyptian government, with support from the Japanese government. The university is based on the principles of Japanese engineering education, emphasizing small-group instruction, graduate-level and research-oriented learning, and practical, internationally competitive education.
E-JUST comprises ten graduate programs in engineering, as well as faculties of International Business and Humanities, and Engineering.
Since December 2017, the University of Tsukuba has participated in a JICA technical cooperation project supporting the operation of E-JUST, serving as the lead institution for the Faculty of International Business and Humanities. President Kyosuke Nagata has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees since November 2017.
In addition, the University of Tsukuba conducts an annual multicultural co-learning summer school at E-JUST.
Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan
The Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan was established in September 2016 under a presidential decree following a summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The university was created to provide advanced education in science and engineering based on a Japanese-style curriculum, with the goal of modernizing Turkmenistan's innovation system and developing highly skilled professionals.
Japanese-style engineering education has been introduced, and students receive instruction in both 狗万app足彩,狗万滚球 and Japanese.
The University of Tsukuba has provided comprehensive support to this institution. Since 2016, it has dispatched Japanese language instructors and supported Japanese language education across multiple universities and secondary schools in Turkmenistan. Since 2018, faculty members in the sciences and engineering have also been dispatched.
The University of Tsukuba has also established international exchange agreements with other higher education institutions in Turkmenistan, including the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thereby contributing to strengthening Japan-Turkmenistan relations.
Establishment of a New University in Uzbekistan
Over the past 25 years, the University of Tsukuba has established academic exchange agreements with 12 universities in Uzbekistan. It opened an office at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies in 2007 and another in Samarkand in October 2025, strengthening higher education collaboration between the two countries.
In December 2025, during a high-level meeting on higher education held in conjunction with the "Central Asia + Japan" Dialogue and attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Yohei Matsumoto, President Nagata and Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Sharipov signed a memorandum of cooperation concerning the establishment of a new Japanese-style education and research institution proposed by Uzbekistan.
In addition, a separate memorandum was signed with Chairperson Ismailova of the El-Yurt Umidi Foundation and Rector Safaev of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy to strengthen academic collaboration and human resource development, including the joint establishment of a double-degree program.
