Overview
IMaC-Okayama is an educational program organized by the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University. IMaC-Okayama provides a high-level education course to international and Japanese students enrolled together in specific master classes. Through this program, IMaC-Okayama encourages students to learn and understand interdisciplinary science. Lectures offered in English, start from generalities in fundamental natural science and technology, become gradually more specific and finally reach the level of research of the professors. This program provides international students with the ideal setting for studying abroad (in Japan): by enrolling in the program, students are not only given the opportunity to study at one of the most prominent universities in Japan, but they can also have benefits of personal experience and enrichment. Students will live and interact among Japanese people, and they will experience first-hand life style.
IMaC-Okayama has been structured to be highly flexible, specifically for students, as they can select their own education program and combine it or not with research periods.
Outline of the course
This course consists of (1) lectures, (2) tutorial-studies and (3) group-works. The lectures (1) are typically delivered with Japanese students. The tutorial-studies (2) are planned by each professor and performed as face-to-face seminar or group seminar at the professor’s research group. The group-works (3) are task-solving seminars with several students (including Japanese ones) and contains literature searching, discussion and presentation.
Credit certification
Evaluation of the (1) lectures, (2) tutorial-studies and (3) group works are made by the corresponding professors. Typically, (1) lectures are evaluated by examinations, reports and contribution to the class, (2) tutorial-studies by activity, contribution and reports, (3) group-works by contribution, activity, and final presentation.
The certification is given by the Dean of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University. Okayama University will provide students with an official report of their academic records, listing course titles, grades and credits (under our scheme). Recognition of credits (in ECTS) earned at Okayama University is the responsibility of the students’ home universities. On the basis of studying hours, our 1 credit by lecture corresponds to 15 studying hours in classes, and that by tutorial study or group work corresponds to 30 studying hours in classes.
Term of this course
The lectures of this course are provided either in the spring semester (the 1st and 2nd quarters) or in the autumn semester (the 3rd and 4th quarters), according to Okayama University academic calendar. The spring semester (the 1st quarter) usually starts in the second week of April and ends in early of August, and the autumn semester (the 3rd quarter) starts in the 1st week of October and ends to in the middle of February (each quarter consists of 8 weeks). The course students can add the studying weeks in a spring break (March) or a summer break (September) for their tutorial-studies and group works.
Expected enrolling students
This course is targeted to the inbound Master course students, who are registered as a regular student in the graduate school of the IMaC-Okayama partner universities*[1] having an international student exchange agreement with Okayama University.
Status of the IMaC-Okayama students
The students enrolling the IMaC-Okayama should apply for a special auditor student (for the other option: see below).
Combined study with research internship
If the exchange students have strong motivation to deepen research approaches and to acquire the knowledge from the lectures in IMaC-Okayama course, and if the designated research supervisor gives permission, they can perform both a research internship in a specific laboratory and attending lectures in IMaC-Okayama. In this case, the prospective students must designate your research supervisor (among professors/associate professors in Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University*[2] ) and contact to him/her about your research project prior to the application. For students who wish to perform such a combined study, because the research internship program has a higher priority in our university system, you have to apply for a special research student to the graduate school via the expected supervisor. Please contact to the expected supervisor for the detailed procedures of this application. After approval of your status (as a special research student), you should apply to enroll the lectures in IMaC-Okayama course to the IMaC-Okayama committee.
Academic Curriculum
IMaC-Okayama provides students from partner universities with an excellent opportunity to study interdisciplinary science in Japan with comprehensive learning experiences at Okayama University.
The courses given by the IMaC-Okayama (2023 edition) are listed in the course catalogue file, IMaC_catalogue_2023
Timeline for IMaC-Okayama Spring Semester Autumn Semester
| Application deadline: (for a special auditor student): |
2nd December, 2022 | 5th May, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance notice to the applicants: | By 9th December, 2022 | By 30th May, 2023 |
| CESR (for VISA) application: | Immediately after the acceptance*[3] | |
| The date of the semester starts: | 4th April, 2023 | 3rd October, 2023 |
Application procedure
(a) Applicants who wish to apply as a special auditor student (without a research internship) must prepare
- Form 1 (Application),
- Form 2 (Statement of Purpose and Study Plan) and
- Form 3 (Letter of Recommendation).
In addition,
- a scanned copy of your passport (only the page showing your picture and name) and
- a Certificate of Enrollment from your institute ( Form is attached)
are required.
(b) Applicants who wish to combine with a research internship must submit the following items, after approval of the application as a special research student by the expected graduate school,
All application forms must be sent by e-mail (as attachments) to:
Any question or inquire should also be sent to this e-mail address.
*[1] If you find some difficulties whether your registered university is the IMaC-Okayama partner university or not, please contact to the IMaC-Okayama committee (imac-gnst@okayama-u.ac.jp).
*[2] In some cases, you can designate you supervisor from other graduate schools or research institutes in Okayama University, depending on the MoU agreement with your registered university.
*[3] The information about CESR application will be sent to the applicant from the International Affair Department (IAD), Okayama University.