Ritsumeikan University has announced plans to establish a new graduate school, tentatively named the Graduate School of Space and Earth Frontiers, at its Biwako-Kusatsu Campus in Shiga Prefecture. Scheduled to open in April 2028, the program will provide interdisciplinary education across science, engineering, and management, aiming to nurture professionals in space exploration and entrepreneurs in the growing space industry. With its scale, the school will become Japan’s largest hub for space-related talent development.
The program will admit around 100 students in the master’s course and 15–20 in the doctoral course. Approximately half of the students are expected to be international, and degrees will be available entirely in English, making the school highly accessible to global applicants.
The graduate school will be led by Professor Shinichi Nakasuka of the University of Tokyo, a renowned pioneer in small satellite development. At the announcement, Professor Nakasuka emphasized the urgent need for skilled professionals in the space industry, noting that students will gain hands-on experience through real-world projects.
A distinctive feature of the program is its cross-disciplinary approach, covering topics from Earth, the Moon, and Mars. It will also collaborate with Ritsumeikan’s Exploration and Space-Earth Frontier Research Center (ESEC), established in 2023, enabling students to earn credits by participating directly in ongoing research and development projects.
(Source: Nikkei, March 24, 2026)
Global University in Japan view:
At present, the Global University in Japan website highlights universities where students can earn bachelor’s degrees entirely in English. Yet, as more graduate schools in Japan begin offering degrees that can be completed fully in English, this trend clearly reflects Japan’s move toward greater globalization.
In addition to the AI field, nurturing and securing talent in space-related disciplines is becoming increasingly vital for Japan’s future development. Scholarships, advanced research facilities, and the strong mentorship traditionally provided in Japanese graduate schools are all aspects that deserve greater promotion.
One Asian student who studied at a Japanese graduate school remarked that the guidance and support were exceptionally thorough. What may be taken for granted in Japan can, in fact, be a powerful point of appeal when shared with the world.
