GLFP Curriculum
Fellows from our partner universities in the U.S. and Waseda Fellows returning from their one-year study abroad will be enrolled in the Global Leadership Fellows Forum and the U.S.-Japan Zemi.
Global Leadership Fellows Forum
The Global Leadership Fellows Forum provides a place for the community building among U.S.-Japan GLFP Fellows. All the Fellows will meet regularly every week to discuss global issues and work together for the group projects.
Features
1. Global Perspective
GLFP Fellows are expected to develop a global perspective through analysis and discussion of various issues in global society. Topics for analysis include global peace, global environment, and human rights. While students have an opportunity to analyze these issues, they are encouraged to understand the situation in a global context. Students are also welcomed to bring their own interests and agenda to share and discuss with other fellows in the forum.
2. Leadership Experience
GLFP Fellows are encouraged to be actively engaged in a discussion and to lead the groups for discussion and research projects throughout the academic year. Fellows are expected to work together to understand perspectives of others who have different academic and cultural backgrounds. Fellows have practical experience to develop leadership skills through cross-cultural interaction and cooperation while understanding different views and opinions. These experiences would be an ideal opportunity for the fellows to practice a leadership for the prospective leaders who expand their horizon and shape our global future.
3. Research Project
Global Leadership Fellows Forum provides a place for the community building among the GLFP Fellows. All the Fellows will meet regularly every week to discuss global issues and work on research projects about global issues. Research projects are conducted individually or as a group (subject to change). Fellows learn from each other to understand different approaches and perspectives to analyze the issues and discuss the possible solutions. These experiences would be the ideal opportunity to exercise and practice leadership for the prospective leaders who expand their horizon and shape our global future. (mandatory)※
U.S.-Japan Zemi
A "Zemi" is a unique Japanese-style seminar with an internationally acclaimed small-group pedagogical method. In this Zemi, students work on the subject in a specific discipline in both Humanities and Social Science under a close supervision by professors.
Features
GLFP Felows will be enrolled in two zemi courses. (one offered by School of Political Science and Economics and the other by School of International Liberal Studies/10-15 students enrolled in each zemi)
1. Academic Study
GLFP Fellows are expected to have a close reading of texts and discussions in a specific discipline in the field of Humanities or Social Science. Topics for analysis and discussion may include the U.S.-Japan relations or comparative study of the U.S. and Japan. By gaining academic knowledge and theories in a discipline, students would develop another field of academic expertise to strengthen and deepen their academic study.
2. Research Project
GLFP Fellows are expected to conduct a research and write a research paper under the guidance of professors of Zemi. Their research projects would be presented to receive feedback by professors and students in class.
Introduction of the Zemi
Richi Sakakibara (Professor, School of International Liberal Studies)
Global Leadership Fellows Program Directed Research Seminar
[Zemi Syllabus]
Zemi Syllabus - Prof. Richi Sakakibara (2024 Spring)
Zemi Syllabus - Prof. Richi Sakakibara (2024 Fall)
[Message to the Prospective Fellows]
Reading literature is a great way to understand culture. In my US-Japan zemi, we’ll read and discuss various literary works of modern and contemporary Japan. All of these works address universal issues ? love, violence, war, gender, identity, terrorism, sexuality, etc.? but at the same time, these issues manifest themselves in a local manner. By analyzing the way in which these familiar issues are represented in literature, we will be able to see the specific cultural/historical situation Japan has been placed since 1945. I’m looking forward to working with you in my zemi!
Kazuhiko Yokota (Professor, School of Commerce)
Global Leadership Fellows Program (GLFP) Directed Seminar - Global Business and Economics
[Zemi Syllabus]
Zemi Syllabus - Prof. Kazuhiko Yokota (2025 Spring)
Zemi Syllabus - Prof. Kazuhiko Yokota (2025 Fall)
[Message to the Prospective Fellows]
The ultimate goal of studying at university is for you to have the ambition to leave the world a little better off than when you were born. To achieve this, it is important to actually and calmly observe and judge what is happening in the world today. Studying abroad will give you the first opportunity to do so. Something may happen to those who are just waiting. But if you take action, what you gain is much greater.
- *The professors and syllabuses will be subject to change.
What is Zemi?
Introductory video about Japanese unique pedagogical style called "zemi"