Student life coaches

★3Q schedule for the Multilingual Chat operated by our Peer Life Coaches

has been updated!

★Orientation sessions for graduate students commencing in September 2023 were held on September 20&23.

★Recruiting Peer Life Coaches(web page in Japanese only) for AY2023!

・"Doing Art with Artist Workshop" in Spring 2023, 5/24 @ Suzukakedai Campus

・IoT Seminar (MATLAB Introduction: 6/14 online・ MATLAB×AI: 6/21 on-site)

A group of faculty members, students and alumni provide support together based on a diversified and multifaceted approach to encourage Tokyo Tech students to lead a fulfilling academic life.

Student Life Coaches

Our Students Life Coaches are faculty members of the Student Support Center or the members of the Tokyo Tech Alumni Association (“Kuramae Kougyoukai”). Students Life Coaches encourage students to understand Tokyo Tech’s curriculum, and to take initiative in consistently planning and pursuing their studies, using various support systems to help their academic life such as one-on-one consultation, orientations for new students, and extracurricular seminars.

Peer Life Coaches

Our Peer Life Coaches are a total of 37 students* in undergraduate or graduate programs who serve as staff members of the Student Support Center. They provide peer-support mainly targeting first-year undergraduate students, based on a diversified and multifaceted approach in cooperation with Student Life Coach faculty members.

Their activities include planning and facilitating orientations for new students, writing and editing handouts and articles to support Tokyo Tech students' academic lives, tutoring first-year science and technology courses, and planning and organizing programs and events to promote foreign language studies and international exchanges. Please visit the Peer Life Coach website for details on their role and calls for new members.

*Registered members as of September 2023.

Our consultation covers a wide range of inquiries and concerns from students regarding their academic life such as study plans, course registration, campus-life topics, and more. Faculty members of the Student Support Center who are assigned as Students Life Coaches will provide suggestions and advice to help you find answers.

Face-to-face consultation is available at service desks on Ookayama and Suzukakedai campuses. We also provide online consultation. Please refer to the “How to consult us” section.
　　
We provide consultation in English.

Please come to us when you have questions and concerns such as:

“Which courses should I take?”
“Have I acquired enough credits?”
“How can I determine a timetable for the next semester?”
“I do not really understand course registration procedures.”
“I want to do more than just study at Tokyo Tech. What activities are available?”
“I want to ask someone other than faculty members or friends their opinions about my studies or research.”
“I have concerns about my studies/research, but do not know whom I should ask.”
“I am reluctant to consult with faculty members.”
“I want to think about my studies and future options - which major/laboratory to select, studying abroad, career path, and more.”

Please come to the service desk during the opening hours and ask for consultation with a Student Life Coach. Reservations are not required.

Please come to the service desk below during the opening hours and ask for consultation with a Student Life Coach. Reservations are not required.

Zoom consultation is available for students who would like to avoid coming to service desks due to infection prevention purposes or for those who have difficulty in travelling between campuses. Please send an email to📩concierge.info@jim.titech.ac.jp with the information below. We will reply to you with the date and time of the consultation and the URL link for accessing the Zoom meeting.

You can ask short, simple questions, such as how individual courses are structured and how to register for courses by sending an email to 📩concierge.info@jim.titech.ac.jp with the information below. If the topic of the consultation makes it difficult to respond via email, we may suggest a Zoom or face-to-face consultation.

The sessions are held in early April to guide newly enrolled students to swiftly adapt to academic life, understand Tokyo Tech’s curriculum, and pursue their studies on their own. The sessions will broadly cover essential topics for newcomers, such as Tokyo Tech’s academic programs and course registration, the history and accomplishments of Tokyo Tech, the significance of undergraduate studies and what you should keep in mind, and various consultation services available on campus. During the session, new students will also have time for networking with other members within the same academic unit.
The sessions are facilitated by the Tokyo Tech Alumni Association members and Peer Life Coaches (current students).

Orientation sessions for newly enrolled undergraduate students for AY 2023 were held for three days (April 6, 8, and 9) at Taki Plaza.

The sessions are held in spring and fall for newly enrolled students in master’s and doctoral programs (both in English and Japanese).
Tokyo Tech Student Life Coaches will provide an orientation for newly-enrolled graduate students to inform them about the education system at the Institute, things common to all courses, various options, and counseling services, etc. The purpose of the orientation session is to help students have a thriving academic life at Tokyo Tech.
Tokyo tech Career Advisors will provide career guidance for newly-enrolled graduate students by providing job-hunting and internship information. Orientation sessions will be held via Zoom Webinar in English and Japanese.
Career Support Orientation is mainly for international students who may develop career paths in Japan. International students interested in working in Japan are encouraged to participate.

Orientation sessions for newly-enrolled graduate students for Fall 2023 were held online via Zoom webinar on September 20 and September 23.
The documents used during the sessions are avaiable below.

The sessions are held in late March or early April, prior to the start of the academic year, so that transfer students are able to swiftly adapt to their academic lives at Tokyo Tech and pursue their research activities later in their undergraduate programs on their own. The sessions will broadly cover essential topics for transfer students, such as Tokyo Tech’s curriculum and course registration, tips for developing study plans for attaining degrees, and various consultation services available on campus.

The orientation session for 2023 transfer students was held face-to-face on April 3.
The flyer below is available for reference.

Our consultation covers living and everyday matters surrounding international students, to help them fully enjoy an on- and off-campus life in Japan.

Any kinds of questions are welcome! (anything you might be curious/concerned about, things you are hesitant to ask your friends, or even finding out where to ask for a specific inquiry, etc.)
Some inquiries we have had are…
・What does this letter from the ward office or bank say?
・I don’t know how to throw away trash…
・Why has my health insurance fee become higher than last year?!
・I Want to know what Japanese people usually do or say in this situation…and so on
It doesn’t matter how trivial your questions are!

We are happy to help make your life in Japan easier and more comfortable so you may focus on your studies and research at Tokyo Tech.
Please feel free to stop by!

Face-to-face consultation

Please come to the service desk during our opening hours. Reservations are not required.

Note: The consultation service desks may close temporarily for events and seminars. In such cases, please inform other available staff of the details of your consultation. We will contact you at a later date.

Online consultation by email

Please send an email to internationalstudentsupport@jim.titech.ac.jp.

Based at the Global Lounge of Taki Plaza, the students of Peer Life Coach International Exchange Team conduct monthly projects and events in order to promote international exchange and language learning activities. Both Japanese and international students are welcome to participate. Please check the Peer Life Coach Web Site(Japanese only) for details.

The activities in AY 2023 are as below:

Let’s talk in English, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese with our International Exchange Team members of Peer Life Coaches!

If you are:

・Interested in chatting in English, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese with native speakers
・Curious about foreign cultures
・Want to practice daily-life conversation in a foreign language
・Want to share your thoughts and stories with someone
・Want to make friends and study together

Just stop by and take a look! You do not need a reservation nor do you need to prepare or bring anything.
We look forward to seeing you there.

The schedule for 3Q AY 2023 is as follows.
Date and Time: Starting Friday Oct 6, every Friday 12:50-13:20
Location：Global Lounge at the first basement floor of Taki Plaza

All participants, both Japanese and International students, have enjoyed the chat or playing games with the student staff of Peer Life Coach International Exchange Team. Please find the event records below:

The“International Student Help Desk”provides information to foreign students who have questions on academics, campus life, daily life, translation support, etc. Staff at the Help Desk are all fellow Tokyo Tech students supported by the faculty and staff of the Student Support Center. For relatively complex consultations, you will be referred to the appropriate faculty and/or staff. Let's work together to solve your problems whether it be for school or for life!
　　
We are currently planning the schedule for 3Q AY 2023

◆Date and Time◆
TBC soon
　
◆Languages◆
English/ Japanese (all sessions)
Chinese
Korean
　
◆Location◆
Global Lounge, first basement floor, Taki Plaza

We are committed to helping you learn and enjoy your life at Tokyo Tech! Please feel free to talk with us!

This booklet, created by Professor Hiroshi Yamaura from the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering of the School of Engineering, is useful for international students and researchers who are rather new in Japan, or want to know more about Japan. It illustrates things that participants may come across along the routes, and will help you learn more about culture, history, and life in Japan. You may be able to find answers to your questions or mysteries in your daily life.

Please also utilize this information for interactive communication between Japanese students and international students to learn or explain the Japanese social structure and discuss the differences between Japanese and foreign social structures.

Route 1: History, culture, and life in Japan (from Ookayama Campus to Gotanda Station)
The route takes two to four hours on average, starting at Tokyo Tech’s Ookayama campus and going along Nakahara Kaido Road.

【Japanese ver.】日本を学ぶ学習散歩_歴史・文化・生活編_第1弾.pdf

【English ver.】Walking Tours to Learn about JAPAN History, Culture ＆Life Route No.1.pdf

《New!》
Route 2: JAPAN's Social Structure (Learn Japan in Tokyo～ Around the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station)

On this route, you will start at Kokkai-gijidomae Station or Tameike-sanno Station on the subway, visit central facilities such as the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary in Japan. The goal is Mitsukoshimae Station on the subway.
If you do not stop by, the distance of this route is about 9.5km, so it's about 2 hours and 30 minutes on foot.
There are also several recommended places where you can stop by, so you can enjoy a walk for about 3 to 4 hours if the weather is nice.

【Japanese ver.】日本を学ぶ学習散歩_社会の仕組み編_第2弾.pdf

【English ver.】Walking Tours to Learn about JAPAN Social Structure Route No.2.pdf

We hold seminars where students can deepen their regular-curricular studies, as well as gain a broader perspective or extend their studies through extracurricular learning. Seminars are open to all Tokyo Tech students. Please check the latest information here. We look forward to your participation.

We hold events to help make the academic life of students more enjoyable and meaningful. Please check the latest information here. We look forward to your participation.

The support services available at the Student Life Coach service desks started in line with the 2016 launch of Tokyo Tech’s new education system, and are aimed to help undergraduate students, especially in their first year, to understand the Tokyo Tech curriculum and swiftly adapt to academic life, and pursue their studies on their own.

　　　　　
Tokyo Tech introduced a new education system in 2016, aiming to grow individuals capable to learn and think for themselves. The new system is designed to encourage students to independently set and pursue their goals, and eventually become able to contribute to a global society. We expect our students to learn that technology and research is fun and profound, and plays a vital role in changing and shaping society.

Student Life Coaches provide support based on a diversified and multifaceted approach to encourage each one of our students to help decide the path they will take under the new system and lead a fulfilling academic life.

• Academic Year 2023 Committee members

  Name	Affiliation	Position
  Tetsuji Okamura	Vice President for Student Affairs	Director of Student Support Center
  Sachiko Ito	Professor, Student Support Center	Section Head
  Kentaro Nakamura	Professor, Institute of Innovative Research / Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering	Advisor
  Kikuo Ikarashi	Professor, Department of Architecture and Building Engineering, School of Environment and Society
  Masao Murota	Professor, Institute for Liberal Arts
  Saho Kawashima	Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Center of International Education
  Yuto Koizumi	Associate Professor, Tokyo Tech Academy for Leadership/ Institute for Liberal Arts
  Hiroshi Yamaura	Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering	Advisor
  Manabu Kanda	Professor, Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society
  Naoya Abe	Professor, Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society
  Midori Komatsu	Lecturer, Tokyo Tech Academy for Leadership/ Institute for Liberal Arts
  Tatsuo Sato	Professor Emeritus	Supervisor
  Ruobai Huang	Specially Appointed Expert, Student Success Support Section, Student Support Center	Student Life Coach
  Akiko Hiraide	Specially Appointed Expert, Student Success Support Section, Student Support Center	Student Life Coach
  Miki Miki	Specially Appointed Expert, Student Success Support Section, Student Support Center	Student Life Coach
  Asuka Yoshino	Administrative Support Staff, Student Success Support Section, Student Support Center
  Kosei Takeyama	Tokyo Tech Alumni Association	Student Life Coach
  Yoshihiko Hamabe	Tokyo Tech Alumni Association	Student Life Coach
  Taisuke Miyoshi	Tokyo Tech Alumni Association	Student Life Coach
  Toru Kuroda	Tokyo Tech Alumni Association	Student Life Coach
  Reiko Fujita	Tokyo Tech Alumni Association	Student Life Coach
  Takahiro Hirayama	Head, Student Support Division
  Keiko Ito	Head, International Student Exchange Division
  Jun Okamura	Group Leader, Support Planning Group, Student Support Division
  Ryosuke Iwasawa	Group Leader, Student Exchange Group 3
  Ayaka Takagiwa	Administrative Staff, Support Planning Group, Student Support Division