It was a great pleasure to meet assistant professor Cristian Clinci in his office and discuss about the current state of affairs in East-Asia and most importantly, about his course East-Asia in Global Governance, taught in the Global Leadership Program at NUCB Undergraduate level. This course will also be part of our BBA, a 4-year undergraduate program fully taught in English.
Summary of the course
East-Asia in Global Governance teaches students about the on-going process and results of global governance by starting with the theoretical foundations and mechanisms of global governance. While learning about global governance, we will focus on East-Asia and its 3 major actors: Japan, China and South Korea; and analyze their contributions and the reasons behind their shortcomings for a full participation in global governance.
The most important elements: peace and security affairs, economic issues, social and humanitarian issues, among others, will be tackled; and the necessity of a multilateral cooperation, interdependence of both governmental and non-governmental entities and their coordination through international organizations in order to solve them, will be shown through cases of real situations.
Purpose of the course
The purpose of this course is to provide students an opportunity to perhaps consider working in governmental, non-governmental organizations or inter-governmental organizations after their graduation. In order to do so, they need enough knowledge related to global governance and to understand the role of East-Asia in global governance if they decided to concentrate in this region – which is exactly what this course offers.
But the purpose is not only limited to employment factors, because in today’s globalized world, it is crucial to understand its governance; and this course serves to help them deepen their appreciation of this topic and learn how the world of global governance works as well as how the various entities, particularly from East-Asia, have limitations in their roles on the global scale and what it means for the region and for the world. It’s important to concentrate on East-Asia, not only because we’re in Japan but because its 3 major actors are important powers in the world.
Students will also learn the weight and influences of various entities that play an important role, such as governmental and non-governmental bodies, international organizations and institutions and the resulting treaties, courts and tribunals and, multinational corporations and civil society organizations which have emerged as global actors in recent times. Understanding this system and its evolutions will also teach them the resulting constraints and opportunities.
Why is this courses special, compared to similar courses in other universities and in other countries?
As we’re all in NUCB, in Japan, this course is mainly focused on East-Asia. In business schools all around the world, there aren’t many courses in Global Governance and they are even less focused in East-Asia.
Very often, such courses in other universities are taught by professors who are, of course, well educated about the concerned regions but they haven’t lived in those countries. However, I have experience in the 3 major actors of East-Asia: Japan, China and South-Korea; as I have studied and worked there. As they were not mere exchange periods, I had numerous social interactions with colleagues and scholars and I’m able to share deeper insights with the students.
Using NUCB’s Case Study method, I work with recent cases related to Global Governance which gives students practical knowledge of the most recent and important changes and events around the world, and analyze them to go further in the understanding and complete the theoretical foundations.
It’s very important to note that the GLP program is extremely diverse with students from all sort of backgrounds and this creates a very rich and lively environment where everyone gives an input from their own country’s point of view. Hence, the class discussions are a great opportunity for the students to also learn and consider other opinions and shape their own thoughts from the resulting ideas.