Packaging Innovation in Japan (Faculty-Led Program)

Explore Japanese packaging innovations by visiting Japanese companies and exploring how Japanese culture and business practices influence packaging design.

Highlights

• Learn advanced SolidWorks software skills
  • This is excellent preparation for students planning to take the Certificate of Solidworks Associate (CSWA) exam, a professional certificate recognized worldwide.
• Spend a week in Tokyo visiting the Japan Packaging Institute, the Museum of Package Culture, and other sites such as the Toyosu Fish Market(the world’s largest fish market), and TeamLabs (an interactive digital art experience).
• Travel to the historic city of Kanazawa, where you will stay and live on campus with one of RIT’s exchange partners, Kanazawa Institute of Technology.
• Tour companies, meet packaging engineers, and experience Japan’s focus on innovation and stringent quality control in packaging design.
• Design a final project inspired by Japanese packaging using acquired Solidworks 3D CAD skills.

Japan is well known for its creativity and innovation in packaging design. During the spring 2025 semester at RIT, you will learn about Japanese packaging design and innovation, acquire advanced Solidworks skills, and then travel to Japan for 17 days in early summer. You'll arrive in Tokyo, where you will explore Japanese packaging innovation by visiting several Japanese companies and cultural institutions. You will analyze innovative product packaging structures and incorporate Japanese packaging elements into your final class project.
You will then travel to Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT), an RIT exchange partner, in Kanazawa, Japan. While living on KIT’s campus, you will participate in workshops facilitated by KIT faculty and interact with KIT students. You will visit food and craft companies near Kanazawa and complete your final project.

Read more about why Japan is known for its innovation in packaging design.

While in Tokyo, you will stay in a shared hotel room. While at KIT, you will stay in the International Community House (student housing) on campus.

Course Term: Spring course at RIT, travel to Japan in early Summer
Travel Dates: May 12-30, 2025
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• CET-ENGT 518: Global Engineering - Experiencing Packaging Innovation in Japan (3 credits)
  Students will be enrolled in a spring course at RIT and will travel to Japan in early summer.

No course pre-requisites, however applicants should have some previous experience with SolidWorks software. Open to undergraduate majors (2nd year and above, 3.0 GPA or higher), and graduate students. No Japanese language required.

Application Deadline: October 20, 2024

Eligibility:

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (students with lower than a 3.0 GPA would be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Have a clear conduct record with RIT
• Have no financial holds on your RIT eServices account at the time of your program acceptance/confirmation

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: A student budget worksheet outlining all program costs will be available soon. Join the interest list for this program and we will email you the budget worksheet once it is available.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting, so they have time to prepare) 
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships awarded based on financial need.

• Other scholarships: RIT Study Abroad Scholarships, National Study Abroad Scholarships

To Apply

1) Start an application in the RIT Study Abroad Compass

2) Watch this video on application steps for RIT faculty-led programs which covers important information (video is captioned)