Welcome to the Student Voice Series. The series interviews students at our English-medium programs. Once a month, the International Admissions Office will release an interview with our students. We hope these interviews can be helpful to you when thinking about choosing to come to Ritsumeikan University. 

Post by International Admissions Office

Jason from Indonesia

Check more about the ISSE course curriculum!

Could you explain your graduation thesis/research? 

My graduation thesis was about improving pedestrian detection in autonomous driving by using a deep neural network / deep learning. I conducted my research by obtaining image datasets published from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science of Technology) where this dataset was generated in both colour and thermal images. I proposed this method to combine information from colour and thermal images to improve the detection performance, especially at nighttime. I trained this dataset by using PyTorch library and written in Python language program and finally evaluated the result based on the precision and recall value metric.

The big challenge for this was in my 2nd graduation research semester, I could not return to Japan due to Covid-19. Gratefully, the thesis could be finished on time because before I left Japan, I could set up the remote desktop on my PC at the laboratory. My supervisors are also very supportive of my research and understand my situation, so we could adjust the meeting and research through online platforms. In the end, I have published my research into 2 conference proceedings and 1 journal, thanks to the help of my supervisors, Dr Yanlei Gu and Professor Igor Goncharenko.

Could you tell us about the dynamics or diversity of your program?

I was the first batch of the ISSE program and there were not so many students enrolled. We were only 16 students at the beginning and finally, 12 students graduated. Because there were only a few students, we could get along with each other very well. I mostly hung around with almost everyone by spending time cooking together, having dinner together at Kyoto, or doing karaoke too. Our professors also come from different regions, so it also opens a chance to explore different personalities from different nationalities.

I am currently working as a software engineer in Tokyo. My career plan now is to explore not particularly in the deep learning field only but also in many fields in Computer Science. There are so many paths we can choose in Computer Science, so I think since I am still a bachelor fresh graduate, I have many chances to give it a try. In the future, I also plan to learn about management skills and take a master degree to alter my skills in Computer Science.

Could you explain your campus life? Please introduce your favourite things or events.

Before the pandemic happened, I mostly spent my time on the campus every day, especially during my 2nd year. After I finished my classes, I sometimes had dinner with friends outside campus or cooked food together. On the weekend, I usually went to the church nearby using my bicycle.
I liked travelling, so when the semester break occurs or after the exam, I usually allocated my time to go to other cities. The place I liked the most is Kobe city in Hyogo prefecture because this city has a beautiful cityscape as there is a Kobe port, a European village, and many foreigners live there (including one of our professors :P)

What was a challenge in everyday life in Japan, and how did you manage or overcome it?

I think compared to Indonesia, my big challenge here is that you have to cook. I know for some of you that never have the experience to cook for your meal will get excited at first. However, believe me, after so many times, you will feel lazy. In Jakarta, Indonesia, you can easily order food deliveries if you are hungry, but in Japan, there is no such thing, especially in Shiga*. I managed it by keeping & encouraging myself to plan the meal beforehand, so I can cook in a bigger portion that I don't need to cook every time I want to eat.
The second challenge for me is of course Japanese. I did not have any Japanese proficiency before I came to Japan. Therefore, when I arrived in Shiga, I was completely lost. However, after 4 years, my Japanese has improved a lot, although it is not perfect yet, at least I am not afraid of living alone in Japan anymore.

 *The College of Information Science and Engineering will be relocated to Osaka Ibaraki Campus in April 2024. Visit our website for details.

Messages in English / Bahasa Indonesia

Studying in Ritsumeikan has broadened up my horizons and my perspectives. I suggest once you decide to study at Ritsumeikan, don't just explore your academic interests but also try to explore Japanese culture, travelling, and eat good foods! I wish you all the best with your studies! I am proud to be a Ritsumeikan alumnus.

Jangan takut untuk belajar ke Jepang karena banyak beasiswa dan banyak hal yang kalian bisa pelajari. Jepang bukan hanya tempat untuk orang yang suka anime, tapi ada banyak yang bisa kalian cari tahu yang kalian nggak pernah rasain kalau hanya menjadi seorang turis.