News & Events

Changes to the 2020 academic year calendar [spring semester] due to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (notice)

Jul. 31, 2018

To all students, 

Meiji University has decided to partially change the 2020 academic year calendar. The entire class schedule will be moved up so as to not coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games which will be held that year.

When we applied the regular academic year calendar schedule to the 2020 academic year, the year of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, we discovered that Friday, July 24, the first day of Games, is also the start date for the spring semester final exams. Consequently, we will be taking special measures for the 2020 spring semester and will be moving the entire class schedule up so as to not coincide with the Tokyo Olympic Games which will be held that year. This decision was made upon taking into consideration the fact that the final exam period would overlap with the holding of the Olympics, the expected possibility of transportation in Tokyo being congested during the Olympics resulting in concern regarding the holding of classes and final exams during this period, and the fact that Meiji University students may want to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the Olympics being held in their own country and engage in volunteer activities, as well as classes and final exams possibly interfering with opportunities to participate in a variety of ways in these Games.
In addition, some 110,000 people are already being recruited to work as volunteers in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games (as Games Volunteers and Guidance Volunteers) and we expect there will be many Meiji University students who would like to participate in such volunteer activities. Meiji University also intends to show certain educational considerations to students who wish to participate in these volunteer activities.

In this connection, please confirm the details below and take note of the changes to the academic year calendar for 2020.

Please refer to the following link.
2020 Academic Year Calendar 

Main changes to the 2020 Academic Year Calendar [Spring Semester]

The following changes will be made to avoid holding classes and final exams during the Tokyo Olympics (from July 24 to August 9, 2020).
(1) The entire class schedule will be moved up so as to not coincide with the Tokyo Olympics.
(2) Classes held on holidays will be held on all holidays during Golden Week.
*However, taking into consideration that this will be during Golden Week, there are plans to establish alternative measures (supplemental lessons such as through makeup class(es) and reports).
(3) The spring semester “orientation” period will be shortened by a certain number of days and spring semester classes will start on Wednesday, April 8.
(4) All weekdays and Saturdays during the Tokyo Olympics (July 25 (Sat.), July 27 (Mon.), July 28 (Tue.), July 29 (Wed.), July 30 (Thu.), and July 31 (Fri.)) will be designated temporary closing (class suspension) days. Due to partial amendment of the Act on Special Measures for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 will be holidays (Marine Day and Sports Day, respectively).

Considerations regarding classes for students participating as official volunteers in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games

Should Meiji University students participate as official volunteers in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Meiji University intends to show certain considerations to students who may need to be absent from classes or exams because of these volunteer activities (including advance training activities), such as by establishing alternative measures.
As such, please be sure to notify the Meiji University Volunteer Center if you are selected to participate in these volunteer activities. This is required so as to ascertain which students will be participating in official Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic volunteer activities.
Needless to say, participation in volunteer activities does not naturally give students the right to be absent from classes or exams. We ask all students to fully understand that this measure is an educational consideration that will be applied when Meiji University students must unavoidably be absent from classes in order to pursue both academic studies and volunteer activities.
Please also note that this consideration will not be applied, no matter what the reason, to students who have not notified the Meiji University Volunteer Center. Please be sure to review the information on how to notify the center regarding volunteer activities as well as other details, which will be provided by the Meiji University Volunteer Center at a later date.

End