Black unfashionable "recruit suits" have come to be regarded as a kind of uniform for job-hunting in Japan, where they are also symbols of a national culture that places emphasis on uniformity.

But Akita International University's unique idea of encouraging students to be a little more creative with their clothing may shake up Japan's notorious "shukatsu" (job-hunting) system.

Since it was established in 2004, AIU has gained attention for its liberal arts curricula, which sends all undergraduate students overseas on exchange programs.