Akiyoshi Yonezawa

Japanese University Leaders' Perceptions of Internationalization The Role of Government in Review and Support

To promote sustainable development within the global knowledge-based society, the Japanese government is urging the nations higher education institutions to internationalize. Although a select number of Japanese universities are highly regarded in world university rankings, many observers argue that the majority of Japanese higher education institutions are not sufficiently internationalized compared with those of other industrialized countries. However, the dynamics and structure of internationalization is highly diverse, and well considered policy initiatives are required to guide and foster the process in respective institutions. Based on a comprehensive survey of reviews of internationalization in Japanese universities, this article examines the perceptions of Japanese university leaders in terms of the extent to which they reflect an “international” character. The present context and possible roles of government and institutions for internationalization in Japanese higher education are also explored.

Strategies for the emerging global higher education market in East Asia: a comparative study of Singapore, Malaysia and Japan

In this paper, the author tries to set up the framework for understanding the qualitative change of the nature of national policies for higher education through the increasing aspects as ‘industry’ in universities and other higher education sector. Based on this framework, the author analyses, comparatively, the national policies for higher education ‘industry’ in three East Asian countries: Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. Thorough the examination of the policy treatments of higher education ‘industry’ in those three countries, the author tries to argue the importance of balance between flexibility and consistency of the image and definition of higher education which is certainly getting a key position in knowledge economy.

The Internationalization of Japanese Higher Education: Policy Debates and Realities

Throughout the world the internationalization of higher education has assumed a key position on domestic policy agendas, not only for educational and scientific reasons but also increasingly due to socio-economic considerations. National contexts are still influential in the actual process of internationalization. In the case of Japan , in addition to a strong national identity based on an advanced higher education system, the continuous development of neighbouring countries in relation to their science and technology and their industrial and service economies is having a significant impact on policy direction and actual internationalization. The Japanese government and the nation’s higher education institutions are still discovering their identities amidst rapidly changing regional circumstances. The direction of national and institutional strategies has often been observed to be unsettled and inconsistent. In analyzing policy changes in Japanese higher education and in Japan’s higher education institutions, the chapter emphasizes the need for autonomous initiatives on the part of universities and academics themselves in relation to the internationalization of higher education. To sustain a continuous internationalization process, dynamic initiatives by academics and universities for knowledge creation and exchange are indispensable.

The quality assurance system and market forces in Japanese higher education

This article analyzes thedevelopment of the quality assurance system andchanges in market forces in higher education inJapan. First, the article focuses on thefunction and impact of self-monitoring andself-evaluation systems as unique processesoriented towards decentralization and internalreflection. Second, the changes in marketforces in higher education during rapideconomic globalization are discussed. Third,the possibility of external evaluation by theNational Institution for Academic Degrees isintroduced as a bureaucratic approach to showaccountability in the national universitysystem. Finally, the relationship between thechanges in the quality assurance system and thechanges in market forces is addressed.

Much ado about ranking: why can't Japanese universities internationalize?

Abstract This article examines the ongoing struggle of leading Japanese universities to elevate their positions in world rankings, and the perceived necessity of Japanese higher education to internationalize in order to achieve more favourable international recognition. The author discusses structural difficulties inherent in Japanese universities in establishing effective approaches for internationalization. Recognition of the necessity to pursue internationalization as seriously as the rest of the world is still very limited among Japanese universities. At the same time, quite different agendas are often implemented under the umbrella term ‘internationalization’, rendering the policy orientation vague. Immediate and practical approaches to changing the status quo in terms of global prestige and recognition among universities, academics and students include the suggestion that universities themselves should take a more active role in increasing opportunities for international exchange.

Mobility, formation and development of the academic profession in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in East and South East Asia

ABSTRACT The academic profession contributes to shaping the capacity and identity of higher education systems. In East and Southeast Asia, there is a need for further discussion on the regional identity characteristics of the academic profession to account for its multiple origins and national and international dimensions. Data from two large-scale comparative surveys and secondary sources are used to investigate the role of international mobility in the formation and development of East and Southeast Asian academics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Based on Kim and Lockes [2010. “Transnational Academic Mobility and the Academic Profession.” In Higher Education and Society: A Research Report. London: CHERI, Open University] framework, patterns of academic mobility are examined in relation to the formation and development of higher education systems. The analysis shows mixed trends in the international flow of academics and the formation of the regions academic profession in relation to more or less independent or colonial historical backgrounds. Recent globalisation and regionalisation initiatives seem likely to transform the heterogeneous identities of the regions academic profession.

Continuity and Transformation

Over the past decade, the term “world-class,” which relates to how a university develops its capacity to compete in the global higher education marketplace, has been widely used. Many scholars have stated that world-class universities should exhibit qualities such as excellence in research and teaching, excellent professors, talented students, academic freedom, favourable governance, adequate facilities, sufficient funding, and an international outlook. Further, they all should be, without exception, research universities (De Maret, 2007; Feng, 2007; Altbach, 2007; Salmi, 2009).

Challenges for Top Japanese Universities When Establishing a New Global Identity: Seeking a New Paradigm After “World Class”

The government and top universities in Japan have struggled to establish the country’s status of being a world leader in higher education. This chapter will examine the ideas and actual implementation of world-class university policies in Japan, both at the national policy level and at the university level. At the national policy level, government policy has focused on reforming university governance and on procuring international talent, as well as the diversification of the universities’ missions. At the institutional level, universities have made efforts to generate income from external resources and have tried to provide scholarships and incentives to exceptional young researchers. The national policies and the institutional mission statements of the top universities have already taken for granted the necessity of pursuing the world-class status. Top Japanese universities are therefore currently seeking a new paradigm and identity in the midst of continuous and widening global competition.

Innovation and entrepreneurship: trials of Japanese universities

This article examines the Japanese response in terms of innovation capacity and entrepreneurship enhancement under the ever-changing economic environment. Particular focus would go to the interactions among government, industry and universities in the national innovation system at a macro level, and entrepreneurship education at the institutional level. Several key universities were selected for discussion. This article argues that under the urge to supplement the internal research and development capacity of Japanese industry and maintain competitiveness, internationalisation efforts through the strong collaboration among government, universities and industry are essential to further the development of national innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Development of Private Higher Education in Japan Since the 1960s: A Reexamination of a Center-Periphery Paradigm

This chapter examines the role of support and control of private universities in the process of realizing mass higher education in Japan from the 1960s. In so doing, he tries to identify the actual meaning of educational policy borrowings in the development process of a higher education system. This chapter focuses on the establishment of elite private universities that rely on a high degree of selectivity of students for their prestige. Japanese higher education is currently facing a fundamental challenge to make structural changes, in its quest to achieve the highest quality and relevance of its education and research. The chapter suggests that the characteristics of higher education in Japan prevented competition that would have led to quality improvement.