Changes to Internationalization of Japan’s Higher Education? An Analysis of Main Findings from Two National Surveys in 2008 and 2017

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss Japanese university leaders who valorize internationalization, and how their internationalization strategies are influenced by the changing international context, especially globalization from 2008 to 2017. By presenting relevant findings from the two national surveys of institutional leaders who took major responsibility of internationalization in their belonging universities, the study addresses whether any changes occurred in their views of the internationalization imperative, important practices of internationalization, the international status of Japan’s universities, and the relationship between internationalization and financial issues, and whether impacted changes to the internationalization of Japan’s higher education occurred, judging this from the quantitative perspective. The study concludes by arguing that first, no radical changes occurred in the internationalization of Japan’s universities from 2008 to 2017; second, the internationalization of Japan’s universities is ongoing and still highly valued despite the new circumstances; third, the internationalization of Japan’s universities exhibits strong non-commercial characteristics; and finally, a majority of university leaders believe that the research productivity of Japan’s universities has already reached international standards.