Abstract
This chapter outlines and investigates Japanese universities’ strategic approach to internationalization, focusing on accomplishments and challenges that remain. With a steady focus on the question, How has the meaning of university internationalization historically changed?, the author argues that the need for universities’ internationalization is a long-standing one. He notes that in an age of intensive competition for knowledge worldwide, global conditions are changing constantly, and “internationalization” now seems to be assuming a meaning distinct from its traditional roots. The author also shows us that this becomes particularly apparent when considering how to enhance university’s performance and functions as a core contributor within the global, knowledge-based society.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme is a Japanese government initiative that brings university graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Sports Education Advisors (SEAs) in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high, and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) in local governments and boards of education. See more information at http://www.jetprogramme.org/index.html
- 2.
According to OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (2013), in 2011 Japan’s share of world’s international students was the highest (3.5 %) among Asian countries, followed by China (1.8 %) and Korea (1.5 %).
- 3.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science is an independent administrative institution (governmental agency) as well as the funding agency for higher education institutions, researchers, and research projects. See more information at http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/
- 4.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance (ODA) for the Japanese government. It is chartered with assisting the economic and social growth in developing countries and the promotion of international cooperation. See more information at http://www.jica.go.jp/english/
- 5.
The full text of this Plan can be found at http://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/basic/
- 6.
See more information about the SIH Project at http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-bilat/e-u-kokusen/
- 7.
The selected 20 pilot institutions are Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Hitotsubashi University, Niigata University, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Osaka University, Kobe University, Tottori University, Hiroshima University, Kyushu University, Nagasaki University, The University of Aizu, Keio University, Tokai University, Waseda University, and National Institutes of Natural Sciences. 16 out of the 20 universities are national; 3 universities are private such as Keio, Tokai, and Waseda; and The University of Aizu is a local public institution.
- 8.
234 institutions were selected from all 756 four-year universities by the ranking charts of the number of awarded JSPS’s Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research per institution and the number of enrolled international students per institution, considering the international dimensions of education and research, i.e., the balance of research universities and universities that are more teaching oriented.
- 9.
From 2005 to 2008, the number of external grants obtained by the pilot universities increased to 43.9 %, as compared to 22.3 % of other surveyed universities, and the amount of such grants acquired by the pilot institutions grew to 221.6 %, whereas the other institutions showed a lower increase of 202.9 % (Ota and JSPS 2010).
- 10.
Top Industrial Managers for Europe is a network of more than 50 engineering schools and faculties and technical universities. It promotes graduate student exchanges and double degrees throughout Europe. Students achieve a broader high-level scientific engineering education with intercultural experience by attending curricula at two or more leading engineering institutes. See more information at https://www.time-association.org/
- 11.
TAIST-Tokyo Tech Program is a postgraduate institution created with the aim of fostering advanced human resources and becoming a hub for research and development in science- and technology-related fields throughout Asia. See more information at
http://www.titech.ac.jp/english/globalization/featured/taist.html
- 12.
See more information about Academic Consortium 21 at http://www.ac21.org/english/index
- 13.
The INU is a member organization which comprises 11 universities from nine different countries spanning five continents. The internationalization of member institutions is advanced through student and staff mobility, research collaboration, and cooperation in university management. See more information at http://www.inunis.net/
- 14.
See more information about this master’s program at http://www.tm.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/mph/english/index.html
- 15.
See more information about this Workshop at http://www.opir.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/aboutopir/workshop/
- 16.
JSPS International Training Program aims to strengthen overseas research and education opportunities for young researchers in Japanese universities. To advance these objectives, this program supports Japanese universities in their organizational efforts to establish collaborative relationships with overseas research institutes and groups. See more information at http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-itp/index.html
- 17.
SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective.
- 18.
These evaluation practices included both specially designed ones for assessing internationalization activities and general ones for assessing them as part of the entire university operation.
- 19.
In 2009, for the purpose of selecting pilot universities that will function as core institutions for attracting international students, MEXT launched the Global 30 Project for Establishing University Network for Internationalization. 13 universities were selected in the first year of the Project. These core universities are expected to play a major role in dramatically boosting the number of international students educated in Japan in order to realize the goal of the 300,000 International Students Plan (MEXT 2009). See more information at http://www.uni.international.mext.go.jp/
- 20.
Erasmus Mundus II (2009–2013) is a cooperation and mobility program in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and to promote dialogue and understanding between people and cultures through cooperation with third countries. In addition, it contributes to the development of human resources and the international cooperation capacity of higher education institutions in third countries by increasing mobility between the European Union and these countries. See more information at http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/programme/about_erasmus_mundus_en.php
- 21.
In Japan, private universities, which account for 77 % of all universities, receive various funds and subsidies from the government and its related agencies.
References
Akiba, H., & Watanabe, A. (2010). Kokusai tekina daigakukan renkei oyobi konsoshiamu no Katsuyo [Participating in and utilizing cross-border inter-university partnerships and consortiums]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite – Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society–recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 131–159). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Ashizawa, S. (2006). For the process of developing evaluation indicators and a pilot study. In N. Furushiro (Ed.), Developing evaluation criteria to assess the internationalization of universities (final report) (pp. E137–E156). Osaka: Osaka University.
Ashizawa, S. (2010). Gaibu shikin no kakutoku [Attracting external funds for international education and research]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 107–130). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Fujii, T. (2010). Kobetsu no kenkyu tema wo chukaku toshita kokusai tenkai [Expansion of international activities based on specific transnational research projects]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 161–180). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Government of Japan. (2006). Science and technology basic plan. Tokyo: Author.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. (2005, Autumn). New program to support university internationalization. JSPS Quarterly, 13, 2–4.
Kawamura, H. (2010). Kaigai kyoten no seibi to katsuyo [Establishing and operating overseas bases]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 267–292). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Kiyoura, T., Kaneko, T., Ota, H., Watanabe, A., Kobayashi, H., & Sato, A. (Eds.). (2007). Innovative models for promoting the internationalization of Japanese universities (Interim report of strategic fund for establishing international headquarters in universities). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Kuznetsov, Y. (Ed.). (2006). Diaspora networks and international migration of skills: How countries can draw on their talent abroad. Washington, DC: World Bank.
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). (2006). Kaigai kyoten no secchini kansuru jokyo chosa [Survey on the establishment of overseas bases]. Tokyo: Author.
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). (2009). Progress status of the “300,000 international students plan” 2008–2009. Tokyo: Author.
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). (2011). University internationalization and international student policy. Tokyo: Author.
National Agency for Higher Education. (2005). The internationalisation of higher education in Sweden. Stockholm: Author.
NIFU STEP (Norwegian Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education). (2005). Internationalisation policies and international practices in higher education institutions: A case study of five Norwegian Higher Education Institutions (NIFU STEP Working Paper, 23). Oslo: Author.
Ninomiya, A. (2010). Sohikitaisei and gabanansu [Organization and governance for internationalization]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 69–90). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). (2013). Education at a glance 2013: OECD indicators. Paris: Author.
Osanai, M. (2010). Shokuin no yosei to kakuho [Training and recruiting administrative personnel for international programs]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 181–204). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Ota, H. (2008). Changing policies and practices of Japanese national universities toward international students in light of financial and demographic challenges and the new university “Corporatization”. Dissertation Abstracts International, 67(05), 1699A (UMI No. 3307622).
Ota, H. (2010). Mokuhyo settei, kodo keikaku, hyoka taisei [Goal setting, action plans, and evaluation systems]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 91–106). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Ota, H. (2012). Internationalization of universities in Japan. In D. K. Deardorff, H. D. Wit, J. D. Heyl, & T. Adams (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of international higher education (pp. 470–472). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Ota, H., & Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. (2010). Daigaku no kokusaika nikansuru Suii Genjo no deta bunseki [Data analysis for transition and current situation of university internationalization]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 11–68). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Sunami, A. (2010). Nihonjin wakate kenkyusha to no kaigai kensan kikai no kakudai [Expanding overseas study and research opportunities for young Japanese researchers]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 231–266). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Yonezawa, A. (2010). Gaikokujin kenkyusha to no ukeire no kaizen [Improving of services and support for international researchers]. In JSPS (Ed.), Grobaru shakai niokeru daigaku no kokusaitenkai nitsuite –Nihon no daigaku no kokusaika wo suishin surutameno teigen– [International expansion of universities in globalized society – Recommendations for enhancing internationalization of Japanese universities] (pp. 205–230). Tokyo: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ota, H. (2014). Japanese Universities’ Strategic Approach to Internationalization: Accomplishments and Challenges. In: Yonezawa, A., Kitamura, Y., Meerman, A., Kuroda, K. (eds) Emerging International Dimensions in East Asian Higher Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8822-9_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8822-9_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-017-8821-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-8822-9
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)