Aristotle's famous saying, "All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth," has been the foundation of educational philosophy among modern universities for centuries.
But today, Japanese universities are facing increasing demands from politicians and business leaders to produce graduates with the practical skills needed to compete in the growing Asia-Pacific region.
Yet they also face larger challenges, from securing research budgets for cutting edge technology and attracting top students and faculty, to increasing the number of foreign exchange students.