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JAPAN
Jun 22, 2022

Will a ¥10 trillion fund be the savior of Japan’s universities?

Experts say that without major reform of Japan's deeply ingrained academic culture, it will be hard to improve the quality of the nation's research — no matter how much money is spent.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 2, 2016

Universities' failing grades

Japanese university bureaucracy must be prized open to let the nation's hopes and dreams flourish.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 1, 2016

Japan and South Korea account for 17 of top 20 Asia universities, poll shows

China and India have the biggest populations in the Asia-Pacific region, and the economic news coming out of both countries usually dominates world headlines.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Sep 13, 2017

Hong Kong's lesson in accountability for Japan's ailing universities

One word is key to understanding why the Chinese territory's universities tend to outshine Japan's in world university rankings.
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2014

Universities aim to boost their global ranking

The government has announced it will provide funding to 37 leading public and private universities in a bid to boost their global competitiveness.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 21, 2014

The battle to boost universities

The government should consider the latest lackluster global rankings for Japanese universities and undertake a fundamental review of its university education policies.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 18, 2019

The global decline of Japanese universities

Dark clouds hang over the future of Japanese universities due to the government's failure to recognize the importance of education and research.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 14, 2018

Japan's universities struggling under corporate status

Instead of making education and research more efficient, the conversion of national universities into university corporations has increased inefficiency.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 1, 2018

The challenges facing Japan's universities

Cultivating students' power to think requires a strong financial foundation
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jan 5, 2016

Free Japan's universities so they can flourish

If Japan's bureacracy really loves the country's universities, it should end its micromanaging and set them free.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 16, 2015

Turning Japan's universities into genuine global players

If Japan wants to raise its own profile in the world, along with its universities, it must place greater emphasis on group discussion, debate and public presentation.
Japan Times
JAPAN / PERSPECTIVES
Apr 3, 2023

Global competitiveness of Japan’s universities under scrutiny

The government is promising higher education institutions more capital to boost scientific research, but will this improve their international reputation?
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jun 4, 2016

Vocational universities won't solve all woes

The government's initiative to create vocational universities can play an important part of the overall strategy to make tertiary education and training more useful, but it's important not to place unrealistic hopes on both.
Professor Mutsuko Tendo (right) teaches a class in career development theory at Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 24, 2023

Women’s universities in Tohoku seeking to survive with distinctive education

Women's colleges had long been regarded as schools with a focus on home economics and liberal arts, but some are now reorganizing their programs in a bid to attract students.
JAPAN
Sep 29, 2023

Japan universities split over new IT section on entrance exam

Universities in Japan are divided in their responses to a new subject — covering the basics of programming, information and communications networks, and databases — on the standard university entrance examination to be held beginning in January 2025.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 28, 2023

Japanese universities move up in global rankings

The overall improvement is due to a change in methodology by Times Higher Education.
The University of Tokyo, the only Japanese institution in the Times university rankings’ top 50, is considering raising tuition fees.
EDITORIALS
Jun 28, 2024

Japan’s universities must prepare for tough changes

Higher education institutions in Japan rarely rank among the world's top universities. To rise, they should tackle long-term issues like growing costs and fewer students.
Demonstrators hold signs during a protest in support of international students at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
May 28, 2025

Japanese universities urged to open doors to students blocked from Harvard

The education ministry has asked universities nationwide to support students affected by the White House's push against foreign enrollments at Harvard.
The government aims to increase the number of foreign students in Japan to 400,000 by 2033, despite a recent Justice Ministry ordinance that puts in place tougher rules on accepting overseas applicants.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 8, 2024

Can Japan boost its foreign student count to 400,000?

The government recently tightened rules for accepting overseas applicants, though it hasn't lost sight of its lofty goal of increasing foreign student numbers.
Education minister Toshiko Abe (right) receives a report on higher education from an advisory panel on Friday.
JAPAN
Feb 21, 2025

Japanese panel seeks to tighten screening of new universities

The number of people going to university in the country is estimated to fall to some 460,000 in 2040 from about 630,000 last year.
Shimane University adopted colorful and stylish furniture in classrooms at its new building for the Faculty of Materials for Energy. The university has been improving facilities to be more appealing to female students.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
May 12, 2025

Japanese universities expanding female quotas in science

The initiative is aimed at correcting a gender imbalance in science-related fields, but also raises concerns over discrimination.
Eight national and private universities have applied for grants from the government's ¥10 trillion university fund, aimed at promoting world-class research projects, in the second-round selection process, according to the education ministry.
JAPAN
May 20, 2025

Eight universities apply for Japan's ¥10 trillion research grant program

The applications for the grants under Japan's Universities for International Research Excellence program will be screened from July through the winter.
The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University. U.S. President Donald Trump has barred Harvard from accepting international students, prompting Japanese universities to offer support.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 7, 2025

Japanese universities step up to help international students after Harvard ban

Eighty-seven universities have announced support measures for international students in the U.S. who face difficulties continuing their studies.
In Japan, 35% of students graduate with a degree in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — compared with 38% in the U.S., 42% in South Korea and Germany and 45% in Britain.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 21, 2023

Japan to give ¥300 billion to universities expanding science education

As the country's R&D status continues to drop, the ministry’s new program aims to fund schools pivoting toward STEM subjects.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 8, 2024

More Japanese universities adding female admission quotas for STEM fields

The trend comes amid concerns over the nation's low level of female participation in fields related to science, technology, engineering and math.
An online seminar held in late July by Norihiro Nishimura, a professor at Mie University’s Graduate School of Regional Innovation Studies, involved deep discussions that provided participants with direction in the fine-tuning of their research.
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Sep 30, 2024

Chubu universities train corporate execs through graduate programs

The programs teach company presidents and executives how to look within their organizations — for issues, challenges and data — to grow their businesses.
Alongside foreign students, some Japanese students attend a special lecture held entirely in English at Nagoya University in early October.
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Nov 11, 2024

Amid rising costs, universities try to help students study abroad

The cost of studying abroad, including travel and living expenses, is much higher now compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Longform

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