International Students in Japan: Issues of Recruitment and Admissions

International Students in Japan: Issues of Recruitment and Admissions International Recruitment and Admissions for English-Taught Degree Programs 125 th Anniversary Hall, Toyo University October 2, 2015 Hiroshi Ota, Ph.D. Professor, Center for Global Education Hitotsubashi University E-mail: h.ota@r.hit-u.ac.jp

Hiroshi Ota Purpose of the Seminar Japanese HEIs need to shift their international recruitment and admissions from the oldfashioned, on-campus exam-based approach to the global standard model, diversifying their markets into the world. English-taught degree programs can be a breakthrough on this matter. 2

Hiroshi Ota Overview of Japanese H.Ed. and Int l Student Polices Large private sector 79% of HEIs and 73% of students Reasonable tuition fees (US$) National and local public: $6,800 7,800 Private: humanities and social sciences: $9,600 STEM and others: $12,000 Gov t scholarships: 28% of int l students 100,000 International Student Plan (1983-2003) 300,000 International Student Plan (2008-2020) 3

4 Source: Nippon.com (2015)

18-year-old Population and Participation and Acceptance Rates 250 (10T) 249 244 237 Acceptance Rate = newly matriculated college and junior college students / total college and junior college 93.1% (2014) 100% 90% 200 150 100 179 199 202 192 141 196 214 168 156 173 164 161 158 157 158 163 152 156 163 167 174 185 195 18-year-old population (age cohort) 120 118 123 119 120 122 122 125 130 133 137 141 147 150 151 162 155 151 168 173 177 186 198 205 205 201 194 188 189 185 College Participation Rate = newly matriculated college and junior college students / 18-year-old population 56.5% (2015) 119 103 107 106 110 113 117 118 118 120 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 50 69 67 68 67 68 69 68 68 70 69 70 70 72 73 73 74 76 78 79 80 80 81 81 80 77 73 70 69 68 64 59 60 60 59 59 59 58 61 61 60 60 57 54 52 49 46 46 45 43 40 33 28 28 26 23 21 newly matriculated college and junior college students 30% 20% 10% 0 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 0% Source: MEXT 5

Hiroshi Ota An Age When All Are Accepted to College Enrollment problems (low domestic enrollment) Private: Undergraduate (esp. single-department colleges in the provinces) National: Postgraduate (esp. humanities and social sciences) due to the expansion of graduate schools capacity: 90,000 in 1991 260,000 in 2009 Graduate programs in humanities and social sciences: Excessively dependent on int l students due to low incentive for domestic students. Becoming difficult to recruit enough qualified students into STEM field programs. Private univs. which do not meet their authorized enrollment capacities: 43.2% (250), two-year colleges: 61.0% (192) 6

Hiroshi Ota Objectives and Policy Rationales for Increasing Int l Students Institutional level: Polarizing For internationalization: English-taught courses and programs for both exchange and degree-seeking int l students For survival: Revenue-generating approach National level: Diversifying Traditionally aid and mutual understanding approach Prevailing skilled migration approach with career placement service 7

Number of International Students Number of International Students in Japan 150,000 140,000 130,000 120,000 110,000 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Year Source: Japan Student Services Organization (2015) 8

International Students in Japan by Field of Study in 2014 Field of study Social Sciences Humanities Engineering Fine Art Health Sciences Others Total # of students 51,507 31,942 23,566 5,074 3,168 21,494 139,185 % of total 37.0 22.9 16.9 3.6 2.3 15.4 100 by Place of Origin in 2014 Place of origin China Korea Vietnam Nepal Taiwan Indonesia Others Total # of students 77,792 13,940 11,174 5,291 4,971 2,705 23,312 139,185 % of total 55.9 10.0 8.0 3.8 3.6 1.9 16.7 100 % change -5.0-8.9 +77.6 +66.0-5.3 +12.2 +7.3% +2.7 Source: Japan Student Services Organization (2015) 9

International Students Enrolled in Japanese by Place of Origin in 2014 Place of origin Language Schools China Vietnam Nepal Korea Taiwan Myanmar Others Total # of students 16,607 15,265 5,157 1,837 1,260 655 4,189 44,970 % of total 36.9 33.9 11.5 4.1 2.8 1.5 9.3 100 % change +3.9 +103.3 +96.9-12.7-7.2 +61.7 +37.8 # of Int l students enrolled in Japanese language schools in 2013: 32,626 Source: Japan Student Services Organization (2014) Grand total: enrolled in language schools (44,970) + HEIs (139,185) = 184,155 (+9.5%) *Typical path to Japanese degree: Japanese language school (port of entry) entrance exam HEI (esp. undergraduate program): about 70% 10

International Students in Japan by Academic Level in 2014 Postgraduate students: 39,979 (28.7%) Short-term and exchange students (1 to 2 semesters): 12,774 (9.2%) Source: Japan Student Services Organization (2014) by Source of Funding in 2014 Source of funding Privately financed Japanese gov t sponsored Foreign gov t sponsored # of students 171,808 8,351 3,996 Total 184,155 (incl. 44,970 language school students) % of total 93.3 4.5 2.2 100 Typical int l students in Japan: Privately-financed, degree-seeking Chinese students enrolled in undergraduate programs, majoring in humanities & social sciences 11

Hiroshi Ota Typical Path to Univs in Japan UG program: home country Japanese language school private univ s UG program Graduate program: home country Japanese language school private univ s UG program national univ s graduate program Leading research univs: undergraduate graduate (en-suite model) Reflecting the capacity of enrollment, discipline, and research: private national Tuition fees and scholarships: private national Univs. heavily rely on the domestic market of int l students 12

Hiroshi Ota English-Taught Degree Programs Intention: Lower the language barrier and break into the new market to increase the inflow and diversity of international students. Number of univs. offering ETD programs Undergraduate: 6 (2008) 28 (2014) Postgraduate: 47 (2008) 76 (2014) Number of ETD programs (2015) UG: 46 programs (national: 24, L. public: 3, private: 19) PG: 456 programs (national: 385, L. public: 8, private: 63) Source: JASSO 13

Hiroshi Ota English-Taught Degree Programs ETD programs of 13 Global 30 univs. 245 programs (UG: 37, PG: 208) (2015) 5,200 students including 1,600 Japanese (2014) Majority of ETD programs in Japan are Source: Global 30 and JSPS Small scale: show window (branding) of so-called internationalization for the domestic market Mainly intended for Japanese and returnees: virtual study-abroad model (Shimauchi 2012) 14

Overseas Info. Center Differences of International Student Recruitment and Admissions Japan JASSO s 4 centers and 55 Study in Japan resource centers Online application Rare (paper-based application) Very common Required test score Foreign credential evaluation process Screening method Application fee Using commissioned recruiters Transfer students Conditional admissions Affiliated language school Scores of EJU incl. academic subject tests or JLPT and TOEFL Very rare (virtually nonexistent) On-campus entrance exam and interview Expensive (JPY35,000 US$300) and no credit cards accepted Not common in general, but lowertiered private institutions use Very rare Nonexistent Not so common (private universities only) Other Countries British Council: 229, CampusFrance: 103, IDP: 75, DAAD 14, EducationUSA: 400 Language test, e.g. TOEFL or IELTS, score only Processed by national center or NPO evaluators and institutions Document screening only Less expensive (avg. in US: $40-60) and credit cards accepted Quite common except US Very common in US with credit transfer and articulation programs Quite common Quite common 15

Urgent Matters: Improvements of Int l Recruitment and Admissions Process Student quality control: shift from input to output control (admissions based on minimum standards) Quantity brings quality (to secure critical mass) Need to expose HEIs to the int l student market abroad and let them tackle the market mechanism. Hiroshi Ota Reform old-fashioned admissions process, e.g., hard copy-based application and on-campus exam, to reinforce the recruitment capacity abroad. 16

Hiroshi Ota Urgent Matters: Improvements of Int l Recruitment and Admissions Process Need to embark on proactive recruitment and a smooth, user-friendly admissions process Online-based application and common application Document-screening only method (pre-departure admissions) and online interview Increase transfer admissions from HEIs abroad Multiple admissions, online payment with credit card Establish a national center for foreign credential evaluation to support HEIs int l admissions offices 17

Hiroshi Ota Challenges and Opportunities Cast off the old successful experience in the era of the 100,000 Int l Student Plan that has delayed reforms and internationalization. Improve pre-departure arrangements including accommodations and scholarships for newly accepted int l students. Only 23.4% of int l students live at student dormitories Reform the academic calendar: introducing the quarter system could be a solution?? 18

Hiroshi Ota Challenges and Opportunities English-taught degree programs Can gain access to the greater but more competitive market Revisit Study in Japan : Why study for a degree in English in Japan? Stepping stone to a third country? Employment opportunity? Quality assurance: programs, faculty, and students Many ETD programs do NOT welcome int l students but intended for Japanese students. Admission is not science but art. 19

Thank you for your attention. Hiroshi Ota, Ph.D. Professor Center for Global Education Hitotsubashi University E-mail: h.ota@r.hit-u.ac.jp http://international.hit-u.ac.jp/jp/courses/hgp/index.html 20