Postgraduate Study in Japan - a sleeping giant, soon to wake
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calendar_month 01 Mar 2011, 00:00
For domestic students, Japan presents a bewildering variety of postgraduate study options. The country is home to almost 700 universities and a total of over 2000 graduate degree programs covering every conceivable area of academic pursuit. However, the vast majority of these options remain out of reach to most international students, the path being blocked by that great behemoth - The Japanese Language.

Most graduate programs here are operated principally in Japanese, and only permit enrollment by foreigners who have achieved a mastery of this most inscrutable of languages. Of course there are many Japanese language schools and non-degree programs which accept foreigners, but the opportunities for direct admission to a graduate degree program have traditionally been very limited.

But times are changing. An ultra-competitive higher education market, combined with a government-initiated imperative for universities to 'internationalize', is driving more and more institutions to open their doors to international students seeking a postgraduate degree in an English-language medium.

Private universities have been leading this trend to internationalization. Unrestricted by the cumbersome red tape which binds their government-owned counterparts and motivated by the need to differentiate their product in an ultra-competitive market, the last ten years have seen many universities expanding international student admission numbers, providing entire curricula in English, employing more faculty from overseas, and slimming their administrative structures. At the front line of these changes recently has been Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, an offspring of the Ritsumeikan Trust, a private educational institution with a 100 year history in Kyoto. APU, founded in April 2000 to become a pioneer in globalization and testing ground for new international education systems, welcomes half of its students and faculty staff from overseas, with 67 countries and regions represented on a campus which is more reminiscent of United Nations headquarters than a university in regional Japan. Japanese students are attracted to APU by its multi-cultural flavor, commitment to international quality, and the great potential for forging alumni networks worldwide. The added attraction for international students is that no Japanese language ability is required for admission. If APU is successful in its experiment to provide full access and support for international students, other Japanese universities are sure to follow.

The standard path for admission to national (government-owned) universities has been the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarship. Applications for this scholarship, which covers full tuition and living expenses, are accepted through Japanese Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Scholarship students spend their first six to twelve months in Japan learning the Japanese language intensively, before enrolling in a regular graduate program. While the scholarship is lucrative, a large investment is required in terms of time (often three years or more for a Master's) and competition is quite fierce - only about 10% of international students in Japan are receiving this scholarship.

However, the next three to five years are guaranteed to bring rapid changes to national universities and their policies towards foreign student intake. These universities are currently being transformed into independent administrative bodies, freed from the Ministry of Education's choke and at the same time required to balance their own books for the first time. To become competitive, such universities will need to provide something more than the standard ministry-approved formula. International student admissions will be given more attention as an important strategic element in the reform process, and universities will become more and more pro-active in their search for talented international students in all fields.



One area of natural interest to international students looking to study in Japan is area studies - usually Asian Studies or Asia Pacific Studies. Originally a western discipline growing out of orientalism, many Japanese universities are now promoting the idea of "Asian Studies within Asia ". Japan is the perfect location to undertake such research, with significant scholarship support for talented students and boundless resources at hand for those wishing to pursue research into societies and cultures and international relations particularly in the North East Asian region. APU for example is promoting Asia Pacific Studies as a core field of interdisciplinary research, and offers both Master's and PhD programs in this area, overseen by experienced faculty gathered from throughout the region.

Management is another growth area. There is still a lot to learn from Japan and its way of doing business, and the country's geographical proximity and close links to growing markets in Asia may possibly make Japan a new destination of choice for MBA candidates who wish to be prepared both theoretically and practically for a career in Asian business. Traditionally, MBA programs in Japan have been designed almost as replicas of their North American counterparts; however more and more universities here are waking up to the possibility of attracting students interested in engaging in business in North East Asia. Some schools such as APU's Graduate School of Management are offering programs specializing in Asian business, combining universally accepted management theories with a sensitivity to Asian business cultures. Many universities are developing their own case material to support teaching in these programs. An MBA at a reputed Japanese university can provide a depth of local experience and rich networks which cannot be rivaled by western business schools operating short-term field studies and satellite programs in Asia.

The opportunities for degree-based study in Japan are still limited and the jury is still out on whether Japanese universities are capable of achieving genuine 'internationalization', but it is an exciting time to become part of a higher education scene which is evolving much more rapidly than that in many other parts of the world.

The internet is one of the best places to begin your search for a graduate school in Japan. Universities which are serious about welcoming international students will definitely have a presence on the web. Other options include graduate recruitment fairs and forums, your local Japanese embassy or consulate, and the international affairs division at your university. Another excellent source of general information about study in Japan is the government's Association of International Education Japan (AIEJ): click here

In summary, higher study in Japan should not be dismissed simply as an option for Japanophiles. There is something here for any international student looking for a solid post-graduate degree in Asia and the chance to become part of something new. We hope you consider joining us here in Japan soon!