Papers by Claudia Ishikawa
Japan’s ‘Plan to Accept 100,000 Foreign Students’ proved an endeavour of unprecedented dimensions... more Japan’s ‘Plan to Accept 100,000 Foreign Students’ proved an endeavour of unprecedented dimensions. Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s pledge in 1983 to increase the number of foreign students in Japan’s higher education sector tenfold within a span of twenty years not only had serious ramifi cations for universities, higher education policy, and the MEXT budget. The project was also to prove an immense challenge for the Ministry of Justice Immigration Bureau, with consequences continuing to be felt in educationoriented immigration control policy today.
... Indeed, notwithstanding the budget allocation of 224,000 yen for a round-trip air-ticket per ... more ... Indeed, notwithstanding the budget allocation of 224,000 yen for a round-trip air-ticket per scholarship place, students from Europe consume on average 320,000~330,000 yen on a standard one-way ticket alone. As a result, JASSO is facing a 400 million yen deficit on a travel ...
At the macro level, current international student policy in Japan, especially as it concerns stud... more At the macro level, current international student policy in Japan, especially as it concerns student exchange, can only be described as mystifying. Despite the Fukuda announcement in January 2008 of the “Plan to Accept 300,000 Foreign Students, and the spate of ensuing government schemes aimed at the implementation of this goal, at the time of writing, very little structured assistance was evident in terms of scholarships and/ or other material support for the fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Universities have applied for recent Ministry of Education (MEXT) initiatives such as “Global 30”; however, the extent to which such projects are sustainable, and how they will influence the general content and numbers of international student exchange numbers has yet to be gauged. On the micro level, 2008 and 2009 have not thus far proven particularly promising for the Nagoya University Programme for Academic Exchange (NUPACE). Issues mentioned in last year’s report remain unresolved; scholarship n...
As regards the Nagoya University Programme for Academic Exchange (NUPACE), the years 2007 and 200... more As regards the Nagoya University Programme for Academic Exchange (NUPACE), the years 2007 and 2008 can best be described as ones of disconcerting discoveries. Issues, some seemingly intractable, are revealing themselves in core components of the programme, not least in a decreased scholarship allocation from the government, in student choice visà-vis the academic curriculum on offer, in housing, and in the restructuring of personnel. At the same time, another uncomfortable truth sits heavily: NUPACE, in its attempt to rationalise programme administration, has become increasingly self-sufficient and, thus, isolated from the Schools that comprise the mainstream of Nagoya University. Ironically, despite an enviable reputation on the nation-wide and international stage, the waning impact made by this programme at the university-wide level is increasingly discernible and disturbing.
The fiscal year 2006 is proving rather interesting. The long-running JASSO saga has taken another... more The fiscal year 2006 is proving rather interesting. The long-running JASSO saga has taken another convoluted turn and, as of this academic year, two radical changes in policy and funding have been sprung upon universities participating in short-term student exchange programmes. The first entails the abolishment of the JASSO practice of procuring standard economy class round-trip flight tickets for all scholarship recipients, and the replacement of these tickets with an across-the-board ‘study abroad preparation’ (settling-in) allowance of 150,000 yen. The second policy shift comprises the abolishment of regional (i.e., continental) JASSO scholarship quotas. Henceforth, participating universities will simply receive a block sum of scholarships, which they are free to distribute at will.
Whilst the Government and influential lobby groups underscore the strategic significance of admit... more Whilst the Government and influential lobby groups underscore the strategic significance of admitting an increasing number of highly-skilled foreign professionals, a conspicuous feature of Japan’s immigration framework has been the parallel development of immigration as a means of international human resource development and/or international contribution. Making reference to the concepts of ‘intellectual contribution’ and ‘international human resource development’ in Japan’s immigration framework and, as a point of comparison, introducing the results of fieldwork conducted in Germany and Australia, this report investigates the premise that ‘international capacity building’ constitutes a dominant and viable element of Japan’s immigration law and policy.
FY 2015 witnessed a further shake-up of the international structure of Nagoya University. In Marc... more FY 2015 witnessed a further shake-up of the international structure of Nagoya University. In March 2016, the umbrella organisation that housed the International Education & Exchange Centre transfigured itself into the “Institute of International Education and Exchange”, with the objective of enhancing not only its administrative, but also academic functions. The rank and file of faculty members affiliated to this vamped-up Institute were largely left out of the debate and, needless to say, confusion amongst some members still exists vis-à-vis the actual ramifications of this change. Closer to home turf, the two sections responsible for operating NUPACE, International Admissions and Academic Services and the Office of International Education and Exchange, have been relabelled as, 1) the Department of International Programmes, and 2) the Department of International Education and Exchange. Here I believe it wiser to avoid their seemingly ill-fated acronyms (DIP?! DIEE?!) . The author i...
The academic year 2009~2010, at least as far as NUPACE is concerned, can only be considered an ex... more The academic year 2009~2010, at least as far as NUPACE is concerned, can only be considered an extraordinary one. The author’s earlier misgivings visà-vis Government inertia with respect to the pledged internationalisation of tertiary education (What happened to the Fukuda announcement in January 2008 of the “Plan to Accept 300,000 Foreign Students”? Were any concrete steps actually being take to implement the plan?) were thrown aside, at least temporarily, with the materialisation of the “Global 30” initiative. As a consequence of Nagoya University’s selection as a “hub” for “internationalised education”, not only the newly-established Global 30 Office, but NUPACE, too, managed to acquire certain spoils, including ten extra scholarships per year, and a strengthened Office in terms of personnel. The programme at last seemed better equipped to meet the target of doubling its current exchange student intake to 150 within a tenyear span. The atmosphere further brightened when, as a res...
To what extent do exchange programmes influence the future study/career paths and life choices of... more To what extent do exchange programmes influence the future study/career paths and life choices of participants? In what ways do strengthened bonds to the host country and institution manifest themselves after exchange students complete their programmes? This report, attempting to answer these questions, presents the results of a survey carried out on exchange alumni of the Nagoya University Program for Academic Exchange (NUPACE), who were enrolled at this University between April 2009 and March 2014. Not only does the information garnered broaden the programme co-ordinators understanding of the significance of exchange programmes; numerical data on satisfaction levels with respect to academic and social life, as well as the living environment in Nagoya, can potentially be applied to more focused recruitment and promotion of the programme.
FY 2015 witnessed a further shake-up of the international structure of Nagoya University. In Marc... more FY 2015 witnessed a further shake-up of the international structure of Nagoya University. In March 2016, the umbrella organisation that housed the International Education & Exchange Centre transfigured itself into the “Institute of International Education and Exchange”, with the objective of enhancing not only its administrative, but also academic functions. The rank and file of faculty members affiliated to this vamped-up Institute were largely left out of the debate and, needless to say, confusion amongst some members still exists vis-à-vis the actual ramifications of this change. Closer to home turf, the two sections responsible for operating NUPACE, International Admissions and Academic Services and the Office of International Education and Exchange, have been relabelled as, 1) the Department of International Programmes, and 2) the Department of International Education and Exchange. Here I believe it wiser to avoid their seemingly ill-fated acronyms (DIP?! DIEE?!) . The author is affiliated to the former Department which, now a colossal entity, encompasses not only 1) NUPACE, but also, 2) G30 International Programmes, 3) the Japanese language component of the G30 International Programmes, and 4) NUSTEP, Nagoya University’s short-term (two-week long) Japaneselanguage programme held twice a year in February and July. Needless to add, devising a common departmental mission statement is currently not on the agenda.
In FY 2012, with the objective of activating and facilitating the internationalisation of this in... more In FY 2012, with the objective of activating and facilitating the internationalisation of this institution, Nagoya University was successful in an application for Government funding under the category of “Promotion of National University Reform”. The resultant bid to rationalise the international organs of this university through the separation of admission functions from those of advising resident international students was largely implemented in 2013. At least on paper, NUPACE has now been amalgamated with the Global 30 International Programs, and divided into two sections, namely, 1) International Admissions and Academic Services (IAAS), and 2) the International Education and Exchange Office (IEEO). The effectiveness of the plan to streamline two separate functions, that is, “admissions” and “pastoral care”, remains very much open to debate, as does the merger of NUPACE with G30; however, all now seems fait accomplis, with NUPACE faculty and staff members scrambling with limited ...
名古屋大学留学生センター紀要, Oct 16, 2006
名古屋大学留学生センター紀要, Oct 31, 2009
名古屋大学留学生センター紀要, Oct 31, 2008
名古屋大学留学生センター紀要, Sep 7, 2010
名古屋大学留学生センター紀要, Aug 24, 2011
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Papers by Claudia Ishikawa