A record 11,040 foreign students found jobs in Japan in 2008 after graduating from universities and other schools here, up 7.6 percent from the previous year, the Justice Ministry's Immigration Bureau said Tuesday. It was the sixth increase in as many years.
Asian students accounted for 96.6 percent of the successful job applicants. By nation, 7,651 came from China, 1,360 from South Korea, 303 from Taiwan, 189 from Vietnam and 164 from Bangladesh, according to the bureau.
It obtained the data by tallying the number of students who applied for changes in visa status, which is mandatory for employment.
The most common jobs were in translation and interpretation, engaged in by 33।7 percent of the former students, followed by sales at 16.2 percent and information processing at 11.2 percent.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090715a8.html
Thursday, July 16, 2009
'Manga' grad course on horizon
Kyoto Seika University plans to offer a graduate course to foster comic book creators and researchers in fiscal 2010.
It will be the first academic course on "manga" offered by a graduate school at a Japanese university, the private school said.
Well-known manga creators, including Keiko Takemiya, Shuho Itahashi and Yukio Shinohara, who teach in the university's manga department, will give lectures as part of the graduate course.
About 840 students aiming to become comic book creators or animators are currently enrolled in the school's Faculty of Manga, which was established in 2006.
The university opened the manga department in 2000, the first of its kind in the country।
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090716b1.html
It will be the first academic course on "manga" offered by a graduate school at a Japanese university, the private school said.
Well-known manga creators, including Keiko Takemiya, Shuho Itahashi and Yukio Shinohara, who teach in the university's manga department, will give lectures as part of the graduate course.
About 840 students aiming to become comic book creators or animators are currently enrolled in the school's Faculty of Manga, which was established in 2006.
The university opened the manga department in 2000, the first of its kind in the country।
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090716b1.html
Friday, July 03, 2009
Japan students rush for English-language education
At 28,000 dollars a year, a popular English language cram school course in Japan doesn't come cheap, but its students hope the rewards will more than make up for the hefty tuition fee.
The class is called "Route H" -- short for "Route to Harvard"।
Hundreds of schools like it have opened across Japan in recent years to prep a new generation of students who have their educational sights set far beyond Japan's shores, at the top universities of the West।
"In future I hope to become a doctor or a lawyer। I can't make up my mind," said one high school student on a recent study night, taking a short break between English grammar exercises and vocabulary drills.
But one thing he is sure about: he wants to go to Yale University where he expects a more pro-active learning environment than in Japan, one that stresses lively debate and independent thinking।
"I don't like the Japanese education system of passively listening to lectures," he said.
More and more Japanese parents and students are thinking the same way, said Masanori Fujii, of the cram school company Benesse Corp, which offers customised "Route H" courses at an average of 2।5 million yen (28,000 dollars).
"Most of them are high school students and their parents, but some are parents of ninth graders, eighth graders or even sixth graders," he said।
While many families across Asia who could afford it have long sent their children abroad for an English-language education, Japan now lags behind India, China and South Korea in sending students to US universities, according to the US Institute of International Education।
But the tide is turning, said Fujii, with a new wave of students worried that a Japanese-only education will leave them ill-prepared in an increasingly globalised world।
"The recent trend is different from the past in that top students are hoping to leave Japan," he said।
Of the 10,000 top high school students who took a mock university entrance exam last year, five percent were also hoping to apply to prestigious US and British universities such as Yale, Princeton, Oxford and Cambridge, Fujii said।
Their number is set to rise in future as the government is planning to introduce English-language education at elementary schools from 2011।
While the percentage may not seem huge yet, it has ended the virtual monopoly Japan's universities once enjoyed over the best and brightest academic talent, putting some educational institutions on the defensive।
-- Competition should improve education at home --
In 2005, the elite University of Tokyo for the first time teamed up with other hallowed learning institutions for a national tour to recruit high school students in provincial cities।
The university wanted to remind young Japanese that "there are many Japanese colleges which offer education and research as good as that of foreign universities or better," the university said in a statement।
Tokyo University also said it would aim to strengthen education in English, "an international language in the academic world"।
"Japanese universities are under pressure to improve their quality of education in an increasingly globalised world," said Hideo Kageyama, professor of education at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto।
"It's also difficult for Japanese universities to attract smart students from Asian countries such as China and India। Japan should discuss how to improve education with the view that it is competing with other countries on the educational front."
Cultural purists worry about the rush for English and a Western education।
A "fervor for education in English without a national strategy is a recipe for the decline of Japanese," wrote novelist Minae Mizumura, who recently caused a stir with her essay "When the Japanese language goes extinct"।
"We already have a solid translation culture in which almost any kind of intellectual dialogue can be read and spoken in Japanese," she said।
"But if everyone tries to speak English, the richness of Japanese could be reduced to a local language in which no intellectual conversations take place।"
Yukio Otsu, a linguistics professor at Keio University, agreed that "not all Japanese have to speak English"।
But he added that "it's natural to choose a university in an English speaking country if a top school of your specialised field happens to be there। And one's mother tongue doesn't disappear that easily."
Masayasu Morita, executive supervisor of the "Route H" course, said exposing more Japanese students to foreign universities would enrich, not threaten, the educational environment at home।
"This kind of competition between colleges across borders could contribute to improving the quality of Japanese education," he said।
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090702/wl_asia_afp/lifestylejapaneducationenglish_20090702055729
The class is called "Route H" -- short for "Route to Harvard"।
Hundreds of schools like it have opened across Japan in recent years to prep a new generation of students who have their educational sights set far beyond Japan's shores, at the top universities of the West।
"In future I hope to become a doctor or a lawyer। I can't make up my mind," said one high school student on a recent study night, taking a short break between English grammar exercises and vocabulary drills.
But one thing he is sure about: he wants to go to Yale University where he expects a more pro-active learning environment than in Japan, one that stresses lively debate and independent thinking।
"I don't like the Japanese education system of passively listening to lectures," he said.
More and more Japanese parents and students are thinking the same way, said Masanori Fujii, of the cram school company Benesse Corp, which offers customised "Route H" courses at an average of 2।5 million yen (28,000 dollars).
"Most of them are high school students and their parents, but some are parents of ninth graders, eighth graders or even sixth graders," he said।
While many families across Asia who could afford it have long sent their children abroad for an English-language education, Japan now lags behind India, China and South Korea in sending students to US universities, according to the US Institute of International Education।
But the tide is turning, said Fujii, with a new wave of students worried that a Japanese-only education will leave them ill-prepared in an increasingly globalised world।
"The recent trend is different from the past in that top students are hoping to leave Japan," he said।
Of the 10,000 top high school students who took a mock university entrance exam last year, five percent were also hoping to apply to prestigious US and British universities such as Yale, Princeton, Oxford and Cambridge, Fujii said।
Their number is set to rise in future as the government is planning to introduce English-language education at elementary schools from 2011।
While the percentage may not seem huge yet, it has ended the virtual monopoly Japan's universities once enjoyed over the best and brightest academic talent, putting some educational institutions on the defensive।
-- Competition should improve education at home --
In 2005, the elite University of Tokyo for the first time teamed up with other hallowed learning institutions for a national tour to recruit high school students in provincial cities।
The university wanted to remind young Japanese that "there are many Japanese colleges which offer education and research as good as that of foreign universities or better," the university said in a statement।
Tokyo University also said it would aim to strengthen education in English, "an international language in the academic world"।
"Japanese universities are under pressure to improve their quality of education in an increasingly globalised world," said Hideo Kageyama, professor of education at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto।
"It's also difficult for Japanese universities to attract smart students from Asian countries such as China and India। Japan should discuss how to improve education with the view that it is competing with other countries on the educational front."
Cultural purists worry about the rush for English and a Western education।
A "fervor for education in English without a national strategy is a recipe for the decline of Japanese," wrote novelist Minae Mizumura, who recently caused a stir with her essay "When the Japanese language goes extinct"।
"We already have a solid translation culture in which almost any kind of intellectual dialogue can be read and spoken in Japanese," she said।
"But if everyone tries to speak English, the richness of Japanese could be reduced to a local language in which no intellectual conversations take place।"
Yukio Otsu, a linguistics professor at Keio University, agreed that "not all Japanese have to speak English"।
But he added that "it's natural to choose a university in an English speaking country if a top school of your specialised field happens to be there। And one's mother tongue doesn't disappear that easily."
Masayasu Morita, executive supervisor of the "Route H" course, said exposing more Japanese students to foreign universities would enrich, not threaten, the educational environment at home।
"This kind of competition between colleges across borders could contribute to improving the quality of Japanese education," he said।
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090702/wl_asia_afp/lifestylejapaneducationenglish_20090702055729
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Panel eyes new schools for vocational education
A key government panel on education suggested Monday the establishment of a new category of school that will attach primary importance to practical vocational training for high school graduates।
The idea was suggested by the Central Council for Education as a measure to broaden the range of career choices for high school graduates and reduce the high rate of young people leaving employment।
The move reflects public concern over the increasing number of part-time job hoppers and NEETs, a term that refers to young people not in education, employment or training।
On Monday, a special committee of the panel to the education, science and technology minister compiled the draft of a report on the vocational independence of young people।
The report states that the new schools will create a new category of educational body in addition to universities and vocational colleges।
Under the current system, vocational colleges are given a considerable measure of freedom in devising their educational programs। But unlike these colleges, the envisaged schools are supposed to set up programs roughly in line with state-controlled standards.
The new schools would teach students a wide array of skills to prepare them to become full-fledged members of society and/or business professionals, allocating 40 to 50 percent of the curriculum to practical work and training। In addition, internships would be a mandatory part of the courses.
However, many issues still need to be discussed before the plans can be put into action।
For example, the panel has been indecisive about the duration of courses at the new schools, stating it should last from two to three years, or at least four years। Digital content creation and computer software-related engineering courses have been floated as ideas to be included in the new schools' curriculums.
According to the education ministry, about 50,000 people who graduated from high school last academic year did not proceed to higher education or employment after graduating।
Meanwhile, a survey shows that 50 percent of people who started work after graduating resigned within three years।
According to educational experts, current vocational education at high schools is ineffective, which is one of the reasons for the increase of NEETs and part-time job-hoppers, widely known as freeters।
The government has been urged to improve vocational education at high schools to try to counter this trend।
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090701TDY02311.htm
The idea was suggested by the Central Council for Education as a measure to broaden the range of career choices for high school graduates and reduce the high rate of young people leaving employment।
The move reflects public concern over the increasing number of part-time job hoppers and NEETs, a term that refers to young people not in education, employment or training।
On Monday, a special committee of the panel to the education, science and technology minister compiled the draft of a report on the vocational independence of young people।
The report states that the new schools will create a new category of educational body in addition to universities and vocational colleges।
Under the current system, vocational colleges are given a considerable measure of freedom in devising their educational programs। But unlike these colleges, the envisaged schools are supposed to set up programs roughly in line with state-controlled standards.
The new schools would teach students a wide array of skills to prepare them to become full-fledged members of society and/or business professionals, allocating 40 to 50 percent of the curriculum to practical work and training। In addition, internships would be a mandatory part of the courses.
However, many issues still need to be discussed before the plans can be put into action।
For example, the panel has been indecisive about the duration of courses at the new schools, stating it should last from two to three years, or at least four years। Digital content creation and computer software-related engineering courses have been floated as ideas to be included in the new schools' curriculums.
According to the education ministry, about 50,000 people who graduated from high school last academic year did not proceed to higher education or employment after graduating।
Meanwhile, a survey shows that 50 percent of people who started work after graduating resigned within three years।
According to educational experts, current vocational education at high schools is ineffective, which is one of the reasons for the increase of NEETs and part-time job-hoppers, widely known as freeters।
The government has been urged to improve vocational education at high schools to try to counter this trend।
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090701TDY02311.htm
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