The following article is a translation from The Yomiuri Shimbun's Educational Renaissance series. This installment, the third and last of three articles, focuses on universities' efforts to attract students by holding explanation sessions specially designed to win over parents.
About 120 parents gathered at Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, on July 31 to attend an hourlong meeting for parents whose children are considering attending the university. The event was aimed at explaining various issues students will face, including those related to scholarships and job hunting.
The meeting was followed by a campus tour. About 60 parents were guided by Atsushi Kuroko, head of the planning and admissions department, and other school officials and to various facilities including a center to support supplemental study.
"Please encourage your children to visit the center if they aren't able to keep up with their classes. In the case of boys, fathers aren't good at handling sons, so mothers should take the lead," Kuroko said, making the parents laugh.
"This is the third introductory session I've attended. But I've never attended a tour specifically designed for parents before. The explanations were so easy to understand I had nothing to ask," said a pleased mother who visited the campus with her daughter.
The school launched the campus tour for parents in 2007, adding to the explanation sessions for parents it launched in 2000. In 2008, the institute had school officials who help with postgraduate employment attend the session. Thanks to university's efforts, the number of parents attending open houses--originally intended for students--reached 1,285 in the 2011 school year compared with 582 in the 2007 school year.
"A parents-only session allows us to hear parents' opinions firsthand and discuss them," Kuroko said.
At a time when universities are competing fiercely to get more students--39 percent of private universities in the country under-enrolled--schools are trying a variety of measures to appeal to parents.
Nanzan University in Aichi Prefecture has held open house events for parents in March every year since 2007. This year, in a newly built building, about 300 parents listened to university students talk about their experiences studying abroad and took a trial lesson.
Ritsumeikan University has held an event designed for parents titled, "Let's go to Kitano Tenmangu shrine to pray for entrance exam success," during their summer open house since 2009.
The university's cooperative association students give tours around the Kinugasa campus in Kyoto.
"It seems like parents enjoy the walk and the chance to talk with students," a member of the association said.
"Parents' opinions have a strong influence on a student's choice of schools. It is important to win the hearts of parents who visit schools," said Kenji Yasuda, a senior official of Daigaku Tsushin, an education information firm.
"Recently, parents want to tour campuses together with their children. I expect there'll be more events where they can take part together," Yasuda added.
It appears there is nothing to stop the battle between universities to win the hearts and minds of parents.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/T111117003665.htm
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