Nearly 3 million people were studying the Japanese language in 133 countries and territories worldwide as of 2006, up more than 25 percent from three years earlier, according to a survey conducted by the Japan Foundation.
The organization, one of whose main duties is to promote Japanese-language education overseas, last week released the data from its latest survey, conducted between November last year and March this year. It has been conducting surveys of this kind since 1979--initially every five years but now every three years beginning from the latest one.
For the survey, the Japan Foundation sent questionnaire sheets to about 27,000 educational institutions worldwide, of which 75 percent responded. It found that there were 2,979,820 students of the Japanese language overseas last year, about 23 times larger than the student number in 1979.
The government has been aiming at increasing the number of students of the Japanese language to 3 million by 2010. The Japan Foundation's latest survey shows that the goal has almost been achieved.
By nation and territory, South Korea topped the list with about 910,000 students, followed by China and Australia with about 680,000 and 370,000, respectively. The number of students in these three countries accounted for about two-thirds of the total figure.
Compared to the 2003 survey, 95 countries and territories saw increases in the number of students of Japanese.
On the other hand, 31 countries and territories showed the opposite trend--with Australia and the United States among them. The United States, the sixth highest country in terms of the number of students, had a 15.9 percent decrease.
The organization guesses that behind such decreases, there is an increasing popularity for learning other languages such as Chinese and Spanish.
Of the 3 million, nearly 60 percent were students at the primary and secondary school level, while about 25 percent were studying at higher educational institutions. About 490,000 were taught at other institutions outside the formal education system, such as language schools in the private sectors. This was an increase of nearly 70 percent from the 2003 survey.
"This is a new phenomenon that is occurring," said Katsumi Kakazu, a Japan Foundation official who led the survey.
Nowadays, there is a greater variety of available methods for learning languages other than attending traditional classroom lessons, such as using the Internet, but the survey could not cover such individuals.
"[Sending the questionnaire sheets to relevant organizations] was a primitive but steady approach. The survey shows that there were 'at least' 3 million people studying Japanese worldwide," he said. "We'd like to find a way to cover students learning by various other methods in the future."
(Nov. 8, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/20071108TDY14001.htm
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Plans for Japanese university
KUALA LUMPUR: Japan pla-ns to set up a Malaysia-Japan International University of Technology here to enable Malaysians to further their studies in technological fields.
Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Masahiko Horie said he planned to promote efforts to establish the university which was expected to offer courses such as electrical engineering, industrial management and machinery.
Horie, 61, arrived in Malaysia last month to take up his post as ambassador.In expressing his delight at being posted to Malaysia, Horie said other fields of collaboration between Japan and Malaysia included promoting security, expanding the economic relationship and environment conservation.He said the relationship of both countries was especially meaningful this year as it was also the 50th anniversary of the Japan-Malaysia relationship and the 25th year of the Look East Policy.
http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/20071101075836/Article/index_html
Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Masahiko Horie said he planned to promote efforts to establish the university which was expected to offer courses such as electrical engineering, industrial management and machinery.
Horie, 61, arrived in Malaysia last month to take up his post as ambassador.In expressing his delight at being posted to Malaysia, Horie said other fields of collaboration between Japan and Malaysia included promoting security, expanding the economic relationship and environment conservation.He said the relationship of both countries was especially meaningful this year as it was also the 50th anniversary of the Japan-Malaysia relationship and the 25th year of the Look East Policy.
http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/20071101075836/Article/index_html
University campus proves land of opportunity
OSAKA--Many foreign students at universities in Japan have worked hard to come here, but it has been a particularly tough road for a Myanmar man at Kwansei Gakuin University, who fled his home country 16 years ago.
In April, Myo Myint Swe became one of the first two refugees admitted to the university through its agreement with the Office of U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Japan, aimed at providing college education for refugees. He attends the university's school of policy studies at its Sanda campus in Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture.
"I'd wanted to go to university since I left Burma [Myanmar], but it was just impossible," Myo said. "When UNHCR called to tell me I'd been picked as a recommended candidate to the university, I cried tears of joy."
Myo, 38, was involved in the pro-democracy movement as a university student in his home country. "We used to be rich, but we had become one of the poorest countries in the world," he said. "Senior military officials were the only ones living in affluence, and for all others, it was difficult to make a decent living. [Myanmar] is an agricultural country, but people didn't have enough rice to eat."
He added the student movement became so big because even those who had a college education could not find jobs.
However, after the military suppressed the pro-democracy uprising in 1988 and formed the government, he began to feel it was too dangerous for him to stay in the country. "I left [Myanmar], promising myself I'd come back when I could do something to improve the country," Myo said.
As for the recent military crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in Myanmar, he simply said, "I'm worried about the people."
For Myo, Kwansei Gakuin University was a fresh start after years of difficulty in Japan.
He has refugee status under the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, but only received it two years ago.
He first came to Japan with a temporary visa, which he eventually overstayed while working at a Japanese restaurant and later at an IT-related firm in Tokyo. Although he had left Myanmar in fear of political persecution and should have been protected as a refugee, he was concerned that overstaying the visa would cause problems, he said.
Unfortunately, his worries became a reality.
As Myo continued to voice his opinion on Myanmar, he felt the need for protection even in Japan. He applied for refugee status in 2004, but shortly after was arrested on suspicion of overstaying his visa. He was detained by the police and the immigration authorities for 251 days, he said.
Two weeks after a provisional release from an immigration facility, Myo was given refugee status by the justice minister.
The first thing he did after earning the status was look into the possibility of going to university.
However, Myo would have to pass examinations and pay tuition like Japanese students, so he decided to get a job and take a college correspondence course. While working for another IT-related firm, he learned about the new program launched by the UNHCR and Kwansei Gakuin University.
For the program, the UNHCR office in Japan screens applicants about their refugee backgrounds and fluency in Japanese, and the university interviews the recommended candidates.
Married by this time, Myo faced a difficult choice, as going to the university meant losing his job and moving from Tokyo. But his wife was very supportive, he said, telling him that a college education would open a whole new world to him in the long run.
Now studying at the university, Myo says he couldn't be happier.
"I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up with the classes, and I do need to work on my writing [Japanese]. But it's so much fun to learn about politics, economics and human rights," he said. "I also feel Japanese students are very fortunate, living in peace and studying whatever they like. That's such a privilege."
Another student admitted through the program is a 23-year-old Vietnamese man, whose parents are Indochinese refugees. He said through the university's public relations office that he felt the urge to study more at a trading firm where he worked after high school because he realized he had a lot to learn if he wanted to improve his business performance.
The man, who has requested to remain anonymous, also said he hoped to establish a trading firm in Vietnam that would do business with Japan.
The university exempts the two students from tuition and provides a monthly stipend of 80,000 yen each. They also have the choice of living in the university dormitory free of charge.
The stipend comes from a fund, which reached 8.6 million yen as of the end of March through donations from several Osaka-based firms and university professors and employees. The university plans to continue accepting a maximum of two refugees a year.
"We hope to nurture people who can contribute to the good of the world," said Kohei Asano, the university's vice president. "We'd like to give opportunities to refugees, who can't get an education because of financial difficulties or lack of educational records from their home countries. But in addition, we hope sitting in a classroom with refugee students will lead other students to think about problems in the world and what they can do about them."
According to the UNHCR, the program has drawn interest from other universities, including Aoyama Gakuin University, which concluded a similar agreement at the end of July to start a program next April.
"Many refugees manage to learn Japanese although they have a hard time here," Yuki Moriya, public information officer at the UNHCR office in Japan, said. "We'd like to see more universities follow Kwansei Gakuin University's path. If refugees who study here someday go back to their countries, they would definitely be a great bridge between their countries and Japan."
Japan is said to lag behind in refugee-related policies. The number of cases in which applicants were given refugee status under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law is 410 out of 4,882 applications since 1982, when the system was put into effect, until the end of 2006, according to government statistics.
Although Myo held a grudge against the Japanese government after being arrested, he is now grateful for the opportunity to study in Japan.
"In the future, I want to work for an international organization and try to eliminate problems that create refugees in the first place, like poverty and political instability," he said.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071101TDY16001.htm
In April, Myo Myint Swe became one of the first two refugees admitted to the university through its agreement with the Office of U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Japan, aimed at providing college education for refugees. He attends the university's school of policy studies at its Sanda campus in Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture.
"I'd wanted to go to university since I left Burma [Myanmar], but it was just impossible," Myo said. "When UNHCR called to tell me I'd been picked as a recommended candidate to the university, I cried tears of joy."
Myo, 38, was involved in the pro-democracy movement as a university student in his home country. "We used to be rich, but we had become one of the poorest countries in the world," he said. "Senior military officials were the only ones living in affluence, and for all others, it was difficult to make a decent living. [Myanmar] is an agricultural country, but people didn't have enough rice to eat."
He added the student movement became so big because even those who had a college education could not find jobs.
However, after the military suppressed the pro-democracy uprising in 1988 and formed the government, he began to feel it was too dangerous for him to stay in the country. "I left [Myanmar], promising myself I'd come back when I could do something to improve the country," Myo said.
As for the recent military crackdown against peaceful demonstrators in Myanmar, he simply said, "I'm worried about the people."
For Myo, Kwansei Gakuin University was a fresh start after years of difficulty in Japan.
He has refugee status under the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, but only received it two years ago.
He first came to Japan with a temporary visa, which he eventually overstayed while working at a Japanese restaurant and later at an IT-related firm in Tokyo. Although he had left Myanmar in fear of political persecution and should have been protected as a refugee, he was concerned that overstaying the visa would cause problems, he said.
Unfortunately, his worries became a reality.
As Myo continued to voice his opinion on Myanmar, he felt the need for protection even in Japan. He applied for refugee status in 2004, but shortly after was arrested on suspicion of overstaying his visa. He was detained by the police and the immigration authorities for 251 days, he said.
Two weeks after a provisional release from an immigration facility, Myo was given refugee status by the justice minister.
The first thing he did after earning the status was look into the possibility of going to university.
However, Myo would have to pass examinations and pay tuition like Japanese students, so he decided to get a job and take a college correspondence course. While working for another IT-related firm, he learned about the new program launched by the UNHCR and Kwansei Gakuin University.
For the program, the UNHCR office in Japan screens applicants about their refugee backgrounds and fluency in Japanese, and the university interviews the recommended candidates.
Married by this time, Myo faced a difficult choice, as going to the university meant losing his job and moving from Tokyo. But his wife was very supportive, he said, telling him that a college education would open a whole new world to him in the long run.
Now studying at the university, Myo says he couldn't be happier.
"I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up with the classes, and I do need to work on my writing [Japanese]. But it's so much fun to learn about politics, economics and human rights," he said. "I also feel Japanese students are very fortunate, living in peace and studying whatever they like. That's such a privilege."
Another student admitted through the program is a 23-year-old Vietnamese man, whose parents are Indochinese refugees. He said through the university's public relations office that he felt the urge to study more at a trading firm where he worked after high school because he realized he had a lot to learn if he wanted to improve his business performance.
The man, who has requested to remain anonymous, also said he hoped to establish a trading firm in Vietnam that would do business with Japan.
The university exempts the two students from tuition and provides a monthly stipend of 80,000 yen each. They also have the choice of living in the university dormitory free of charge.
The stipend comes from a fund, which reached 8.6 million yen as of the end of March through donations from several Osaka-based firms and university professors and employees. The university plans to continue accepting a maximum of two refugees a year.
"We hope to nurture people who can contribute to the good of the world," said Kohei Asano, the university's vice president. "We'd like to give opportunities to refugees, who can't get an education because of financial difficulties or lack of educational records from their home countries. But in addition, we hope sitting in a classroom with refugee students will lead other students to think about problems in the world and what they can do about them."
According to the UNHCR, the program has drawn interest from other universities, including Aoyama Gakuin University, which concluded a similar agreement at the end of July to start a program next April.
"Many refugees manage to learn Japanese although they have a hard time here," Yuki Moriya, public information officer at the UNHCR office in Japan, said. "We'd like to see more universities follow Kwansei Gakuin University's path. If refugees who study here someday go back to their countries, they would definitely be a great bridge between their countries and Japan."
Japan is said to lag behind in refugee-related policies. The number of cases in which applicants were given refugee status under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law is 410 out of 4,882 applications since 1982, when the system was put into effect, until the end of 2006, according to government statistics.
Although Myo held a grudge against the Japanese government after being arrested, he is now grateful for the opportunity to study in Japan.
"In the future, I want to work for an international organization and try to eliminate problems that create refugees in the first place, like poverty and political instability," he said.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071101TDY16001.htm
Close to 3 million taking Japanese lessons overseas
Some 2.98 million people were studying Japanese in 133 countries and regions in 2006, up 26.4 percent from 2003 and almost attaining the government's target of raising the number to 3 million by 2010, the Japan Foundation said Wednesday.
The number of institutions teaching the language increased 11.6 percent to 13,639, with six countries — Montenegro, Oman, Qatar, Uganda, Gabon and Central African Republic — newly confirmed to have offered Japanese courses. The number of Japanese-language teachers grew 33.8 percent to 44,321.
Of the 2,979,820 people around the world learning the language, the largest number — 910,957, or 30.6 percent of the total — were in South Korea. China had 684,366, outpacing Australia to move into second place from third since a previous survey three years ago, the foundation said.
Students of the language decreased 4.1 percent in Australia to 366,165, falling to third place, while in the U.S. the number fell 15.9 percent to 117,969.
The most recent survey was conducted between October 2006 and last March by distributing questionnaires to 27,644 educational institutions around the world.
Of 41,530 teachers, excluding those in Taiwan, 69.5 percent were people whose mother tongue is not Japanese.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20071101f5.html
The number of institutions teaching the language increased 11.6 percent to 13,639, with six countries — Montenegro, Oman, Qatar, Uganda, Gabon and Central African Republic — newly confirmed to have offered Japanese courses. The number of Japanese-language teachers grew 33.8 percent to 44,321.
Of the 2,979,820 people around the world learning the language, the largest number — 910,957, or 30.6 percent of the total — were in South Korea. China had 684,366, outpacing Australia to move into second place from third since a previous survey three years ago, the foundation said.
Students of the language decreased 4.1 percent in Australia to 366,165, falling to third place, while in the U.S. the number fell 15.9 percent to 117,969.
The most recent survey was conducted between October 2006 and last March by distributing questionnaires to 27,644 educational institutions around the world.
Of 41,530 teachers, excluding those in Taiwan, 69.5 percent were people whose mother tongue is not Japanese.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20071101f5.html
Univ of Tokyo, Yale set up joint program on Japanese studies
NEW YORK — The University of Tokyo and Yale University announced Wednesday that they are launching a joint program to promote Japanese studies in the United States.
The initiative, titled the "Todai-Yale Initiative for Japanese Studies and Related Humanities and Social Sciences" will bring researchers from Japan to the Yale campus, where they will "both further their own research and contribute to the field of Japanese studies on campus," the universities said in a statement. Todai is a Japanese acronym for the University of Tokyo.
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/420907
The initiative, titled the "Todai-Yale Initiative for Japanese Studies and Related Humanities and Social Sciences" will bring researchers from Japan to the Yale campus, where they will "both further their own research and contribute to the field of Japanese studies on campus," the universities said in a statement. Todai is a Japanese acronym for the University of Tokyo.
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/420907
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Universities shore up Asian legal footing
Japanese universities are stepping up their cooperation with universities in other Asian nations in studying legal systems in the region and helping produce legal experts in these countries.
The moves are aimed at helping Japan's Asian neighbors improve their legal systems to complement their efforts to create market economies and expedite the democratic process.
The Japanese universities also hope to better advocate themselves as conduits for academic and personnel exchanges, given the growing importance of this nation's ties with these new economic powers.
On Oct. 19, Nagoya University held its annual Tokyo Forum at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, showcasing the university's support for improving the legal systems in Asian nations.
Students learning Japanese at the law department of the National University of Mongolia joined the forum by video-phone. They gave a simple greeting in Japanese.
The students belong to the Japanese legal education research center, which was set up by Nagoya University's Center for Asian Legal Exchange with a subsidy from the Japanese government. Similar centers were recently set up in Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Mongolia with the objective of nurturing experts of Japanese laws--in Japanese.
Since 1998, Nagoya University has accepted students from Asian countries to contribute to the development of legal professionals. However, after some students told the university they could not learn the ins and outs of Japan's legal system if they studied Japanese laws in English, the university decided two years ago to get the ball rolling on the first research center.
At the Tokyo forum, former Vietnamese Justice Minister Nguyen Dinh Loc heaped praise on Nagoya University's project. "The center will help nurture people who are knowledgeable not only about Japanese law, but also Japanese society."
The university hopes the students at the centers will go on to serve pivotal roles in administrative and legal organs in their countries.
"As ties with Asian countries become ever more important, the university can distinguish itself from other universities by serving as a go-between with aspiring legal professionals in Asia," said Masaki Nakamura of the university's Center for Asian Legal Exchange.
Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law has dipped its toes in the water by starting cooperation with Renmin University of China and Busan National University in Busan, South Korea, from this academic year. The tie-up aims to foster study of legal systems in the three countries as well as devising research education program for graduate school students and young researchers.
Seigo Mori, dean of Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law, said, "If possible, we hope this leads to the formulation of a common legal system and interpretation in East Asia."
Although the East Asian economic community is still at the drawing-board stage, Hokkaido University has launched a study with experts from China, South Korea and Taiwan to propose a set of common rules for a common market.
(Oct. 30, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071030TDY04301.htm
The moves are aimed at helping Japan's Asian neighbors improve their legal systems to complement their efforts to create market economies and expedite the democratic process.
The Japanese universities also hope to better advocate themselves as conduits for academic and personnel exchanges, given the growing importance of this nation's ties with these new economic powers.
On Oct. 19, Nagoya University held its annual Tokyo Forum at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, showcasing the university's support for improving the legal systems in Asian nations.
Students learning Japanese at the law department of the National University of Mongolia joined the forum by video-phone. They gave a simple greeting in Japanese.
The students belong to the Japanese legal education research center, which was set up by Nagoya University's Center for Asian Legal Exchange with a subsidy from the Japanese government. Similar centers were recently set up in Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Mongolia with the objective of nurturing experts of Japanese laws--in Japanese.
Since 1998, Nagoya University has accepted students from Asian countries to contribute to the development of legal professionals. However, after some students told the university they could not learn the ins and outs of Japan's legal system if they studied Japanese laws in English, the university decided two years ago to get the ball rolling on the first research center.
At the Tokyo forum, former Vietnamese Justice Minister Nguyen Dinh Loc heaped praise on Nagoya University's project. "The center will help nurture people who are knowledgeable not only about Japanese law, but also Japanese society."
The university hopes the students at the centers will go on to serve pivotal roles in administrative and legal organs in their countries.
"As ties with Asian countries become ever more important, the university can distinguish itself from other universities by serving as a go-between with aspiring legal professionals in Asia," said Masaki Nakamura of the university's Center for Asian Legal Exchange.
Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law has dipped its toes in the water by starting cooperation with Renmin University of China and Busan National University in Busan, South Korea, from this academic year. The tie-up aims to foster study of legal systems in the three countries as well as devising research education program for graduate school students and young researchers.
Seigo Mori, dean of Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law, said, "If possible, we hope this leads to the formulation of a common legal system and interpretation in East Asia."
Although the East Asian economic community is still at the drawing-board stage, Hokkaido University has launched a study with experts from China, South Korea and Taiwan to propose a set of common rules for a common market.
(Oct. 30, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071030TDY04301.htm
Friday, October 19, 2007
Waseda University to accept 8,000 foreign students in 5 years
Waseda University, one of Japan’s best-known private universities, is going cosmopolitan.
President Katsuhiko Shirai said the university plans to increase the number of foreign students to 8,000 in five years, up from the current 2,400.
The university plans to double the percentage of foreign teachers to 20 percent and increase the number of classes conducted in English. The university plans to increase the capacity of dormitories to 5,000 students, from the current 1,000, which include Japanese.
Waseda, which marks its 125th anniversary on Sunday, already has a relatively multicultural campus among Japanese universities.
As of May 1, 2006, 2,190 foreign students were studying at Waseda, second only to 2,197 at the University of Tokyo, according to the Japan Student Services Organization.
(IHT/Asahi: October 18,2007)
http://mengho.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/waseda-university-to-accept-8000-foreign-students-in-5-years/
President Katsuhiko Shirai said the university plans to increase the number of foreign students to 8,000 in five years, up from the current 2,400.
The university plans to double the percentage of foreign teachers to 20 percent and increase the number of classes conducted in English. The university plans to increase the capacity of dormitories to 5,000 students, from the current 1,000, which include Japanese.
Waseda, which marks its 125th anniversary on Sunday, already has a relatively multicultural campus among Japanese universities.
As of May 1, 2006, 2,190 foreign students were studying at Waseda, second only to 2,197 at the University of Tokyo, according to the Japan Student Services Organization.
(IHT/Asahi: October 18,2007)
http://mengho.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/waseda-university-to-accept-8000-foreign-students-in-5-years/
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Egypt, Japan make 2008 'year of science cooperation'
Egypt and Japan have designated 2008 as a year of science and technology cooperation.
Hany Helal, Egypt's minister of higher education and scientific research, announced the plan at the fourth annual meeting of the Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto, Japan, last week (7–9 October).
The Japan–Egypt Year of Science and Technology 2008 will form part of Egypt's decade of science and technology (see Egypt designates a 'decade of science'), and is a bilateral initiative from the Japanese and Egyptian ministries of higher education and scientific research.
The initiative will establish cooperative networks between Egyptian and Japanese scientists and their educational and technological institutions, including Japan's Society for Promotion of Science and the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.
The two countries will organise science conferences and workshops, and exchange staff on joint research projects. Possible topics include preventing and monitoring industrial pollution, and renewable energy technology.
As part of the initiative, Japanese clean energy know-how will help construct a wind farm and a solar energy facility south of Cairo.
A joint programme will train Egyptians in enhanced industrial productivity, with Japanese experts educating Egyptian industrialists about technological upgrades.
The two countries will also set up a Japanese science and technology university in Alexandria.
The Egypt–Japan University will foster technological and scientific innovation in the African and Arab region by offering undergraduate and postgraduate science and technology degrees, including information and communications technologies, new materials courses and renewable energy technology.
Magdi Tawfik Abdelhamid, a researcher at Cairo's National Research Centre who obtained his PhD from the Japan-based Gifu University, told SciDev.Net that cooperation between the two countries "is part of Japan's efforts to strengthen dialogue with African countries before the 2008 Tokyo International Conference on African Development.""Science cooperation will ensure Africa benefits from agricultural and rural development and new technologies, especially information, communications and energy technologies, as well as enhancing the quality of science and mathematics education," he said.
http://www.scidev.net/gateways/index.cfm?fuseaction=readitem&rgwid=2&item=News&itemid=3983&language=1
Hany Helal, Egypt's minister of higher education and scientific research, announced the plan at the fourth annual meeting of the Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto, Japan, last week (7–9 October).
The Japan–Egypt Year of Science and Technology 2008 will form part of Egypt's decade of science and technology (see Egypt designates a 'decade of science'), and is a bilateral initiative from the Japanese and Egyptian ministries of higher education and scientific research.
The initiative will establish cooperative networks between Egyptian and Japanese scientists and their educational and technological institutions, including Japan's Society for Promotion of Science and the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.
The two countries will organise science conferences and workshops, and exchange staff on joint research projects. Possible topics include preventing and monitoring industrial pollution, and renewable energy technology.
As part of the initiative, Japanese clean energy know-how will help construct a wind farm and a solar energy facility south of Cairo.
A joint programme will train Egyptians in enhanced industrial productivity, with Japanese experts educating Egyptian industrialists about technological upgrades.
The two countries will also set up a Japanese science and technology university in Alexandria.
The Egypt–Japan University will foster technological and scientific innovation in the African and Arab region by offering undergraduate and postgraduate science and technology degrees, including information and communications technologies, new materials courses and renewable energy technology.
Magdi Tawfik Abdelhamid, a researcher at Cairo's National Research Centre who obtained his PhD from the Japan-based Gifu University, told SciDev.Net that cooperation between the two countries "is part of Japan's efforts to strengthen dialogue with African countries before the 2008 Tokyo International Conference on African Development.""Science cooperation will ensure Africa benefits from agricultural and rural development and new technologies, especially information, communications and energy technologies, as well as enhancing the quality of science and mathematics education," he said.
http://www.scidev.net/gateways/index.cfm?fuseaction=readitem&rgwid=2&item=News&itemid=3983&language=1
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Johnson & Johnson Launches Global Diabetes Institute to Provide State-of-The- Art Education, Training to Health Professionals
Institutes to Operate in Countries Around the World; First Centers to Open in Japan, U.S., France and ChinaKenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., Former Acting Surgeon General, Appointed to Lead Global Effort
October 16, 2007: 02:12 PM EST
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johnson & Johnson today announced the establishment of the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute (JJDI) to transform diabetes care by providing comprehensive training on the latest practice standards, new diabetes tools and technologies and reimbursement solutions to physicians, nurses, physician assistants and diabetes educators around the globe.
Former Acting U.S. Surgeon General and public health expert, Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., will serve as the Institute's chairman.
The Institute is part of a new effort to address the growing epidemic of diabetes, which now affects more than 180 million people worldwide and is predicted to double to 360 million people by 2030. Toward this end, Johnson & Johnson affiliates will invest the necessary resources to open and operate new state-of-the-art instructional facilities worldwide, starting with Japan in 2007 and the U.S., China and France by mid-2008.
"In sheer numbers and the costs in human suffering and money spent on health care, diabetes has reached crisis proportions around the globe," said Dr. Moritsugu, who has type I diabetes and is an advocate for improved diabetes care. "At a time when the annual direct health care costs for diabetes worldwide are estimated to be at least $232 billion, new strategies are needed to raise the level of care for people with diabetes, including stepped-up education and hands-on training of health professionals working at the local level."
Don Casey, Johnson & Johnson company group chairman, said the Institute is a response from the Company to this challenge. "Through this Institute, Johnson & Johnson is determined to arm those on the front lines in delivering diabetes care with the latest information and practical skills so they can help their patients live healthier, longer lives," Casey noted.
Developed in consultation with leaders of international diabetes organizations and public health institutions including the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the Association de Langue Francaise pour L'Etude du Diabete et des Maladies Metaboliques, the Japan Diabetes Society, the Japan Diabetes Education and Care Association, and leading endocrinologists and authorities from China, the new Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute will provide training each year for thousands of physicians, nurses, and other health providers worldwide.
In each country, the curriculum will be customized to reflect the needs of patients and providers and entails several days of country-specific skills training and education in diabetes care from a faculty of nationally recognized diabetes experts.
In general, courses will emphasize innovative practice models and ways to use existing diabetes tools and technologies in real time to solve patient problems. While the curriculum will vary by country, course examples include guidelines and standards of care, in-person product training, insulin pump therapy, communicating with patients and families, new tools and technologies, blood glucose pattern management and software solutions and reimbursement for diabetes care.
"With diabetes reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and in the rest of the world, there is a critical need for diabetes educators and other health care professionals to provide education and care to people with and at risk for diabetes. However, the level of knowledge required to maintain job skills at peak intensity is growing and becoming progressively more complex.
Changes in health care delivery require diabetes educators to acquire a host of new skills and become familiar with latest diabetes tools and technologies," said Lana Vukovljak, MA, MS, CEO of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).
"The American Association of Diabetes Educators supports J & J's Diabetes Institute initiative as it will provide diabetes educators and other health care professionals with the opportunity to stay current and be better prepared to help fight the epidemic."
Dr. Moritsugu joined the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies on October 1 and will serve as Chairman of the Institute, with responsibility for overseeing the Institute and developing other innovative programs and strategies that will help Johnson & Johnson and the health care community better address the delivery of diabetes care around the world. Born in Hawaii, Dr. Moritsugu achieved Admiralty status within the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, was the Federal representative to numerous national health care agencies and consulted with several international organizations and governments.
Before serving as Acting Surgeon General in 2006, Dr. Moritsugu was the Deputy Surgeon General and the principal assistant and advisor to the U.S. Surgeon General. Having completed residencies in internal medicine and in preventive medicine, Dr. Moritsugu is also Board Certified in preventive medicine and holds Fellowships in the American College of Preventive Medicine, the Royal Society of Health, and the Royal Society of Medicine.
About Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products, as well as a provider of related services, for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics markets. The more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies employ approximately 120,000 men and women in 57 countries and sell products throughout the world.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYTU12616102007-1.htm
October 16, 2007: 02:12 PM EST
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johnson & Johnson today announced the establishment of the Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute (JJDI) to transform diabetes care by providing comprehensive training on the latest practice standards, new diabetes tools and technologies and reimbursement solutions to physicians, nurses, physician assistants and diabetes educators around the globe.
Former Acting U.S. Surgeon General and public health expert, Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., will serve as the Institute's chairman.
The Institute is part of a new effort to address the growing epidemic of diabetes, which now affects more than 180 million people worldwide and is predicted to double to 360 million people by 2030. Toward this end, Johnson & Johnson affiliates will invest the necessary resources to open and operate new state-of-the-art instructional facilities worldwide, starting with Japan in 2007 and the U.S., China and France by mid-2008.
"In sheer numbers and the costs in human suffering and money spent on health care, diabetes has reached crisis proportions around the globe," said Dr. Moritsugu, who has type I diabetes and is an advocate for improved diabetes care. "At a time when the annual direct health care costs for diabetes worldwide are estimated to be at least $232 billion, new strategies are needed to raise the level of care for people with diabetes, including stepped-up education and hands-on training of health professionals working at the local level."
Don Casey, Johnson & Johnson company group chairman, said the Institute is a response from the Company to this challenge. "Through this Institute, Johnson & Johnson is determined to arm those on the front lines in delivering diabetes care with the latest information and practical skills so they can help their patients live healthier, longer lives," Casey noted.
Developed in consultation with leaders of international diabetes organizations and public health institutions including the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the Association de Langue Francaise pour L'Etude du Diabete et des Maladies Metaboliques, the Japan Diabetes Society, the Japan Diabetes Education and Care Association, and leading endocrinologists and authorities from China, the new Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Institute will provide training each year for thousands of physicians, nurses, and other health providers worldwide.
In each country, the curriculum will be customized to reflect the needs of patients and providers and entails several days of country-specific skills training and education in diabetes care from a faculty of nationally recognized diabetes experts.
In general, courses will emphasize innovative practice models and ways to use existing diabetes tools and technologies in real time to solve patient problems. While the curriculum will vary by country, course examples include guidelines and standards of care, in-person product training, insulin pump therapy, communicating with patients and families, new tools and technologies, blood glucose pattern management and software solutions and reimbursement for diabetes care.
"With diabetes reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and in the rest of the world, there is a critical need for diabetes educators and other health care professionals to provide education and care to people with and at risk for diabetes. However, the level of knowledge required to maintain job skills at peak intensity is growing and becoming progressively more complex.
Changes in health care delivery require diabetes educators to acquire a host of new skills and become familiar with latest diabetes tools and technologies," said Lana Vukovljak, MA, MS, CEO of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).
"The American Association of Diabetes Educators supports J & J's Diabetes Institute initiative as it will provide diabetes educators and other health care professionals with the opportunity to stay current and be better prepared to help fight the epidemic."
Dr. Moritsugu joined the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies on October 1 and will serve as Chairman of the Institute, with responsibility for overseeing the Institute and developing other innovative programs and strategies that will help Johnson & Johnson and the health care community better address the delivery of diabetes care around the world. Born in Hawaii, Dr. Moritsugu achieved Admiralty status within the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, was the Federal representative to numerous national health care agencies and consulted with several international organizations and governments.
Before serving as Acting Surgeon General in 2006, Dr. Moritsugu was the Deputy Surgeon General and the principal assistant and advisor to the U.S. Surgeon General. Having completed residencies in internal medicine and in preventive medicine, Dr. Moritsugu is also Board Certified in preventive medicine and holds Fellowships in the American College of Preventive Medicine, the Royal Society of Health, and the Royal Society of Medicine.
About Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products, as well as a provider of related services, for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics markets. The more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies employ approximately 120,000 men and women in 57 countries and sell products throughout the world.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYTU12616102007-1.htm
Hiroshima Univ. to support cash-strapped high achievers
Hiroshima University announced Tuesday it would start a scholarship for students who have good academic records but are likely to forego a college education for financial reasons.
Students who are awarded the scholarship will be exempt from admission fees and tuition and receive 100,000 yen per month.
Due to widening economic disparities, whether a child can receive a college education largely depends on the parents' economic situation. However, such complete support for financially challenged students is unusual for a national university, according to the Education, Science and Technology Ministry.
According to the university, students who scored 90 percent or more at the national center test for university admissions are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Other conditions include the parents' income level and the size of the family.
Student from families of three who attend the university while living away from home are eligible to apply for the scholarship if the family's annual income is 2.65 million yen or less.
Among those who passed the university's entrance examination for this academic year, 44 students scored 90 percent or more in the national center test, the university said.
The university's admission fee is 282,000 yen, and tuition is 535,800 yen per year.
An official at the university's student support center said, "Don't give up on your college education because of financial reasons."
For more information, call the support center at (082) 424-6163.
(Oct. 17, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071017TDY02202.htm
Students who are awarded the scholarship will be exempt from admission fees and tuition and receive 100,000 yen per month.
Due to widening economic disparities, whether a child can receive a college education largely depends on the parents' economic situation. However, such complete support for financially challenged students is unusual for a national university, according to the Education, Science and Technology Ministry.
According to the university, students who scored 90 percent or more at the national center test for university admissions are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Other conditions include the parents' income level and the size of the family.
Student from families of three who attend the university while living away from home are eligible to apply for the scholarship if the family's annual income is 2.65 million yen or less.
Among those who passed the university's entrance examination for this academic year, 44 students scored 90 percent or more in the national center test, the university said.
The university's admission fee is 282,000 yen, and tuition is 535,800 yen per year.
An official at the university's student support center said, "Don't give up on your college education because of financial reasons."
For more information, call the support center at (082) 424-6163.
(Oct. 17, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071017TDY02202.htm
HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka Prefecture: Foreign students get a helping hand
A college research center has developed a teaching program specifically designed to help Brazilian children living in Japan. The material can be easily downloaded from the Internet free of charge.
The Enshuhama Elementary School in Hamamatsu, where nearly a quarter of the students have foreign citizenship, is already trying the kanji and math teaching programs that were developed by the Center for Multilingual Multicultural Education and Research at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, based in Fuchu, Tokyo.
The material is used in after-school lessons offered at the elementary school. The tool can be downloaded from a computer and adapted to suit the language level of each student.
"There are many teachers who have a hard time trying to teach foreign students," Seiko Shaku, principal at Enshuhama Elementary said. "Sometimes the homeroom teacher is saddled with too much responsibility. I think the teaching material will come as a boon for the teachers."
Enshuhama Elementary has 417 students, of whom 96 are foreign nationals.
During regular school hours, the foreign children are "taken out" of their regular classes and receive extra training as a group to strengthen their Japanese.
In addition to these lessons, the school hosts optional after-school study sessions twice a week.
One afternoon, Keiko Sakurai was teaching an after-school math class for first-graders, using the material from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
She put up pictures of apples on the black board, following the textbook.
"How many apples do we get when we add four apples and five apples together?" she asked.
"We get nine apples!" the children chirped.
The students write their answers on answer sheets that were also downloaded from the Center Website at http://www.tufs.ac.jp/blog/ts/g/cemmer/index.html.
The students are solving math problems and learning how to add. But at the same time they learn how to count in Japanese, using the correct quantifier attributed to different things in Japanese. They also learn how to use the appropriate particles in a sentence by speaking out loud.
The text was developed by researchers who specialize in teaching foreign children, in collaboration with Japanese language teachers.
For math, for example, the idea is taught and outlined using easy Japanese that meets the student's speaking level.
Later on, appropriate Japanese expressions can be added on. The basic rule is "content first, Japanese later."
Illustrations and gadgets are used to visually stimulate the students, to fill in gaps and send information that can't be explained through words alone.
"In this class we aim at getting the children to solve math problems by reading the Japanese instructions," Sakurai said. "The program is perfectly suited for children who are able to read and write hiragana characters."
Besides Hamamatsu, schools in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, and Ota, Gunma Prefecture, are also looking into introducing the teaching material at their schools. Both cities have large Brazilian communities.
Masaaki Takahashi, who heads the center, commented that product development was a two-way street. "We hope to continue refining the program by reflecting comments and input from the actual classrooms," Takahashi said.(IHT/Asahi: October 16,2007)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200710160093.html
The Enshuhama Elementary School in Hamamatsu, where nearly a quarter of the students have foreign citizenship, is already trying the kanji and math teaching programs that were developed by the Center for Multilingual Multicultural Education and Research at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, based in Fuchu, Tokyo.
The material is used in after-school lessons offered at the elementary school. The tool can be downloaded from a computer and adapted to suit the language level of each student.
"There are many teachers who have a hard time trying to teach foreign students," Seiko Shaku, principal at Enshuhama Elementary said. "Sometimes the homeroom teacher is saddled with too much responsibility. I think the teaching material will come as a boon for the teachers."
Enshuhama Elementary has 417 students, of whom 96 are foreign nationals.
During regular school hours, the foreign children are "taken out" of their regular classes and receive extra training as a group to strengthen their Japanese.
In addition to these lessons, the school hosts optional after-school study sessions twice a week.
One afternoon, Keiko Sakurai was teaching an after-school math class for first-graders, using the material from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
She put up pictures of apples on the black board, following the textbook.
"How many apples do we get when we add four apples and five apples together?" she asked.
"We get nine apples!" the children chirped.
The students write their answers on answer sheets that were also downloaded from the Center Website at http://www.tufs.ac.jp/blog/ts/g/cemmer/index.html.
The students are solving math problems and learning how to add. But at the same time they learn how to count in Japanese, using the correct quantifier attributed to different things in Japanese. They also learn how to use the appropriate particles in a sentence by speaking out loud.
The text was developed by researchers who specialize in teaching foreign children, in collaboration with Japanese language teachers.
For math, for example, the idea is taught and outlined using easy Japanese that meets the student's speaking level.
Later on, appropriate Japanese expressions can be added on. The basic rule is "content first, Japanese later."
Illustrations and gadgets are used to visually stimulate the students, to fill in gaps and send information that can't be explained through words alone.
"In this class we aim at getting the children to solve math problems by reading the Japanese instructions," Sakurai said. "The program is perfectly suited for children who are able to read and write hiragana characters."
Besides Hamamatsu, schools in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, and Ota, Gunma Prefecture, are also looking into introducing the teaching material at their schools. Both cities have large Brazilian communities.
Masaaki Takahashi, who heads the center, commented that product development was a two-way street. "We hope to continue refining the program by reflecting comments and input from the actual classrooms," Takahashi said.(IHT/Asahi: October 16,2007)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200710160093.html
Monday, October 15, 2007
Japanese Ambassador Designate Keen On Malaysia-Japan University
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- The setting up of a Malaysia-Japan International University of Technology is among the aspirations of Japanese ambassador designate to Malaysia, Masahiko Horie.
Horie, who arrived here 10 days ago, said if realised, the university will focus mainly on engineering, management, machinery, industrial management and electronics."I would like to see the establishment of the Malaysia-Japan International University of Technology during my tenure in the country," he told reporters at his official residence here today.
Horie said what makes the university different from its counterparts within the nation will be its method of teaching and training which will be based on the Japanese methods of excellence and quality.
"During my three-year tenure in Qatar, I was asked by the Emir to help establish a Japanese school based on elements of the Japanese methods of education. Even then the school isn't fully established. These things take time," he said.However, he added that he was confident of laying the groundwork for the university in the near future because unlike Qatar, Malaysia already has many people who are able to speak Japanese.
On Japan-Malaysia relationship, Horie said it is no longer a donor-recipient kind of relationship like what it was once 20 years ago."This relationship has evolved, transformed and changed completely today. Today Malaysia has very succesful economic development, is a mature and developed country which has led to equal partnership between our two nations," he said.
The partnership lies not only on economic terms but also on regional and maritime security, political as well as environmental issues, according to Horie.Japan also supports Malaysia's peacekeeping operations which are good for Asean's regional stability, especially those against terrorism and piracy, he said.
On environmental issues, Horie stated that he would like to propose a trilateral cooperation between Japan, Malaysia and Madagascar on forest conservation as he respects Malaysia's success on the subject.He said his hopes include strengthening and expanding the economic relations between the two countries by promoting direct investment and industrial cooperation, especially with the economic partnership agreement that was signed between two countries last year.
Horie, who is replacing Tadashi Imai, will hand his appointment credentials to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.Prior to his appointment here, Horie, 61, was the ambassador to Qatar from 2004 to 2007, director-general of international affairs for the Japan Defence Agency and chairman for the Tokyo Defence Forum.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=289689
Horie, who arrived here 10 days ago, said if realised, the university will focus mainly on engineering, management, machinery, industrial management and electronics."I would like to see the establishment of the Malaysia-Japan International University of Technology during my tenure in the country," he told reporters at his official residence here today.
Horie said what makes the university different from its counterparts within the nation will be its method of teaching and training which will be based on the Japanese methods of excellence and quality.
"During my three-year tenure in Qatar, I was asked by the Emir to help establish a Japanese school based on elements of the Japanese methods of education. Even then the school isn't fully established. These things take time," he said.However, he added that he was confident of laying the groundwork for the university in the near future because unlike Qatar, Malaysia already has many people who are able to speak Japanese.
On Japan-Malaysia relationship, Horie said it is no longer a donor-recipient kind of relationship like what it was once 20 years ago."This relationship has evolved, transformed and changed completely today. Today Malaysia has very succesful economic development, is a mature and developed country which has led to equal partnership between our two nations," he said.
The partnership lies not only on economic terms but also on regional and maritime security, political as well as environmental issues, according to Horie.Japan also supports Malaysia's peacekeeping operations which are good for Asean's regional stability, especially those against terrorism and piracy, he said.
On environmental issues, Horie stated that he would like to propose a trilateral cooperation between Japan, Malaysia and Madagascar on forest conservation as he respects Malaysia's success on the subject.He said his hopes include strengthening and expanding the economic relations between the two countries by promoting direct investment and industrial cooperation, especially with the economic partnership agreement that was signed between two countries last year.
Horie, who is replacing Tadashi Imai, will hand his appointment credentials to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.Prior to his appointment here, Horie, 61, was the ambassador to Qatar from 2004 to 2007, director-general of international affairs for the Japan Defence Agency and chairman for the Tokyo Defence Forum.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=289689
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
It's cheaper to do MBA in Japan
PUNE: Japan, the second-largest economy in the world, could be a cheaper destination to do your MBA than Pune. Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI) vice-president Umesh Joshi narrated this story to demolish myths about Japan being an expensive destination for higher studies. Under a student exchange programme between Japan and China, for the same cost while Japan could send one student to China, the latter sent three students.
“On an average, with a partial scholarship, it should cost between Rs 3-4 lakh annually for an Indian student to study in Japan. This is at a par with the cost of higher education in the UK, for instance,” he said. This year, two students from Pune have received full scholarship for tuition and living expenses. In an attempt to tap into the rapidly growing base of students aspiring for international degrees, the Japan Student Services Organisation (JSSO), a facilitation organisation for overseas students, is making its maiden two-city India visit.
After its first halt in Pune, it is headed for Delhi. Incidentally, Mombusho refers to a prestigious scholarship given to international students by the Japanese government and the association, MOSAI, comprises those Indians who have received that scholarship.
“India sends between 300-500 students annually to Japan, of the 1.20 lakh overseas students who go there. Most of the Indian students go for language studies, which is a pity since the country has more to offer in high tech areas, than just language studies,” Mr Joshi stated. He added that MOSAI will offer round-the-year counselling and information to students wanting to explore Japan as an educational destination.
There is a practical, long-term reason for Indian students to study in Japan, Mr Joshi remarked, given the level of investment being made by that country in core projects in India. Japanese companies, which will invest in India under those programmes, will naturally prefer Indians who have studied there, understand their culture and are familiar with the language.
A course of study in Japan more or less guarantees a job with a Japanese company in India and for the Indian, it is a benefit since s/he learns tremendous self discipline.
“This is an introduction to Japan and educational opportunities available there, from the humanities to engineering, medicine, MBA, chemistry, life sciences... We have 18 Japanese universities that participated in this fair, of which five offer post-graduate courses only in English,” Mr Joshi said.
MOSAI had expected up to 500 student visitors at its day-long exhibition, but by lunch time, the number had crossed 1,000 students enthusiastically looking for options to the “traditional” overseas education destinations of the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Russia.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Its_cheaper_to_do_MBA_in_Japan/articleshow/2438009.cms
“On an average, with a partial scholarship, it should cost between Rs 3-4 lakh annually for an Indian student to study in Japan. This is at a par with the cost of higher education in the UK, for instance,” he said. This year, two students from Pune have received full scholarship for tuition and living expenses. In an attempt to tap into the rapidly growing base of students aspiring for international degrees, the Japan Student Services Organisation (JSSO), a facilitation organisation for overseas students, is making its maiden two-city India visit.
After its first halt in Pune, it is headed for Delhi. Incidentally, Mombusho refers to a prestigious scholarship given to international students by the Japanese government and the association, MOSAI, comprises those Indians who have received that scholarship.
“India sends between 300-500 students annually to Japan, of the 1.20 lakh overseas students who go there. Most of the Indian students go for language studies, which is a pity since the country has more to offer in high tech areas, than just language studies,” Mr Joshi stated. He added that MOSAI will offer round-the-year counselling and information to students wanting to explore Japan as an educational destination.
There is a practical, long-term reason for Indian students to study in Japan, Mr Joshi remarked, given the level of investment being made by that country in core projects in India. Japanese companies, which will invest in India under those programmes, will naturally prefer Indians who have studied there, understand their culture and are familiar with the language.
A course of study in Japan more or less guarantees a job with a Japanese company in India and for the Indian, it is a benefit since s/he learns tremendous self discipline.
“This is an introduction to Japan and educational opportunities available there, from the humanities to engineering, medicine, MBA, chemistry, life sciences... We have 18 Japanese universities that participated in this fair, of which five offer post-graduate courses only in English,” Mr Joshi said.
MOSAI had expected up to 500 student visitors at its day-long exhibition, but by lunch time, the number had crossed 1,000 students enthusiastically looking for options to the “traditional” overseas education destinations of the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Russia.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Its_cheaper_to_do_MBA_in_Japan/articleshow/2438009.cms
Friday, October 05, 2007
Education fair unveils academic avenues in Japan
Pune, October 4 The Land of the Rising Sun is opening out its doors to aspiring students and researchers from India. At the Japan Education Fair held at the Abasaheb Garware College on Thursday, some 19 universities from Japan offered students information on courses, scholarships and entrance procedures in fields as varied as dentistry, fine arts, international relations, atomic energy and so on.
The Japan Education Fair, supported by the Ministry of Education in Japan, was organised jointly by the Japanese Student Services Organisation (JASSO) and the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI). “Of the total 1,20,000 international students pursuing higher education in Japan, only 525 are from India, plus some 116 more who are studying the Japanese language. We want to increase this number further,” said JASSO executive director Sadayoshi Takagawa, speaking to reporters.
“The year 2007 has been declared as the Indo-Japanese Friendship Year by both the Indian and Japanese governments. With Japan’s investments in India at $ 2 lakh crore, there will be a world of opportunities opening up for students in terms of employment opportunities in both countries,” said MOSAI vice-president Umesh Joshi.
Students interested in studying in Japan would need to go through the examination for Entrance to Japanese Universities (EJU) held twice a year at New Delhi, which is on the lines of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for the United States. Knowledge of the Japanese language, which could earlier have served as an obstacle for some, is now no longer a must.
“Many universities now offer their courses in English, and even the (EJU) is conducted in both English and Japanese. Moreover, most universities even offer introductory courses in Japanese to the students,” said Takagawa.
Full scholarships are also awarded to students on the basis of a merit list drawn up after the EJU examination. “A full scholarship is up to $ 2000 a month, which is equivalent to the amount earned by fresh graduates in Japan when they begin working,” said Takagawa. Apart from those awarded by JASSO, scholarships are also offered by the Japanese Embassy in India and individual Japanese universities. For researchers, fellowships like the Mombusho scholarship are also available for pursuing postdoctoral research.
“Japan also assists its alumni in various ways even after they graduate, keeping them posted on latest developments in Japan and often inviting them back for continuing their education,” Takigawa said.
While Pune was the first choice for the Japan Education Fair in India, the Fair will be carried forward to New Delhi on Saturday. “For students in Pune, MOSAI will be setting up a facilitation centre at our office in Tilak Road, where students can get detailed information about courses in Japan, scholarships, and even on Japan in general,” said Joshi.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Education-fair-unveils-academic-avenues-in-Japan/224478/
The Japan Education Fair, supported by the Ministry of Education in Japan, was organised jointly by the Japanese Student Services Organisation (JASSO) and the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI). “Of the total 1,20,000 international students pursuing higher education in Japan, only 525 are from India, plus some 116 more who are studying the Japanese language. We want to increase this number further,” said JASSO executive director Sadayoshi Takagawa, speaking to reporters.
“The year 2007 has been declared as the Indo-Japanese Friendship Year by both the Indian and Japanese governments. With Japan’s investments in India at $ 2 lakh crore, there will be a world of opportunities opening up for students in terms of employment opportunities in both countries,” said MOSAI vice-president Umesh Joshi.
Students interested in studying in Japan would need to go through the examination for Entrance to Japanese Universities (EJU) held twice a year at New Delhi, which is on the lines of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for the United States. Knowledge of the Japanese language, which could earlier have served as an obstacle for some, is now no longer a must.
“Many universities now offer their courses in English, and even the (EJU) is conducted in both English and Japanese. Moreover, most universities even offer introductory courses in Japanese to the students,” said Takagawa.
Full scholarships are also awarded to students on the basis of a merit list drawn up after the EJU examination. “A full scholarship is up to $ 2000 a month, which is equivalent to the amount earned by fresh graduates in Japan when they begin working,” said Takagawa. Apart from those awarded by JASSO, scholarships are also offered by the Japanese Embassy in India and individual Japanese universities. For researchers, fellowships like the Mombusho scholarship are also available for pursuing postdoctoral research.
“Japan also assists its alumni in various ways even after they graduate, keeping them posted on latest developments in Japan and often inviting them back for continuing their education,” Takigawa said.
While Pune was the first choice for the Japan Education Fair in India, the Fair will be carried forward to New Delhi on Saturday. “For students in Pune, MOSAI will be setting up a facilitation centre at our office in Tilak Road, where students can get detailed information about courses in Japan, scholarships, and even on Japan in general,” said Joshi.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Education-fair-unveils-academic-avenues-in-Japan/224478/
City Base for promoting Japanese
PUNE: Sample this. Over 2,600 people from the city, majority of them students, appear in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) annually. This makes it the country’s largest pool of Japanese language learners in the four proficiency levels that the JLPT offers.
Bigger cities like Delhi and Bangalore account for far less candidates at 800 and 600 respectively each year. Pune has close to 22 amateur as well as professional bodies, including the odd individual tutor, offering courses in Japanese.
It is but natural that the Japanese Student Services Organisation (Jasso) — a body of Japan’s ministry of education entrusted with the task of promoting Japanese education world-wide — is looking at Pune as a crucial base for promoting higher education offered by Japanese universities. Assisting Jasso in this effort is the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (Mosai), a motley group of 1,200-odd people who have bagged the Mombusho scholarship (regarded as the Japanese equivalent of the US’ Fulbright scholarship) since the 1960s.
"Pune has 12 Mombusho scholars," Mosai vice-president Umesh Joshi told TOI on Wednesday. On Thursday, the city will host over 19 premier universities from Japan, a mix of national as well as private varsities, for the first ever ‘Japan education fair’ (supported by the Japanese government) at the Abasaheb Garware College from 11 am to 5 pm.
"The universities will not only showcase the wide array of courses in fields ranging from arts, science and commerce to professional engineering and medicine, but also make presentations on scholarships other than Mombusho," said Joshi. "At the lower end, the scholarships are up to 6 lakh Japanese yen (Rs 3 lakh) per annum, inclusive of cost for modest living and learning," Joshi said. The higher-end scholarships cover 100 per cent expenses and can go up to 50 lakh yen per annum.
Jasso itself offers special scholarships to students clearing the Examination for Japanese Universities (EJI), an equivalent of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). That apart, private universities are not to be left behind on this front, said Joshi. He said the present level of students going from India to Japan for higher studies was much less compared to those reaching the Land of the Rising Sun from the US and Europe.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/City_base_for_promoting_Japanese/articleshow/2427156.cms
Bigger cities like Delhi and Bangalore account for far less candidates at 800 and 600 respectively each year. Pune has close to 22 amateur as well as professional bodies, including the odd individual tutor, offering courses in Japanese.
It is but natural that the Japanese Student Services Organisation (Jasso) — a body of Japan’s ministry of education entrusted with the task of promoting Japanese education world-wide — is looking at Pune as a crucial base for promoting higher education offered by Japanese universities. Assisting Jasso in this effort is the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (Mosai), a motley group of 1,200-odd people who have bagged the Mombusho scholarship (regarded as the Japanese equivalent of the US’ Fulbright scholarship) since the 1960s.
"Pune has 12 Mombusho scholars," Mosai vice-president Umesh Joshi told TOI on Wednesday. On Thursday, the city will host over 19 premier universities from Japan, a mix of national as well as private varsities, for the first ever ‘Japan education fair’ (supported by the Japanese government) at the Abasaheb Garware College from 11 am to 5 pm.
"The universities will not only showcase the wide array of courses in fields ranging from arts, science and commerce to professional engineering and medicine, but also make presentations on scholarships other than Mombusho," said Joshi. "At the lower end, the scholarships are up to 6 lakh Japanese yen (Rs 3 lakh) per annum, inclusive of cost for modest living and learning," Joshi said. The higher-end scholarships cover 100 per cent expenses and can go up to 50 lakh yen per annum.
Jasso itself offers special scholarships to students clearing the Examination for Japanese Universities (EJI), an equivalent of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). That apart, private universities are not to be left behind on this front, said Joshi. He said the present level of students going from India to Japan for higher studies was much less compared to those reaching the Land of the Rising Sun from the US and Europe.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/City_base_for_promoting_Japanese/articleshow/2427156.cms
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Blogging in Japan
Blogging in Japan. The BIG internet trend in Japan that matters to Australian exporters Several interesting facts about blogging in Japan...
Technorati's "State of the Blogosphere" reports that in April 2007, 37% of all posts to weblogs (aka "blogs") in the world are in Japanese. English language posts to blogs come in second with 36%. These statistics are based on raw numbers, not adjusted for population differences. In the blogosphere, 127 million Japanese are out-posting the entire English speaking world! If you are curious, worldwide there are about 1.5 million posts to blogs in all languages everyday.
Ubiquitous high speed mobile phone access to the internet in Japan means that a significant percentage of blogs are accessed from mobile phones. In September 2006, data from online market research firm, Impress R&D, indicated that 26% use moblogs ("mobile blogs"). Using mobile phones to talk on crowded public transport in Japan is seen as extremely anti-social.
Instead, everyone seems to be checking their own and others' blogs. Almost three-quarters (74%) of Japanese internet users surveyed by Edelman, said that they read blogs at least once a week. Comparable figures for the UK are just 23% and the USA, 27%. According to the same research, 18–24 year olds read blogs five or more days every week. Females are just as likely to read blogs as males, but when the do, they are more frequent readers of blogs compared to males. In Edelman's research, "influencers" (defined as people who are socially and politically active in their communities) are, not surprisingly, more frequent bloggers in all countries surveyed.
However, in Japan more than 90% of "influencers" also said that they read others' blogs. The comparable figures in the UK and USA are only in the 34%–35% range. The different cultural motivations of bloggers in Japan, the topics about which they post, and the degree of anonymity that they prefer, makes the Japanese version of the blogosphere quite different to the English language one. Many Japanese posts relate to everyday topics such as pets, music and childcare issues, but there are blogs for virtually everything else under the sun as well.
Typically Japanese posts read like personal diary entries rather than as being self-promotional or supporting a particular line. The number of female internet users in Japan outnumbers males for all age groups up until 40-somethings, and only then do males gain the upper-hand, 50.7% to 49.3%. In a recent study by Nikkei Research, more than half of all Japanese females in their teens and twenties acknowledge that what they read in blog helps form their purchase decisions across a broad range of products.
Types of product purchase decisions most influenced what they read in blogs relate to books, food items, and home electronics. Female consumers also read blogs for information relating to music CDs and DVDs, cosmetics, fashion and accessories. If you are an Australian exporter for whom the reputation of your product or service in the Japanese market matters to you, next time that you are talking to your distributor or reseller in Japan, why not ask what they are doing to build a profile for you in the Japanese blogosphere. If your product is ultimately more like to be purchased by female consumers, all the more urgency.
If you have Japanese language skills at your disposal, why not dive in to see what you can do for yourself. PS. In 2006, spending in Japan for traditional advertising media fell by approximately 2%. Spending on internet advertising increased by 29.3%.
Sources: Nikkei Research DataSignal, Technorati, Edelman, Impress R&D Ian Brazier,Trade Commissioner, Tokyo Japan
Technorati's "State of the Blogosphere" reports that in April 2007, 37% of all posts to weblogs (aka "blogs") in the world are in Japanese. English language posts to blogs come in second with 36%. These statistics are based on raw numbers, not adjusted for population differences. In the blogosphere, 127 million Japanese are out-posting the entire English speaking world! If you are curious, worldwide there are about 1.5 million posts to blogs in all languages everyday.
Ubiquitous high speed mobile phone access to the internet in Japan means that a significant percentage of blogs are accessed from mobile phones. In September 2006, data from online market research firm, Impress R&D, indicated that 26% use moblogs ("mobile blogs"). Using mobile phones to talk on crowded public transport in Japan is seen as extremely anti-social.
Instead, everyone seems to be checking their own and others' blogs. Almost three-quarters (74%) of Japanese internet users surveyed by Edelman, said that they read blogs at least once a week. Comparable figures for the UK are just 23% and the USA, 27%. According to the same research, 18–24 year olds read blogs five or more days every week. Females are just as likely to read blogs as males, but when the do, they are more frequent readers of blogs compared to males. In Edelman's research, "influencers" (defined as people who are socially and politically active in their communities) are, not surprisingly, more frequent bloggers in all countries surveyed.
However, in Japan more than 90% of "influencers" also said that they read others' blogs. The comparable figures in the UK and USA are only in the 34%–35% range. The different cultural motivations of bloggers in Japan, the topics about which they post, and the degree of anonymity that they prefer, makes the Japanese version of the blogosphere quite different to the English language one. Many Japanese posts relate to everyday topics such as pets, music and childcare issues, but there are blogs for virtually everything else under the sun as well.
Typically Japanese posts read like personal diary entries rather than as being self-promotional or supporting a particular line. The number of female internet users in Japan outnumbers males for all age groups up until 40-somethings, and only then do males gain the upper-hand, 50.7% to 49.3%. In a recent study by Nikkei Research, more than half of all Japanese females in their teens and twenties acknowledge that what they read in blog helps form their purchase decisions across a broad range of products.
Types of product purchase decisions most influenced what they read in blogs relate to books, food items, and home electronics. Female consumers also read blogs for information relating to music CDs and DVDs, cosmetics, fashion and accessories. If you are an Australian exporter for whom the reputation of your product or service in the Japanese market matters to you, next time that you are talking to your distributor or reseller in Japan, why not ask what they are doing to build a profile for you in the Japanese blogosphere. If your product is ultimately more like to be purchased by female consumers, all the more urgency.
If you have Japanese language skills at your disposal, why not dive in to see what you can do for yourself. PS. In 2006, spending in Japan for traditional advertising media fell by approximately 2%. Spending on internet advertising increased by 29.3%.
Sources: Nikkei Research DataSignal, Technorati, Edelman, Impress R&D Ian Brazier,Trade Commissioner, Tokyo Japan
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Chinese schools cozy up to universities here
Chinese academic institutions have surpassed their U.S. counterparts in signing partnership pacts with Japanese universities and other educational bodies.
The education ministry noted a record 13,484 agreements aimed at facilitating exchanges of students and scholars as of Oct. 1, 2006, up about 2,100 from 2004.
The number of Japanese institutions signing pacts with Chinese academic bodies surged 25 percent to 2,565, accounting for 19 percent of the total. There were 2,298 pacts with U.S. institutions and 1,467 with South Korean entities.
China surpassed the United States for the first time on record, which the ministry has been keeping since fiscal 1992.
The education ministry believes China's efforts to boost the number of its universities and promote their activities on the back of its rapid economic growth are driving the trend.
"As relations with China are becoming increasingly important in political, economic and all other areas, ties developed by the young generation will become valuable assets for both countries in the future," an official with Keio University in Tokyo said.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20071002a5.html
The education ministry noted a record 13,484 agreements aimed at facilitating exchanges of students and scholars as of Oct. 1, 2006, up about 2,100 from 2004.
The number of Japanese institutions signing pacts with Chinese academic bodies surged 25 percent to 2,565, accounting for 19 percent of the total. There were 2,298 pacts with U.S. institutions and 1,467 with South Korean entities.
China surpassed the United States for the first time on record, which the ministry has been keeping since fiscal 1992.
The education ministry believes China's efforts to boost the number of its universities and promote their activities on the back of its rapid economic growth are driving the trend.
"As relations with China are becoming increasingly important in political, economic and all other areas, ties developed by the young generation will become valuable assets for both countries in the future," an official with Keio University in Tokyo said.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20071002a5.html
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tokai tasked with continuing education reforms
Reforming the education system, a focus of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration, remains a goal for new education minister Kisaburo Tokai.
"I was told by Prime Minister (Yasuo) Fukuda to rebuild the education system," the 59-year-old Lower House member from Hyogo Prefecture said Wednesday. "As education is a pillar supporting a nation, I support this direction." The ministerial post, which Tokai assumed on Tuesday, is the lawmaker's first in a 21-year career.
Begun under Abe, the Education Rebuilding Council has emerged as a major force behind the push to reform the public education system. Among other things, the 17-member panel has proposed increasing class hours by 10 percent at public elementary and junior high schools and augmenting ethics education. The council will continue to discuss further reform measures under Fukuda.
Tokai also said he wants to bolster the number of teachers.
"It's important for teachers to have more time to spend with students. Now teachers are burdened with paperwork. By increasing their numbers, we can create an environment where teachers concentrate on education activities," he said in an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Having more teachers will also help identify signs of bullying in the classroom, he said.
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry is requesting an allocation of ¥50.4 billion from the Finance Ministry over three years starting in fiscal 2008 to hire 21,362 new teachers — or about 7,000 each year.
"I'll endeavor to secure the budget," in spite of government attempts to trim fiscal spending, Tokai said.
Although a supporter of the ERC's plan to boost ethics education, Tokai is less enamored of the voucher system expected to be proposed by the panel in its third report in December. Under that plan, the government would provide coupons to help students pay for a private education. Critics say the system would intensify the already excessive competition between public and private schools.
"The government has to secure equal compulsory education opportunities for children," Tokai said. "Children in (rural) areas have little freedom to select schools (because of the scarcity of private institutions). So I'm not entirely supportive of introducing a voucher system without first solving this problem."
Tokai has taken a cautious line on the contentious subject of textbook screening.
In March, the education ministry caused a stir in Okinawa when it asked publishers of high school history textbooks to remove references to the Imperial Japanese Army's role in forcing civilians to commit mass suicide during the Battle of Okinawa in the closing days of the war.
"(Ministers) shouldn't say anything" about the screening process because the panel, which is made up of academics and schoolteachers, checks textbook drafts and judges whether the drafts have errors and inappropriate descriptions, he said at a news conference Tuesday.
"I think (the screening) should be done more carefully in dealing with (the descriptions), taking into account the feelings of the people in Okinawa," he said.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070928f1.html
"I was told by Prime Minister (Yasuo) Fukuda to rebuild the education system," the 59-year-old Lower House member from Hyogo Prefecture said Wednesday. "As education is a pillar supporting a nation, I support this direction." The ministerial post, which Tokai assumed on Tuesday, is the lawmaker's first in a 21-year career.
Begun under Abe, the Education Rebuilding Council has emerged as a major force behind the push to reform the public education system. Among other things, the 17-member panel has proposed increasing class hours by 10 percent at public elementary and junior high schools and augmenting ethics education. The council will continue to discuss further reform measures under Fukuda.
Tokai also said he wants to bolster the number of teachers.
"It's important for teachers to have more time to spend with students. Now teachers are burdened with paperwork. By increasing their numbers, we can create an environment where teachers concentrate on education activities," he said in an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Having more teachers will also help identify signs of bullying in the classroom, he said.
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry is requesting an allocation of ¥50.4 billion from the Finance Ministry over three years starting in fiscal 2008 to hire 21,362 new teachers — or about 7,000 each year.
"I'll endeavor to secure the budget," in spite of government attempts to trim fiscal spending, Tokai said.
Although a supporter of the ERC's plan to boost ethics education, Tokai is less enamored of the voucher system expected to be proposed by the panel in its third report in December. Under that plan, the government would provide coupons to help students pay for a private education. Critics say the system would intensify the already excessive competition between public and private schools.
"The government has to secure equal compulsory education opportunities for children," Tokai said. "Children in (rural) areas have little freedom to select schools (because of the scarcity of private institutions). So I'm not entirely supportive of introducing a voucher system without first solving this problem."
Tokai has taken a cautious line on the contentious subject of textbook screening.
In March, the education ministry caused a stir in Okinawa when it asked publishers of high school history textbooks to remove references to the Imperial Japanese Army's role in forcing civilians to commit mass suicide during the Battle of Okinawa in the closing days of the war.
"(Ministers) shouldn't say anything" about the screening process because the panel, which is made up of academics and schoolteachers, checks textbook drafts and judges whether the drafts have errors and inappropriate descriptions, he said at a news conference Tuesday.
"I think (the screening) should be done more carefully in dealing with (the descriptions), taking into account the feelings of the people in Okinawa," he said.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070928f1.html
LONDON (Kyodo) In response to concerns about a lack of funding for Japanese studies at British universities, a major cash injection will be announced next month in the form of new teaching posts.
In October, the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the Nippon Foundation will announce which universities have successfully won grants from a special fund that will be used to establish 13 full-time teaching and research posts.
Over the last 10 years, several university departments have closed, leading to concerns that experts and research are at critically low levels.
The government recently stepped in to boost funding for strategically important "minority" subjects, including Japanese, but critics believe it didn't go far enough.
The foundations have decided to provide some £2.5 million (about ¥575 million) over five years. The new posts, a combination of lectureships and postdoctoral fellowships, will be up and running next year. The foundations hope to fund postgraduate study in the future.
Eager to broaden the scope of Japanese studies, the new posts will focus on aspects of contemporary Japan, covering such fields as politics, economics, international relations, culture, media and society.
This could be a reflection of a belief running through the academic community that an increasing number of young people are interested in modern-day Japan via their exposure to "manga" (comic books), design, music, fashion and the like.
"This is going to be one of the largest injections of recurrent external funding that Japanese studies in this country has ever received," said Stephen McEnally, chief executive of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. "We need to safeguard our next generation of Japan experts.
"The result of the cuts in funding has been a perceived decline in the number of early and midcareer academics working in Japanese studies as more and more British scholars seek research opportunities and work in countries overseas where provision for Japanese is much more generous," he said.
The foundations hope the cash injection will provide a long-term and sustainable future for Japanese studies.
Experts have said the current situation has reached a crisis and fear Britain's diplomatic and economic relations will be jeopardized if the erosion continues.
Some universities have cut back and closed down departments because they say there is not enough demand for Japanese and Japanese studies, a claim denied by academics who say the number of applications is rising.
According to one informed source, demand for places at one university course outstripped supply this year. The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation says that this year saw a 40.9 percent rise in undergraduate applications compared with 2006. And demand could well grow as 10,000 children are studying Japanese in schools.
Experts argue the cutbacks are a result of the subject being more expensive to teach per head than more popular languages, such as French and German — which have a higher number of students per teacher and are therefore more cost effective — and this is not taken into account when the government allocates funding to the universities.
Moreover, academics believe it is unfair that Japanese is classified in the same way as French and German when it comes to allocating funds for overseas study trips.
The quality of research has also suffered in Japanese departments because they generally have a small number of staff who must still carry out the same administrative responsibilities as larger departments. This has resulted in some of the Japanese departments failing to attract government funds for additional research.
McEnally expressed hope the new posts will allow the universities to mount courses that until now have been unavailable.
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation was established in 1985 with an endowment from the Tokyo-based Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation. It gives grants to activities and projects that serve to enhance mutual understanding between Britain and Japan.
The Tokyo-based organization, now called the Nippon Foundation, is a private grant-making entity established in 1962. It funds assistance for humanitarian activities both at home and abroad, and for global maritime development.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070928f3.html
In October, the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the Nippon Foundation will announce which universities have successfully won grants from a special fund that will be used to establish 13 full-time teaching and research posts.
Over the last 10 years, several university departments have closed, leading to concerns that experts and research are at critically low levels.
The government recently stepped in to boost funding for strategically important "minority" subjects, including Japanese, but critics believe it didn't go far enough.
The foundations have decided to provide some £2.5 million (about ¥575 million) over five years. The new posts, a combination of lectureships and postdoctoral fellowships, will be up and running next year. The foundations hope to fund postgraduate study in the future.
Eager to broaden the scope of Japanese studies, the new posts will focus on aspects of contemporary Japan, covering such fields as politics, economics, international relations, culture, media and society.
This could be a reflection of a belief running through the academic community that an increasing number of young people are interested in modern-day Japan via their exposure to "manga" (comic books), design, music, fashion and the like.
"This is going to be one of the largest injections of recurrent external funding that Japanese studies in this country has ever received," said Stephen McEnally, chief executive of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. "We need to safeguard our next generation of Japan experts.
"The result of the cuts in funding has been a perceived decline in the number of early and midcareer academics working in Japanese studies as more and more British scholars seek research opportunities and work in countries overseas where provision for Japanese is much more generous," he said.
The foundations hope the cash injection will provide a long-term and sustainable future for Japanese studies.
Experts have said the current situation has reached a crisis and fear Britain's diplomatic and economic relations will be jeopardized if the erosion continues.
Some universities have cut back and closed down departments because they say there is not enough demand for Japanese and Japanese studies, a claim denied by academics who say the number of applications is rising.
According to one informed source, demand for places at one university course outstripped supply this year. The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation says that this year saw a 40.9 percent rise in undergraduate applications compared with 2006. And demand could well grow as 10,000 children are studying Japanese in schools.
Experts argue the cutbacks are a result of the subject being more expensive to teach per head than more popular languages, such as French and German — which have a higher number of students per teacher and are therefore more cost effective — and this is not taken into account when the government allocates funding to the universities.
Moreover, academics believe it is unfair that Japanese is classified in the same way as French and German when it comes to allocating funds for overseas study trips.
The quality of research has also suffered in Japanese departments because they generally have a small number of staff who must still carry out the same administrative responsibilities as larger departments. This has resulted in some of the Japanese departments failing to attract government funds for additional research.
McEnally expressed hope the new posts will allow the universities to mount courses that until now have been unavailable.
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation was established in 1985 with an endowment from the Tokyo-based Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation. It gives grants to activities and projects that serve to enhance mutual understanding between Britain and Japan.
The Tokyo-based organization, now called the Nippon Foundation, is a private grant-making entity established in 1962. It funds assistance for humanitarian activities both at home and abroad, and for global maritime development.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070928f3.html
Thursday, September 13, 2007
EDUCATIONAL RENAISSANCE / China magnet for foreign students
BEIJING--Students don't go to China just for language training anymore, nor is it any longer a nation that sends more students abroad than it takes in. In 2005, China for the first time saw the number of foreign students studying in the country--more than 140,000--surpass that of Chinese students heading overseas, at about 120,000.
The number of foreign students studying in China exceeded 160,000 last year, coming from 184 countries and territories. Forty percent of them came to the country for reasons other than language training. South Korea was the top source of foreign students with 57,000, followed by Japan with 18,000 and the United States with 11,000. Vietnam and Indonesia sent 7,000 and 5,000 students, respectively.
Daisuke Yamada, 21, of Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics, was one of three Japanese students who completed a one-year course at Beijing University's School of International Studies this summer to earn "double degrees" from the two institutions.
At Waseda University's office next to Beijing University, the three students talked about the courses they took and described one course that compared political systems, in which the lecturer criticized the democratic system over and over again.
For example, one time the lecturer said: "When three candidates run for an election, one of them can win it by gaining just over 33.3 percent of the votes, but more than half of the voters cast ballots for the other two. As such, elections cannot always reflect public opinion."
The instructor usually ended up by criticizing the United States, concluding that as long as China can make the rule of law function correctly, it can rectify social misconduct--even without a "U.S.-imposed" democratic system--and achieve modernization. The Chinese Communist Party is required to control the nation, according to the lecturer's view.
"This is [a viewpoint] you can never learn in Japan," said Yamada.
The three Japanese students faced a high level of study on the courses they took. During the first semester, it was difficult for them to catch up with their Chinese classes but they were also given an assignment to summarize a 600-page Chinese-language textbook about disarmament in two weeks.
Because each room in their dormitories housed four to six people, the occupants find it difficult to study there. Therefore, the Chinese students go to the library at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. to secure seats, while also reciting English passages on the campus. Yamada and his two friends said the attitude of their Chinese counterparts made them realize what a university should be like.
On the other hand, China is now attracting more and more skilled workers, just like the United States, mainly thanks to an increase number of foreign enterprises opening up for business.
Microsoft Corp. has set up a laboratory in Zhong Guan Cun, Beijing, known as "the Silicon Valley of China." As the firm's largest lab, bigger than those in Britain, China, India and the United States, the facility has about 300 researchers.
The lab accepts 200 to 300 interns every year--mainly postgraduate students. Currently, Mizuki Oka of Tsukuba University is one such intern.
Majoring in computer science at the institution's Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering, she started a six-month internship at the lab in April.
Oka, 27, who is taking advantage of one of the world's most advanced research environments in the field of computer graphics, said, "All the researchers and Chinese interns here are top-class people, and their arguments are really exciting."
The driving force for Oka to head for Beijing was when she read a paper written by Xu Yingqing, 47, a project leader at the lab who also serves as her mentor now.
The report discussed the technology to allow harmonious color blending in computer graphics. "I was impressed to realize computer graphics can involve a type of sensitivity like coloring," she recalled.
Because Oka's performance was highly appreciated, she was chosen as one of the 10 "best interns" who were invited to a party that Microsoft founder Bill Gates held in June at his home in Seattle.
Currently, Oka is studying how graphic information can be used as passwords. "In the scientific research field, what kind of human network you have can serve as a factor to open the door for your success," she said. "I'd like to maintain the relationships I have built here and also expand them after returning to Japan."
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/20070913TDY14001.htm
The number of foreign students studying in China exceeded 160,000 last year, coming from 184 countries and territories. Forty percent of them came to the country for reasons other than language training. South Korea was the top source of foreign students with 57,000, followed by Japan with 18,000 and the United States with 11,000. Vietnam and Indonesia sent 7,000 and 5,000 students, respectively.
Daisuke Yamada, 21, of Waseda University's School of Political Science and Economics, was one of three Japanese students who completed a one-year course at Beijing University's School of International Studies this summer to earn "double degrees" from the two institutions.
At Waseda University's office next to Beijing University, the three students talked about the courses they took and described one course that compared political systems, in which the lecturer criticized the democratic system over and over again.
For example, one time the lecturer said: "When three candidates run for an election, one of them can win it by gaining just over 33.3 percent of the votes, but more than half of the voters cast ballots for the other two. As such, elections cannot always reflect public opinion."
The instructor usually ended up by criticizing the United States, concluding that as long as China can make the rule of law function correctly, it can rectify social misconduct--even without a "U.S.-imposed" democratic system--and achieve modernization. The Chinese Communist Party is required to control the nation, according to the lecturer's view.
"This is [a viewpoint] you can never learn in Japan," said Yamada.
The three Japanese students faced a high level of study on the courses they took. During the first semester, it was difficult for them to catch up with their Chinese classes but they were also given an assignment to summarize a 600-page Chinese-language textbook about disarmament in two weeks.
Because each room in their dormitories housed four to six people, the occupants find it difficult to study there. Therefore, the Chinese students go to the library at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. to secure seats, while also reciting English passages on the campus. Yamada and his two friends said the attitude of their Chinese counterparts made them realize what a university should be like.
On the other hand, China is now attracting more and more skilled workers, just like the United States, mainly thanks to an increase number of foreign enterprises opening up for business.
Microsoft Corp. has set up a laboratory in Zhong Guan Cun, Beijing, known as "the Silicon Valley of China." As the firm's largest lab, bigger than those in Britain, China, India and the United States, the facility has about 300 researchers.
The lab accepts 200 to 300 interns every year--mainly postgraduate students. Currently, Mizuki Oka of Tsukuba University is one such intern.
Majoring in computer science at the institution's Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering, she started a six-month internship at the lab in April.
Oka, 27, who is taking advantage of one of the world's most advanced research environments in the field of computer graphics, said, "All the researchers and Chinese interns here are top-class people, and their arguments are really exciting."
The driving force for Oka to head for Beijing was when she read a paper written by Xu Yingqing, 47, a project leader at the lab who also serves as her mentor now.
The report discussed the technology to allow harmonious color blending in computer graphics. "I was impressed to realize computer graphics can involve a type of sensitivity like coloring," she recalled.
Because Oka's performance was highly appreciated, she was chosen as one of the 10 "best interns" who were invited to a party that Microsoft founder Bill Gates held in June at his home in Seattle.
Currently, Oka is studying how graphic information can be used as passwords. "In the scientific research field, what kind of human network you have can serve as a factor to open the door for your success," she said. "I'd like to maintain the relationships I have built here and also expand them after returning to Japan."
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/language/20070913TDY14001.htm
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