Twelve leading universities have agreed to establish a forum of their presidents to discuss switching the start of the academic year to fall to conform with educational institutions overseas, the University of Tokyo said Thursday.
One of the university's seven executive vice presidents, Takao Shimizu, made the announcement during a news conference to unveil the final report by an in-house panel on switching the start of its academic year from spring to fall.
Among the 12 are 10 national universities — the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, the University of Tsukuba, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, known as Tokyo Tech, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Osaka University and Kyushu University.
The other two — Waseda University and Keio University — are private.
The panel said it filed the final report with Junichi Hamada, president of the University of Tokyo.
In the report, the panel called for studies on implementing fall enrollment and establishing a fresh scholarship system for students affected by the change.
The panel called for cooperating with other universities to achieve the change, noting the need to prepare activities for students during the six months between graduation from high school in March and enrollment in universities in September.
It also noted the need to review various national examinations.
The panel said there would be many difficulties for a single university to switch to fall enrollment and urged the University of Tokyo not to jump to a hasty conclusion.
The school plans to set up a formal in-house council for full-fledged discussions on whether to make the switch.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120330a8.html
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Vocational students learn about working in Japan
Hundreds of students from across Greater Jakarta participated in a talk show touting Japanese language study and working in Japan on Wednesday.
“They are prepared to work when they complete their education,” Japan Foundation chief program officer Apin Supinah said on the sidelines of the talk show event in South Jakarta on Wednesday.
At the talk show, more than 130 students from 30 vocational high schools discussed jobs in Japan in the hospitality, tourism and engineering sectors.
“The students were more interested in engineering and mechanics,” Apin said.
The Japan Foundation has held the talk show annually since 2003 to promote the study of Japanese to high school and vocational high school students.
“We are showing the students about the real experiences that they will face by the time they graduate. The schools provide them with theory; we are teaching what their schools do not,” Apin said.
Earlier this month, the foundation invited the Japanese embassy to discuss opportunities to study in Japan with students of local high schools and Islamic boarding schools. (riz)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/03/28/vocational-students-learn-about-working-japan.html
“They are prepared to work when they complete their education,” Japan Foundation chief program officer Apin Supinah said on the sidelines of the talk show event in South Jakarta on Wednesday.
At the talk show, more than 130 students from 30 vocational high schools discussed jobs in Japan in the hospitality, tourism and engineering sectors.
“The students were more interested in engineering and mechanics,” Apin said.
The Japan Foundation has held the talk show annually since 2003 to promote the study of Japanese to high school and vocational high school students.
“We are showing the students about the real experiences that they will face by the time they graduate. The schools provide them with theory; we are teaching what their schools do not,” Apin said.
Earlier this month, the foundation invited the Japanese embassy to discuss opportunities to study in Japan with students of local high schools and Islamic boarding schools. (riz)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/03/28/vocational-students-learn-about-working-japan.html
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
PHILADELPHIA based university's Japan campus rebounds after quake
Study-abroad enrollment at Temple University's campus in Tokyo is rebounding from dips seen in the year after a massive earthquake and tsunami ravaged parts of Japan, according to school officials.
Just over a year ago, Temple Japan was facing the most frantic days in its history following the magnitude-9.0 quake, deadly tidal wave and nuclear reactor meltdown. The disaster on March 11, 2011, killed more than 19,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands into temporary housing.
While the campus is about 230 miles from the devastation, the events severely jolted students and staff, both physically and mentally. Temple Japan dean Bruce Stronach described weeks of high-stress days filled with powerful aftershocks, logistical challenges and countless middle-of-the-night calls with officials at the university's main campus in Philadelphia, which is 13 hours behind Tokyo.
"You really get to see what other people are made of," Stronach said. "The people who go through it with you, you bond with in a way that you wouldn't ordinarily."
Temple opened its Japan campus in 1982, making it the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan. It now serves about 3,400 students, including study abroad, corporate education, local Japanese and "direct admits" — students from about 60 nations who apply specifically to that campus for various degree programs.
Though Temple's facilities were found to be structurally sound after the quake, classes were temporarily canceled. Stronach said some students, staff and faculty left Japan for their home countries. Study-abroad programs were canceled after the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for Japan due to radiation concerns.
The university worked feverishly to help all students finish the semester wherever they chose, including at other institutions or through online coursework.
Erik Jacobs, 21, was among the study-abroad students who returned to Temple in Philadelphia. The junior political science major from Chambersburg, Pa., got to spend only about two months in Tokyo, but said the abbreviated experience ultimately "expanded and invigorated" his interest in the culture. He is grateful to be unhurt and plans to return.
"I consider myself very fortunate (that) all I lost was a month to study in Japan," Jacobs said.
All told, Temple Japan suspended academic programs for about three weeks. Yet courses ended up being completed with only a one-week extension of the semester. The annual commencement ceremony, with 270 graduates, was held as originally scheduled.
But the disaster occurred during the recruiting season for study-abroad, timing that Stronach described as "a double-whammy." Last fall — about six months after the crisis known in Japan as 3/11 — the number of study-abroad students on campus dropped by about half, from 63 to 32.
Those numbers are beginning to rebound. The campus is currently hosting 44 study-abroad students, compared with 69 last spring when the crisis hit, Temple officials said. The numbers for summer study-abroad look to be higher than pre-quake levels.
The newest challenge is the strong yen, which Stronach said makes Temple Japan expensive for direct-admit students coming from outside the country. Tuition currently is about $17,400 per year.
But Stronach said new recruitment strategies seem to be helping. Enrollment last fall was down 16 percent from fall 2009, a decline that could also be partly quake-related. This summer's figure is expected to be nearly the same as summer 2010, which preceded the disaster, he said.
Overall, the number of American students studying in Japan has more than doubled to nearly 6,200 in the decade ending 2009-10, according to the U.S.-based Institute of International Education. Those pre-quake statistics are the most recent available.
"Students don't spin the globe and randomly come to Japan," Kyle Cleveland, an associate professor of sociology at Temple in Tokyo, wrote in an email. "They would not be here if they did not have genuine interest and in many cases, a long-term commitment to learning about the culture."
Desmon Hickson, a 20-year-old computer engineering major from Baltimore, wrote in an email last fall that he's glad he went to Temple Japan, despite initial fears about the lingering effects from 3/11.
"People know it happened and still acknowledge and understand and are supportive of the (victims), but life seems to be going on normally," Hickson wrote.
And as Temple Japan marks its 30th anniversary this year, university officials in Philadelphia described the campus as a linchpin of the school's commitment to produce globally competent students and to help faculty engage in teaching and research on worldwide issues.
"Looking ahead, our hope is to provide — in collaboration with the Japanese government — a model of international educational partnership and innovative global learning for those students who wish to avail themselves of an American-style education in Tokyo," Provost Richard M. Englert said in a statement.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765561225/Pa-universitys-Japan-campus-rebounds-after-quake.html?pg=2
Just over a year ago, Temple Japan was facing the most frantic days in its history following the magnitude-9.0 quake, deadly tidal wave and nuclear reactor meltdown. The disaster on March 11, 2011, killed more than 19,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands into temporary housing.
While the campus is about 230 miles from the devastation, the events severely jolted students and staff, both physically and mentally. Temple Japan dean Bruce Stronach described weeks of high-stress days filled with powerful aftershocks, logistical challenges and countless middle-of-the-night calls with officials at the university's main campus in Philadelphia, which is 13 hours behind Tokyo.
"You really get to see what other people are made of," Stronach said. "The people who go through it with you, you bond with in a way that you wouldn't ordinarily."
Temple opened its Japan campus in 1982, making it the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan. It now serves about 3,400 students, including study abroad, corporate education, local Japanese and "direct admits" — students from about 60 nations who apply specifically to that campus for various degree programs.
Though Temple's facilities were found to be structurally sound after the quake, classes were temporarily canceled. Stronach said some students, staff and faculty left Japan for their home countries. Study-abroad programs were canceled after the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning for Japan due to radiation concerns.
The university worked feverishly to help all students finish the semester wherever they chose, including at other institutions or through online coursework.
Erik Jacobs, 21, was among the study-abroad students who returned to Temple in Philadelphia. The junior political science major from Chambersburg, Pa., got to spend only about two months in Tokyo, but said the abbreviated experience ultimately "expanded and invigorated" his interest in the culture. He is grateful to be unhurt and plans to return.
"I consider myself very fortunate (that) all I lost was a month to study in Japan," Jacobs said.
All told, Temple Japan suspended academic programs for about three weeks. Yet courses ended up being completed with only a one-week extension of the semester. The annual commencement ceremony, with 270 graduates, was held as originally scheduled.
But the disaster occurred during the recruiting season for study-abroad, timing that Stronach described as "a double-whammy." Last fall — about six months after the crisis known in Japan as 3/11 — the number of study-abroad students on campus dropped by about half, from 63 to 32.
Those numbers are beginning to rebound. The campus is currently hosting 44 study-abroad students, compared with 69 last spring when the crisis hit, Temple officials said. The numbers for summer study-abroad look to be higher than pre-quake levels.
The newest challenge is the strong yen, which Stronach said makes Temple Japan expensive for direct-admit students coming from outside the country. Tuition currently is about $17,400 per year.
But Stronach said new recruitment strategies seem to be helping. Enrollment last fall was down 16 percent from fall 2009, a decline that could also be partly quake-related. This summer's figure is expected to be nearly the same as summer 2010, which preceded the disaster, he said.
Overall, the number of American students studying in Japan has more than doubled to nearly 6,200 in the decade ending 2009-10, according to the U.S.-based Institute of International Education. Those pre-quake statistics are the most recent available.
"Students don't spin the globe and randomly come to Japan," Kyle Cleveland, an associate professor of sociology at Temple in Tokyo, wrote in an email. "They would not be here if they did not have genuine interest and in many cases, a long-term commitment to learning about the culture."
Desmon Hickson, a 20-year-old computer engineering major from Baltimore, wrote in an email last fall that he's glad he went to Temple Japan, despite initial fears about the lingering effects from 3/11.
"People know it happened and still acknowledge and understand and are supportive of the (victims), but life seems to be going on normally," Hickson wrote.
And as Temple Japan marks its 30th anniversary this year, university officials in Philadelphia described the campus as a linchpin of the school's commitment to produce globally competent students and to help faculty engage in teaching and research on worldwide issues.
"Looking ahead, our hope is to provide — in collaboration with the Japanese government — a model of international educational partnership and innovative global learning for those students who wish to avail themselves of an American-style education in Tokyo," Provost Richard M. Englert said in a statement.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765561225/Pa-universitys-Japan-campus-rebounds-after-quake.html?pg=2
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Japan keen on Indian students
BANGALORE: All of 100,000 Chinese students in Japan, but less than 600 Indian students there. Against the 1,000-odd Chinese students at the University of Tokyo, just 35 are from India. But around 1 lakh Indian students are in the US every year.
Clearly, the number of Indian students to Japan is nothing when compared to China. This explains why the University of Tokyo has decided to set shop in India and open doors, via the varsity, to the whole of Japan. On Monday, the university's India office was launched on MG Road.
The office was inaugurated by Prof Akihiko Tanaka, university vice-president, in the presence of Infosys chairman emeritus NR Narayana Murthy who has been made member of the president's council of the university. Also present was Japan minister for education, culture, sports & science and technology.
"The university hopes to create awareness on opportunities available at Tokyo University, as well as 13 other Japanese universities. We would like to see an increase in the number of applications from India. Bangalore office will also act as the liaison office for the 13 other universities and the 'G30 Study in Japan' initiative by the Japan government," said Tanaka.
"Under the G30 initiative, core universities have been identified which offer programs in English, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. We are focused on attracting Indian students to look at Japan as an education destination," said Tanaka.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/12063654.cms
Clearly, the number of Indian students to Japan is nothing when compared to China. This explains why the University of Tokyo has decided to set shop in India and open doors, via the varsity, to the whole of Japan. On Monday, the university's India office was launched on MG Road.
The office was inaugurated by Prof Akihiko Tanaka, university vice-president, in the presence of Infosys chairman emeritus NR Narayana Murthy who has been made member of the president's council of the university. Also present was Japan minister for education, culture, sports & science and technology.
"The university hopes to create awareness on opportunities available at Tokyo University, as well as 13 other Japanese universities. We would like to see an increase in the number of applications from India. Bangalore office will also act as the liaison office for the 13 other universities and the 'G30 Study in Japan' initiative by the Japan government," said Tanaka.
"Under the G30 initiative, core universities have been identified which offer programs in English, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. We are focused on attracting Indian students to look at Japan as an education destination," said Tanaka.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/12063654.cms
Infosys' Murthy pitches for Indians to study in Japan
Bangalore : Global software major Infosys chairman emeritus N.R. Narayana Murthy Monday exhorted Indian students to study in Japanese universities, especially in the University of Tokyo, as it is not only 50 percent cheaper than in the US, but also provides an opportunity to better career prospects.
"I urge young Indians to explore Japan for higher education as it has one of the world's best technology and research institutes. One should seize the opportunity to study in Japan as its universities are at our doorstep inviting our youngsters to make best use of the facilities and financial assistance," Murthy told reporters at the unveiling of the University of Tokyo's India office here.
Asserting that studying in Japan makes economic and academic sense, Murthy said at $10,000 per year an Indian student would be able to pursue higher education in contrast to paying about $20,000 per annum for studying in an American university, excluding boarding and lodging expenses.
"About 100,000 young Indians go abroad every year in pursuit of higher education, with over 75,000 of them to the US alone, while the remaining students go to Britain, Europe and Australia. Academically, the 135-year-old University of Tokyo is ranked seventh in the world and Japan is the second most innovative country after the US," Murthy pointed out.
The 65-year-old Murthy is a member of the University of Tokyo's president's council.
"The University of Tokyo has been selected to be the flag-bearer of the Japanese government's initiative to make studying in Japan as an attractive option to Indian students because of its stature and its students playing a seminal role in the success of Japan as the world's third largest economy," Murthy observed.
Noting that India and Japan have been sharing a close relationship over the past six decades in diverse areas, Murthy said the future looked bright for the two Asian countries with various academic and business collaborations on the anvil.
Echoing Murthy's call, University of Tokyo alumni association chairman Shrikrishna Kulkarni said studying in Japan would give Indian students an opportunity to imbibe the spirit of innovation, absorb its extraordinary culture and learn its language.
"It's high time Indian students started looking Far East and make Japan a preferred destination for higher education, including research and job opportunities to work in Japanese firms in India or Japan and live in its famous and safest cities such as Tokyo and Osaka," Kulkarni added.
http://twocircles.net/2012feb27/infosys_murthy_pitches_indians_study_japan.html
"I urge young Indians to explore Japan for higher education as it has one of the world's best technology and research institutes. One should seize the opportunity to study in Japan as its universities are at our doorstep inviting our youngsters to make best use of the facilities and financial assistance," Murthy told reporters at the unveiling of the University of Tokyo's India office here.
Asserting that studying in Japan makes economic and academic sense, Murthy said at $10,000 per year an Indian student would be able to pursue higher education in contrast to paying about $20,000 per annum for studying in an American university, excluding boarding and lodging expenses.
"About 100,000 young Indians go abroad every year in pursuit of higher education, with over 75,000 of them to the US alone, while the remaining students go to Britain, Europe and Australia. Academically, the 135-year-old University of Tokyo is ranked seventh in the world and Japan is the second most innovative country after the US," Murthy pointed out.
The 65-year-old Murthy is a member of the University of Tokyo's president's council.
"The University of Tokyo has been selected to be the flag-bearer of the Japanese government's initiative to make studying in Japan as an attractive option to Indian students because of its stature and its students playing a seminal role in the success of Japan as the world's third largest economy," Murthy observed.
Noting that India and Japan have been sharing a close relationship over the past six decades in diverse areas, Murthy said the future looked bright for the two Asian countries with various academic and business collaborations on the anvil.
Echoing Murthy's call, University of Tokyo alumni association chairman Shrikrishna Kulkarni said studying in Japan would give Indian students an opportunity to imbibe the spirit of innovation, absorb its extraordinary culture and learn its language.
"It's high time Indian students started looking Far East and make Japan a preferred destination for higher education, including research and job opportunities to work in Japanese firms in India or Japan and live in its famous and safest cities such as Tokyo and Osaka," Kulkarni added.
http://twocircles.net/2012feb27/infosys_murthy_pitches_indians_study_japan.html
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Japan Falls in Love with Oxford English Apps
On February 14, English language learning apps featuring Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock Holmes took the top slots on Japan’s App Store in the education segment. Since then, they have also taken the #1 spot overall for both iPad and iPhone categories.
These apps, based on 30 stories from the Oxford Bookworms graded reader series, help learners improve their English. Classics Phantom of the Opera, The Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book, Pride and Prejudice and Gulliver’s Travels are among the selected titles. Using the apps, learners can read and listen to the story, view full-color illustrations and test vocabulary using interactive quizzes. Narrated by native-speaking actors, the apps allow learners to bookmark their progress, check meaning of highlighted words and scroll the glossary to check for words.
Available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, the apps were developed by Tokyo-based software developer iEnglish (a division of language-learning company eigoTown.com) and Oxford University Press (OUP). The collaboration is aimed at fulfilling learners’ educational needs and their desire to use current technologies.
In Japan, the localized apps go for 600 yen (or $7.55) each but four titles—Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, Aladdin and Anne of Green Gables—were specially marked down to 85 yen ($1.00) for Valentine’s Day. “We set out to play cupid to bring English and Japan together on this romantic day. And we now know this much is true: Japan loves English,” said Russell Willis, president of iEnglish and founder of eigoTown.com. “With an iEnglish-developed app being bought every 30 seconds in Japan right now and its current chart domination, it looks like the love for English classics runs deep among Japanese.”
For Sorrell Pitts, editorial manager of OUP’s graded readers, the apps “bring together the quality of our Bookworms series with iEnglish’s expertise in developing materials for mobile devices. Together, we have exploited the opportunity an app presents to give learners of English full and easy access to reading and listening to great stories, and learning whenever they want.” (OUP is the first English Language Teaching publisher to offer graded reader apps.)
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/Apps/article/50725-japan-falls-in-love-with-oxford-english-apps.html
These apps, based on 30 stories from the Oxford Bookworms graded reader series, help learners improve their English. Classics Phantom of the Opera, The Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book, Pride and Prejudice and Gulliver’s Travels are among the selected titles. Using the apps, learners can read and listen to the story, view full-color illustrations and test vocabulary using interactive quizzes. Narrated by native-speaking actors, the apps allow learners to bookmark their progress, check meaning of highlighted words and scroll the glossary to check for words.
Available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, the apps were developed by Tokyo-based software developer iEnglish (a division of language-learning company eigoTown.com) and Oxford University Press (OUP). The collaboration is aimed at fulfilling learners’ educational needs and their desire to use current technologies.
In Japan, the localized apps go for 600 yen (or $7.55) each but four titles—Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, Aladdin and Anne of Green Gables—were specially marked down to 85 yen ($1.00) for Valentine’s Day. “We set out to play cupid to bring English and Japan together on this romantic day. And we now know this much is true: Japan loves English,” said Russell Willis, president of iEnglish and founder of eigoTown.com. “With an iEnglish-developed app being bought every 30 seconds in Japan right now and its current chart domination, it looks like the love for English classics runs deep among Japanese.”
For Sorrell Pitts, editorial manager of OUP’s graded readers, the apps “bring together the quality of our Bookworms series with iEnglish’s expertise in developing materials for mobile devices. Together, we have exploited the opportunity an app presents to give learners of English full and easy access to reading and listening to great stories, and learning whenever they want.” (OUP is the first English Language Teaching publisher to offer graded reader apps.)
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/Apps/article/50725-japan-falls-in-love-with-oxford-english-apps.html
Friday, January 27, 2012
40% of universities mull shifting academic year
More than 40 percent of the national universities are warming to the University of Tokyo plan to shift the start of the undergraduate academic year from spring to fall, a survey found.
Major private institutions, including Waseda University, Keio University and Ritsumeikan University, have also shown willingness to ponder the move, which a University of Tokyo panel recently advocated to bring the system in sync with international norms.
The survey, conducted by Kyodo News between Monday and Wednesday, covered the presidents of all 81 national universities except the University of Tokyo and graduate schools unaffiliated with universities, as well as 12 major private universities. The response rate was 100 percent.
The University of Tokyo, known locally as Todai, has called on nine other national universities, including Kyoto University and Hokkaido University, as well as Waseda and Keio, join it in shifting the academic year and said it will set up an organ in April to facilitate coordination.
Of those 11 universities, only Kyoto did not express a willingness to participate, making it highly likely that coordination will start in April.
Kyoto University did not answer the survey questions directly and only said it would review the timing of enrollment together with ways to conduct its admission examinations.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda welcomed the University of Tokyo's initiative at a government meeting Wednesday.
"It's a praiseworthy move from the viewpoint of nurturing talent that will be competitive globally," Noda said. He said he would continue to discuss the issue with the government and the private sector.
According to the survey, 35 of the 81 national universities are ready to consider making the switch because it might help increase enrollment of international students and encourage more Japanese to study abroad.
But only 11 national universities have expressed clear approval of the idea at this point.
Many universities said they are concerned about possible discrepancies in the timing for job recruitment and entrance examinations, given that spring is traditionally the season when the new academic, business and fiscal years begin.
Observers say cooperation from both the government and the business community would be required for the transition to succeed, leaving it uncertain how widely the Todai initiative will spread.
Of the 35 universities ready to consider the move, 13 including Fukushima University and Kyushu University said a full transition to the fall is desirable.
Another 13 universities are against switching, including Miyagi University of Education, Nara University of Education, Shiga University and the University of the Ryukyus.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120127a6.html
Major private institutions, including Waseda University, Keio University and Ritsumeikan University, have also shown willingness to ponder the move, which a University of Tokyo panel recently advocated to bring the system in sync with international norms.
The survey, conducted by Kyodo News between Monday and Wednesday, covered the presidents of all 81 national universities except the University of Tokyo and graduate schools unaffiliated with universities, as well as 12 major private universities. The response rate was 100 percent.
The University of Tokyo, known locally as Todai, has called on nine other national universities, including Kyoto University and Hokkaido University, as well as Waseda and Keio, join it in shifting the academic year and said it will set up an organ in April to facilitate coordination.
Of those 11 universities, only Kyoto did not express a willingness to participate, making it highly likely that coordination will start in April.
Kyoto University did not answer the survey questions directly and only said it would review the timing of enrollment together with ways to conduct its admission examinations.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda welcomed the University of Tokyo's initiative at a government meeting Wednesday.
"It's a praiseworthy move from the viewpoint of nurturing talent that will be competitive globally," Noda said. He said he would continue to discuss the issue with the government and the private sector.
According to the survey, 35 of the 81 national universities are ready to consider making the switch because it might help increase enrollment of international students and encourage more Japanese to study abroad.
But only 11 national universities have expressed clear approval of the idea at this point.
Many universities said they are concerned about possible discrepancies in the timing for job recruitment and entrance examinations, given that spring is traditionally the season when the new academic, business and fiscal years begin.
Observers say cooperation from both the government and the business community would be required for the transition to succeed, leaving it uncertain how widely the Todai initiative will spread.
Of the 35 universities ready to consider the move, 13 including Fukushima University and Kyushu University said a full transition to the fall is desirable.
Another 13 universities are against switching, including Miyagi University of Education, Nara University of Education, Shiga University and the University of the Ryukyus.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120127a6.html
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Japan’s Harvard Mulls Radical Calendar Change
One of Tokyo University’s self-proclaimed goals is to raise “tough students” ready to take on the world. But to do so, Asia’s highest-ranked university is becoming increasingly convinced it will have to take drastic measures – changing its academic calendar to a fall start date.
An internal preliminary report released by the university Friday found that the prestigious institution, like much of Japan Inc., must globalize to remain competitive. The national university’s position fell four spots to No. 30 in 2011 in the Times Higher Education world university rankings compared with the previous year, once again dragged down by dismal marks in “international outlook.”
The university first proposed the idea of changing its calendar last summer.
In an effort to become more globally friendly, the university wants to encourage its students to study abroad as well as make the Tokyo school an attractive destination for overseas disciples of higher learning. The problem is a timing issue, as Japan’s academic calendar is out of sync with the rest of the world. Students in Japan start their school year in April, while the back-to-school season kicks off in the fall in about 70% of 215 countries studied, according to the report. The scheduling difference has made it difficult for Japanese students to find international programs that don’t cut into the middle of their semesters back home and vice versa.
The consequence of the temporal mismatch is apparent: the report says only 0.4% of Tokyo University’s 13,250 students were studying abroad as of last May. At this rate, the report concludes, “the aim to ‘have all (Tokyo University) students experience study abroad or conduct research overseas by 2015’ is not one whose achievement is within sight.” Meanwhile, about 270,604 U.S. students studied abroad for academic credit in the 2009-2010 school year, nearly a 4% increase from the previous year, according to the Institute of International Education annual report released last November. But just 2.3% of those students opted to study in Japan – the same percentage that chose Costa Rica.
So the next figure shouldn’t come as much of a surprise: exchange students made up just 1.9% of undergraduates at the school. The panel’s report says “we cannot help but worry about whether the university can maintain its prowess and presence” in the face of stiff global competition. Tokyo University was the highest-ranked school in Asia in the aforementioned Times Higher Education annual report, but regional schools like the University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore are close on its heels and score much higher on the category that is Tokyo’s biggest weakness — international outlook.
But to move the start date would mean to jostle an entire system that’s been firmly bolted down for decades. Japan’s academic year is tied to the timing of entrance exams and, more importantly, the fixed recruitment schedule. Pushing the school year to start by about half a year later would mean fresh graduates would be in limbo for many months before suiting up for work.
The move would mark a significant change in Japan – and it is one that perhaps can be spearheaded only by Tokyo University, which has produced 15 Japanese prime ministers. The school’s name, commonly shortened to “Todai,” carries impressive weight in Japan, giving its graduates’ resumes a reverent glow during job applications and self-introductions. Todai’s proposal has spurred other universities to mull the calendar shift. Kyushu University said this week it would establish an in-house panel next month to begin deliberating the issue, according to Japanese daily Yomiuri Shinbun.
The good news is that Japanese students want to go abroad, if given the chance. A university survey cited in Todai’s report on Friday showed 35% of students said they definitely want to go abroad and another 58% said they wished they had opportunities to participate in study-abroad programs.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/01/20/japans-harvard-mulls-radical-calendar-change/
An internal preliminary report released by the university Friday found that the prestigious institution, like much of Japan Inc., must globalize to remain competitive. The national university’s position fell four spots to No. 30 in 2011 in the Times Higher Education world university rankings compared with the previous year, once again dragged down by dismal marks in “international outlook.”
The university first proposed the idea of changing its calendar last summer.
In an effort to become more globally friendly, the university wants to encourage its students to study abroad as well as make the Tokyo school an attractive destination for overseas disciples of higher learning. The problem is a timing issue, as Japan’s academic calendar is out of sync with the rest of the world. Students in Japan start their school year in April, while the back-to-school season kicks off in the fall in about 70% of 215 countries studied, according to the report. The scheduling difference has made it difficult for Japanese students to find international programs that don’t cut into the middle of their semesters back home and vice versa.
The consequence of the temporal mismatch is apparent: the report says only 0.4% of Tokyo University’s 13,250 students were studying abroad as of last May. At this rate, the report concludes, “the aim to ‘have all (Tokyo University) students experience study abroad or conduct research overseas by 2015’ is not one whose achievement is within sight.” Meanwhile, about 270,604 U.S. students studied abroad for academic credit in the 2009-2010 school year, nearly a 4% increase from the previous year, according to the Institute of International Education annual report released last November. But just 2.3% of those students opted to study in Japan – the same percentage that chose Costa Rica.
So the next figure shouldn’t come as much of a surprise: exchange students made up just 1.9% of undergraduates at the school. The panel’s report says “we cannot help but worry about whether the university can maintain its prowess and presence” in the face of stiff global competition. Tokyo University was the highest-ranked school in Asia in the aforementioned Times Higher Education annual report, but regional schools like the University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore are close on its heels and score much higher on the category that is Tokyo’s biggest weakness — international outlook.
But to move the start date would mean to jostle an entire system that’s been firmly bolted down for decades. Japan’s academic year is tied to the timing of entrance exams and, more importantly, the fixed recruitment schedule. Pushing the school year to start by about half a year later would mean fresh graduates would be in limbo for many months before suiting up for work.
The move would mark a significant change in Japan – and it is one that perhaps can be spearheaded only by Tokyo University, which has produced 15 Japanese prime ministers. The school’s name, commonly shortened to “Todai,” carries impressive weight in Japan, giving its graduates’ resumes a reverent glow during job applications and self-introductions. Todai’s proposal has spurred other universities to mull the calendar shift. Kyushu University said this week it would establish an in-house panel next month to begin deliberating the issue, according to Japanese daily Yomiuri Shinbun.
The good news is that Japanese students want to go abroad, if given the chance. A university survey cited in Todai’s report on Friday showed 35% of students said they definitely want to go abroad and another 58% said they wished they had opportunities to participate in study-abroad programs.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/01/20/japans-harvard-mulls-radical-calendar-change/
Friday, January 20, 2012
University of Tokyo has int'l competition in sights with shift to autumn start
The University of Tokyo's recent decision to shift the start of the school year from the spring to the autumn -- in line with most school systems in the West -- is a sure signal that Japan's most prestigious academic institution is deeply worried about being on the losing end of increasing international competition among universities. Furthermore, the move by Todai -- as the University of Tokyo is popularly known -- is putting pressure on other Japanese schools to follow suit.
If Todai goes ahead with the current proposal, entrance exams will continue to be held in the spring while in five years the start of classes will be moved to the autumn, opening a six-month gap between acceptance and actual entry into the university. What students are to do with this half-year is one major challenge that must be dealt with before the new system goes into effect, while the shift in the school year may also have a serious impact on both new graduate hiring by companies and on high school education.
"Amid severe international competition, we call on this school to move speedily and without hesitation to consider this recommendation and to act," reads the final proposal by a Todai panel set up to study the school year shift, the text amplifying the university's sense of crisis and fear of falling behind other top schools across the globe.
The 2011-2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings released in October last year had MIT, Harvard, Stanford and Oxford at the pinnacle of its top 400 -- all U.S. and British schools. Todai could boast it was pegged highest among Japanese institutions, but still came in well down the list at No. 30, sandwiched between the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Todai sees any climb up the rankings ladder as dependent both on attracting more foreign students and faculty.
Furthermore, as of May 2011, there were just 53 undergraduate and 286 graduate Todai students studying overseas -- just 0.4 percent and 2.1 percent of total enrolment, respectively. The panel proposal says one reason for the low numbers is "the differences in entrance dates and school terms" between Todai and foreign host institutions. As such, the panel recommended keeping entrance exams at the same time of year as they are now, while moving the start of the school year entirely to the autumn to match the schedules of institutions outside Japan. Furthermore, the proposal recommends the "gap time" between the exams and actual entrance to the university be used by newly admitted students to get some international or volunteer experience.
Japanese universities used to begin their school years in September, but shifted to an April start in 1921 to match the fiscal year. As internationalization has proceeded apace, however, a return to a September start gained more appeal, and in 2007 a government committee on education reform recommended making a strong push to do just that. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as of the 2009 school year there were 245 universities that allowed undergraduate students to enter at times other than April. Most of these, however, did so mainly for students returning to Japan after living or studying abroad, and no universities had moved entirely to an autumn entrance system.
Japan's major schools are, however, keeping close tabs on Todai's moves. For instance, on Jan. 18 Kyushu University President Setsuo Arikawa announced he planned to set up a committee to study shifting the school year's start to the autumn. Kyoto University has also stated it will "consider the state of school terms and entrance exams," while Waseda University has said it will "continue with discussions on how autumn entrance should be implemented."
Meanwhile Atsushi Seike, head of Keio University, told the Mainichi, "Regarding autumn entrance, the university community in Japan should consider how to proceed as a whole."
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20120119p2a00m0na019000c.html
If Todai goes ahead with the current proposal, entrance exams will continue to be held in the spring while in five years the start of classes will be moved to the autumn, opening a six-month gap between acceptance and actual entry into the university. What students are to do with this half-year is one major challenge that must be dealt with before the new system goes into effect, while the shift in the school year may also have a serious impact on both new graduate hiring by companies and on high school education.
"Amid severe international competition, we call on this school to move speedily and without hesitation to consider this recommendation and to act," reads the final proposal by a Todai panel set up to study the school year shift, the text amplifying the university's sense of crisis and fear of falling behind other top schools across the globe.
The 2011-2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings released in October last year had MIT, Harvard, Stanford and Oxford at the pinnacle of its top 400 -- all U.S. and British schools. Todai could boast it was pegged highest among Japanese institutions, but still came in well down the list at No. 30, sandwiched between the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Todai sees any climb up the rankings ladder as dependent both on attracting more foreign students and faculty.
Furthermore, as of May 2011, there were just 53 undergraduate and 286 graduate Todai students studying overseas -- just 0.4 percent and 2.1 percent of total enrolment, respectively. The panel proposal says one reason for the low numbers is "the differences in entrance dates and school terms" between Todai and foreign host institutions. As such, the panel recommended keeping entrance exams at the same time of year as they are now, while moving the start of the school year entirely to the autumn to match the schedules of institutions outside Japan. Furthermore, the proposal recommends the "gap time" between the exams and actual entrance to the university be used by newly admitted students to get some international or volunteer experience.
Japanese universities used to begin their school years in September, but shifted to an April start in 1921 to match the fiscal year. As internationalization has proceeded apace, however, a return to a September start gained more appeal, and in 2007 a government committee on education reform recommended making a strong push to do just that. According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as of the 2009 school year there were 245 universities that allowed undergraduate students to enter at times other than April. Most of these, however, did so mainly for students returning to Japan after living or studying abroad, and no universities had moved entirely to an autumn entrance system.
Japan's major schools are, however, keeping close tabs on Todai's moves. For instance, on Jan. 18 Kyushu University President Setsuo Arikawa announced he planned to set up a committee to study shifting the school year's start to the autumn. Kyoto University has also stated it will "consider the state of school terms and entrance exams," while Waseda University has said it will "continue with discussions on how autumn entrance should be implemented."
Meanwhile Atsushi Seike, head of Keio University, told the Mainichi, "Regarding autumn entrance, the university community in Japan should consider how to proceed as a whole."
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20120119p2a00m0na019000c.html
Monday, January 16, 2012
Firms look to hire foreign students
Hundreds of foreign students from Japan's top universities turned up at a career forum Saturday in Tokyo, hoping to secure a job before their graduation in 2013.
Clad in dark suits, the students flocked to Tokyo Dome City in Bunkyo Ward to attend briefings by 47 firms — including First Retailing Co., Sony Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
A total of 1,560 students, mostly Asian, registered to attend the Tokyo event and a job fair in Osaka on Sunday, both organized by recruitment consultancy Fourth Valley Concierge Corp.
While only 12 companies participated in the inaugural event for foreign students in 2008, the number has quadrupled over the last four years as businesses increasingly look to expand their operations overseas, said Aki Takeda, Fourth Valley's director.
"Companies' interest (in foreign students) is rising. . . . More firms are moving to recruit top-notch students, regardless of their nationalities," Takeda said.
"They are hiring foreign students not only for their language skills but also for their business mindset and high potential. And (such talented students) tend to be foreign students," Takeda said.
Yuka Kawakami, who recruits students for Mitsubishi Electric Corp., said the firm plans to hire 10 to 20 foreign students in fiscal 2012. "We'd like to recruit more foreign students. . . . They decided to study outside their home country and that alone shows their strong will," Kawakami said.
According to a poll held last August by career consultancy DISCO Inc., only 13.1 percent of 968 firms polled said they would recruit foreign students in fiscal 2011. But 24.5 percent said they planned to hire foreign students in the next fiscal year, which starts April 1.
The rate was higher — about 46 percent — for major firms with more than 1,000 workers.
But at a time when even new Japanese graduates are finding it hard to land a job, foreign students who attended the Tokyo event said securing employment was by no means easy.
"People say more companies are recruiting foreign students now, and I think that's true. But the options we have are still far fewer than Japanese students," said Qiu Fei, a 23-year-old Chinese master's student at Kyushu University in Fukuoka.
"Other foreign students say the job-hunting environment is harsh," said Chinese doctorate student Lu Zhijiang of the University of Tsukuba. "I want to get a job at a top company, but considering the reality, I guess I would be happy if I get a job at any company."
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120115a6.html
Clad in dark suits, the students flocked to Tokyo Dome City in Bunkyo Ward to attend briefings by 47 firms — including First Retailing Co., Sony Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
A total of 1,560 students, mostly Asian, registered to attend the Tokyo event and a job fair in Osaka on Sunday, both organized by recruitment consultancy Fourth Valley Concierge Corp.
While only 12 companies participated in the inaugural event for foreign students in 2008, the number has quadrupled over the last four years as businesses increasingly look to expand their operations overseas, said Aki Takeda, Fourth Valley's director.
"Companies' interest (in foreign students) is rising. . . . More firms are moving to recruit top-notch students, regardless of their nationalities," Takeda said.
"They are hiring foreign students not only for their language skills but also for their business mindset and high potential. And (such talented students) tend to be foreign students," Takeda said.
Yuka Kawakami, who recruits students for Mitsubishi Electric Corp., said the firm plans to hire 10 to 20 foreign students in fiscal 2012. "We'd like to recruit more foreign students. . . . They decided to study outside their home country and that alone shows their strong will," Kawakami said.
According to a poll held last August by career consultancy DISCO Inc., only 13.1 percent of 968 firms polled said they would recruit foreign students in fiscal 2011. But 24.5 percent said they planned to hire foreign students in the next fiscal year, which starts April 1.
The rate was higher — about 46 percent — for major firms with more than 1,000 workers.
But at a time when even new Japanese graduates are finding it hard to land a job, foreign students who attended the Tokyo event said securing employment was by no means easy.
"People say more companies are recruiting foreign students now, and I think that's true. But the options we have are still far fewer than Japanese students," said Qiu Fei, a 23-year-old Chinese master's student at Kyushu University in Fukuoka.
"Other foreign students say the job-hunting environment is harsh," said Chinese doctorate student Lu Zhijiang of the University of Tsukuba. "I want to get a job at a top company, but considering the reality, I guess I would be happy if I get a job at any company."
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120115a6.html
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sony Throws Away Japan Recruitment Rulebook
Attention young Japanese job seekers: Sony Corp. wants to get to know you.
Bloomberg News
University students attend a job fair in Tokyo.
The Japanese electronics giant is shaking things up in the way it will hire the incoming class of fresh entry-level suits, stepping out from the rigid recruitment system used by the country’s most elite companies for generations.
Gone are the indistinguishable black suits requisite for interviews. Gone is the formulaic interview involving a table, a chair either side and rote answers. Gone is the hiring taboo on applicants who spent the year after college studying abroad instead of jumping into the job market.
The changes, announced in late December, are the company’s attempts to distinguish the individuals from the masses. Encouraging job seekers to break out of the standard outfit may not seem like the beginning of a HR revolution elsewhere. But it’s a strong buck against tradition in Japan, where an ill-fitting dark suit and newly pruned hair is a giveaway that a dressed-up youngster is on a recruitment call.
“We want to find the individual quirks of each applicant,” said Sony spokeswoman Satsuki Shinnaka. “We want them to come at us with opinions and thoughts indicative of their individuality instead of an answer they read in a book that says ‘Sony will consider you to be a good match (with the company) if you answer like so.’”
Interview formats are getting a makeover when the recruitment process for the class of 2013 starts in April. The questions themselves won’t necessarily change, according to Ms. Shinnaka. But workshops, proposal planning and discussion groups will replace the rounds of one-on-one Q&As to facilitate real conversation and see the wheels turn.
“We want them to be themselves. Feel that it’s ok to talk to us using simple words unconstrained by formalities,” said Ms. Shinnaka. The relaxed wardrobe standard is part of setting that comfort level.
The unexpected is not the norm when it comes to Japan Inc.’s hiring practices for young college graduates, known as “shushoku katsudo” in Japanese. Thanks to the well-oiled hiring process, the soon-to-be-grads know exactly what to do, from what to wear to how to answer a question. The schedule is fixed and starts early – usually in the student’s junior year lest they wish to be at a distinct disadvantage.
To even be considered, prospective candidates’ long journey invariably begins online with a basic application and routine exam. Sony receives an annual average 10,000 entries at this first stage.
About a year and three interview rounds later the group is winnowed down to a few hundred. Ms. Shinnaka said the company hired about 250 entry-level workers for 2012, half the size of the class that joined in 2009.
Sony is also extending employment opportunities to people who have been out of college for as long as three years. The fixed system typically locks those who wouldn’t enter the company as newly minted graduates out, a worrisome situation if some failed to find a job while in school or chose to take time off to study abroad or tried to build their own start-up.
For Sony, which has somewhat lost its sheen as an innovative powerhouse in recent years, thinking outside the box on recruitment could yet be the start of a new way of doing business.
Corrections & Amplifications: About 250 workers make up the incoming class of hires starting in April. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Sony planned to hire 250 workers for 2013.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/01/07/sony-throws-away-japan-recruitment-rulebook/
Bloomberg News
University students attend a job fair in Tokyo.
The Japanese electronics giant is shaking things up in the way it will hire the incoming class of fresh entry-level suits, stepping out from the rigid recruitment system used by the country’s most elite companies for generations.
Gone are the indistinguishable black suits requisite for interviews. Gone is the formulaic interview involving a table, a chair either side and rote answers. Gone is the hiring taboo on applicants who spent the year after college studying abroad instead of jumping into the job market.
The changes, announced in late December, are the company’s attempts to distinguish the individuals from the masses. Encouraging job seekers to break out of the standard outfit may not seem like the beginning of a HR revolution elsewhere. But it’s a strong buck against tradition in Japan, where an ill-fitting dark suit and newly pruned hair is a giveaway that a dressed-up youngster is on a recruitment call.
“We want to find the individual quirks of each applicant,” said Sony spokeswoman Satsuki Shinnaka. “We want them to come at us with opinions and thoughts indicative of their individuality instead of an answer they read in a book that says ‘Sony will consider you to be a good match (with the company) if you answer like so.’”
Interview formats are getting a makeover when the recruitment process for the class of 2013 starts in April. The questions themselves won’t necessarily change, according to Ms. Shinnaka. But workshops, proposal planning and discussion groups will replace the rounds of one-on-one Q&As to facilitate real conversation and see the wheels turn.
“We want them to be themselves. Feel that it’s ok to talk to us using simple words unconstrained by formalities,” said Ms. Shinnaka. The relaxed wardrobe standard is part of setting that comfort level.
The unexpected is not the norm when it comes to Japan Inc.’s hiring practices for young college graduates, known as “shushoku katsudo” in Japanese. Thanks to the well-oiled hiring process, the soon-to-be-grads know exactly what to do, from what to wear to how to answer a question. The schedule is fixed and starts early – usually in the student’s junior year lest they wish to be at a distinct disadvantage.
To even be considered, prospective candidates’ long journey invariably begins online with a basic application and routine exam. Sony receives an annual average 10,000 entries at this first stage.
About a year and three interview rounds later the group is winnowed down to a few hundred. Ms. Shinnaka said the company hired about 250 entry-level workers for 2012, half the size of the class that joined in 2009.
Sony is also extending employment opportunities to people who have been out of college for as long as three years. The fixed system typically locks those who wouldn’t enter the company as newly minted graduates out, a worrisome situation if some failed to find a job while in school or chose to take time off to study abroad or tried to build their own start-up.
For Sony, which has somewhat lost its sheen as an innovative powerhouse in recent years, thinking outside the box on recruitment could yet be the start of a new way of doing business.
Corrections & Amplifications: About 250 workers make up the incoming class of hires starting in April. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Sony planned to hire 250 workers for 2013.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/01/07/sony-throws-away-japan-recruitment-rulebook/
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Tokyo to help 10,000 youths study abroad
The Tokyo metropolitan government has announced a project to help 10,000 young people study abroad over eight years starting in fiscal 2012 to rectify their increasingly inward-looking mind-sets.
"Through studying abroad, we'd like to help young people toughen up so they can serve as leaders in the future," a Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education official said.
Announced last week, the project will send not only high school and university students, but also young craftspeople overseas in the eight years from fiscal 2012 to 2020.
The main pillar of the project is a next-generation leader training program, which will focus on students at metropolitan government-operated high schools.
Starting in the summer of their freshman year of high school, students will take eight months of extra lessons featuring lectures from businesspeople, athletes, artists and other guest speakers who have also lived abroad. They also will learn how to make presentations and write essays in English.
Their freshman year will end with a monthlong study abroad in March. Students will also start a yearlong overseas homestay in autumn so they can attend local schools.
(Dec. 30, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111229004438.htm
"Through studying abroad, we'd like to help young people toughen up so they can serve as leaders in the future," a Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education official said.
Announced last week, the project will send not only high school and university students, but also young craftspeople overseas in the eight years from fiscal 2012 to 2020.
The main pillar of the project is a next-generation leader training program, which will focus on students at metropolitan government-operated high schools.
Starting in the summer of their freshman year of high school, students will take eight months of extra lessons featuring lectures from businesspeople, athletes, artists and other guest speakers who have also lived abroad. They also will learn how to make presentations and write essays in English.
Their freshman year will end with a monthlong study abroad in March. Students will also start a yearlong overseas homestay in autumn so they can attend local schools.
(Dec. 30, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111229004438.htm
Friday, December 16, 2011
Outstanding Japanese Students Sought for Second Annual TOEFL(R) Scholarship Program
For the second consecutive year, Educational Testing Service (ETS), the creator of the TOEFL(R) test, announced the launch of the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan. Created specifically for Japanese students, the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program will award five scholarships valued at a total of US$40,000. Scholarship funding can be applied to either undergraduate or graduate study for the 2012 academic year.
"ETS is pleased to announce that we will sponsor the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan for the second consecutive year," commented Walt MacDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at ETS. "The TOEFL Scholarship Program stems from ETS's nonprofit mission of advancing education worldwide. The scholarship program seeks to recognize talented Japanese students who have excelled in the classroom and have a strong commitment to meeting their educational aspirations."
TOEFL Scholarships will be awarded to students in Japan who meet the following criteria:
-- must be currently living in Japan
-- must begin undergraduate or graduate study in 2012 at a college or
university listed in the TOEFL(R) Destinations Directory
-- must hold a grade point average (GPA) of 80 or higher on a 100-point
scale or 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
-- must have a valid TOEFL score
-- must return a completed application form which includes a written
essay, TOEFL test scores and an official transcript in a sealed
envelope
Detailed information regarding the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan, including application materials and eligibility requirements, is available at www.ets.org/toefl/scholarships/overview/japan/ . Completed applications must be postmarked by April 13, 2012.
The ETS Scholarship and Recognition Program (SRP) group, which annually administers millions of dollars in new and renewable awards in the United States and abroad, is coordinating the ETS Scholarship Program in Japan. In addition to program consultation, SRP developed application materials and guidelines for the review of the applications.
More information regarding the TOEFL test, including sample questions, study tips and registration is available at www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org .
About the TOEFL Test For nearly 50 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely accepted English-language assessment in the world. The TOEFL test is recognized by more than 8,000 institutions in more than 130 countries including Australia, the U.K., Canada, and the United States. Globally, the TOEFL test is available at more than 4,500 testing sites in more than 165 countries. To date, more than 25 million students around the world have taken the TOEFL test.
About ETS At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually -- including the TOEFL(R) and TOEIC (R) tests, the GRE (R) tests and The Praxis Series(TM) assessments -- in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/outstanding-japanese-students-sought-for-second-annual-toeflr-scholarship-program-2011-12-15
"ETS is pleased to announce that we will sponsor the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan for the second consecutive year," commented Walt MacDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at ETS. "The TOEFL Scholarship Program stems from ETS's nonprofit mission of advancing education worldwide. The scholarship program seeks to recognize talented Japanese students who have excelled in the classroom and have a strong commitment to meeting their educational aspirations."
TOEFL Scholarships will be awarded to students in Japan who meet the following criteria:
-- must be currently living in Japan
-- must begin undergraduate or graduate study in 2012 at a college or
university listed in the TOEFL(R) Destinations Directory
-- must hold a grade point average (GPA) of 80 or higher on a 100-point
scale or 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
-- must have a valid TOEFL score
-- must return a completed application form which includes a written
essay, TOEFL test scores and an official transcript in a sealed
envelope
Detailed information regarding the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan, including application materials and eligibility requirements, is available at www.ets.org/toefl/scholarships/overview/japan/ . Completed applications must be postmarked by April 13, 2012.
The ETS Scholarship and Recognition Program (SRP) group, which annually administers millions of dollars in new and renewable awards in the United States and abroad, is coordinating the ETS Scholarship Program in Japan. In addition to program consultation, SRP developed application materials and guidelines for the review of the applications.
More information regarding the TOEFL test, including sample questions, study tips and registration is available at www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org .
About the TOEFL Test For nearly 50 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely accepted English-language assessment in the world. The TOEFL test is recognized by more than 8,000 institutions in more than 130 countries including Australia, the U.K., Canada, and the United States. Globally, the TOEFL test is available at more than 4,500 testing sites in more than 165 countries. To date, more than 25 million students around the world have taken the TOEFL test.
About ETS At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually -- including the TOEFL(R) and TOEIC (R) tests, the GRE (R) tests and The Praxis Series(TM) assessments -- in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/outstanding-japanese-students-sought-for-second-annual-toeflr-scholarship-program-2011-12-15
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 3): A proud graduate of APU becomes a happy worker at Nissan
For part three of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Abdoulaye Ditie from Mali in West Africa. Ditie graduated from APU in 2005 and now works for Nissan in Japan. Let us find out how he found his career path through APU.
News photo
Q: What triggered your interest in Japan, and how did you first come over?
Ditie: When I was a high school student, I learned that Japan was defeated in World War II. The people had no food, no resources, just nothing. But then, I was surprised to find out that within a few decades, the country rebuilt itself and became one of the most powerful nations in the global arena. I became very interested and wanted to learn more about the country. The more I found out about the country, the more I came to like the country. I literally fell in love with Japan.
But Mali used to be a French colony and I had done all my studies in French. There was absolutely no chance for me to study in Japan. A French university accepted me, so I originally planned to go there.
Then, another event occurred, as my older brother was transferred to Japan for work. Concurrently, APU offered me a scholarship covering most of the tuition and supporting my living expenses. On top of that, APU fulfilled my requirements almost 100 percent. Hence, I was able to enter APU in 2001.
Q: Did your impression of Japan change after you arrived?
Ditie: Actually, I came to love the country and its people even more. Japanese people are very friendly. They are hardworking, polite, respectful and always try to understand other people's feelings.
Q: What did you study at APU, and how was your campus life?
Ditie: I majored in management. The school was the ideal environment to study and interact with students from around the world. It was also very practical for not only focusing on studies, but also making us think and plan about our career and life after college. There also was a good mix of professors, some from the academic field, and others with a business background. In that way, we became both academic and practical.
I wanted to study in English, and APU provided the perfect setting for that, too. I also wanted to study Japanese. Again, APU allowed me to do so. I had a further quest to learn a third language, so I took some Spanish classes.
We didn't concentrate merely on our studies, either. We also were active in various club activities. I was especially interested in volunteer activities, and my club visited many orphanages and elderly care homes. That was another great learning opportunity for me.
All in all, I am proud of having graduated from APU.
Q: Why did you choose to find work in Japan after graduation?
Ditie: I think everybody at school asks themselves at some stage, whether they want to proceed to a graduate school or start working. I wanted to be practical, so I decided to work. But I knew that finding a job in Japan was very difficult, especially for a foreigner.
The APU Career Office was very helpful in the job-hunting process. First, it provided a lot of support. The career office held job interview rehearsals and guidance on how to write a proper resume, for example. Second, I found the career office's on-campus recruiting system exceptionally good. It held guidance sessions for leading Japanese companies seeking top students just graduating from college. At that time, around 80 companies came to APU to give presentations. I hear that figure has risen to over 400 today.
On-campus recruitment is also meaningful because it helps reduce the students' costs. It becomes pretty expensive and time-consuming if you have to travel to Tokyo or Osaka and stay there for some time during your job-hunting activities.
Q: What made you decide to work for Nissan, and how do you like it?
Ditie: I was fortunate to receive job offers from three different companies. Among them, Nissan was most specific on what I would be doing after entering the company. That perfectly matched with what I wanted to do. In addition, the company allows you to shift careers at any time.
Another point that urged me to join the company was that the Nissan Patrol (known as the Safari in Japan) was the car I liked best when I was in Mali. Hence, I felt as though it was my destiny to join Nissan.
Nissan is fantastic. Inside, you find the true greatness of the company. Everybody works very, very hard, and the workers never give up. People are friendly, and there is a good human relationship.
During my first three years, I was involved in global logistics planning. Then I wanted to be closer to the field and, upon my request, I was transferred to the Oppama plant. It is known for making the Nissan electric car Leaf. Now I am in charge of production control. We plan the vehicle production and procure high-quality parts from all over the world.
I am putting into practice what I learned at APU. You collaborate with all departments within the company, as well as numerous people around the world.
Q: What would you like to do next and in the future?
Ditie: First, I want to go to other emerging countries and start up the Nissan business from scratch. I want to use the knowledge I acquired in Japan and apply it to a different environment.
Eventually in the future, I want to work in Africa and be a role model. To be a role model, mostly you have to become either a politician or a successful businessman. I would go for the latter because I believe that if I work very hard and never give up, I can do it.
Ultimately, in whatever condition or environment, you always should be yourself, while being respectful of others. After all, everything depends on you.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111128
News photo
Q: What triggered your interest in Japan, and how did you first come over?
Ditie: When I was a high school student, I learned that Japan was defeated in World War II. The people had no food, no resources, just nothing. But then, I was surprised to find out that within a few decades, the country rebuilt itself and became one of the most powerful nations in the global arena. I became very interested and wanted to learn more about the country. The more I found out about the country, the more I came to like the country. I literally fell in love with Japan.
But Mali used to be a French colony and I had done all my studies in French. There was absolutely no chance for me to study in Japan. A French university accepted me, so I originally planned to go there.
Then, another event occurred, as my older brother was transferred to Japan for work. Concurrently, APU offered me a scholarship covering most of the tuition and supporting my living expenses. On top of that, APU fulfilled my requirements almost 100 percent. Hence, I was able to enter APU in 2001.
Q: Did your impression of Japan change after you arrived?
Ditie: Actually, I came to love the country and its people even more. Japanese people are very friendly. They are hardworking, polite, respectful and always try to understand other people's feelings.
Q: What did you study at APU, and how was your campus life?
Ditie: I majored in management. The school was the ideal environment to study and interact with students from around the world. It was also very practical for not only focusing on studies, but also making us think and plan about our career and life after college. There also was a good mix of professors, some from the academic field, and others with a business background. In that way, we became both academic and practical.
I wanted to study in English, and APU provided the perfect setting for that, too. I also wanted to study Japanese. Again, APU allowed me to do so. I had a further quest to learn a third language, so I took some Spanish classes.
We didn't concentrate merely on our studies, either. We also were active in various club activities. I was especially interested in volunteer activities, and my club visited many orphanages and elderly care homes. That was another great learning opportunity for me.
All in all, I am proud of having graduated from APU.
Q: Why did you choose to find work in Japan after graduation?
Ditie: I think everybody at school asks themselves at some stage, whether they want to proceed to a graduate school or start working. I wanted to be practical, so I decided to work. But I knew that finding a job in Japan was very difficult, especially for a foreigner.
The APU Career Office was very helpful in the job-hunting process. First, it provided a lot of support. The career office held job interview rehearsals and guidance on how to write a proper resume, for example. Second, I found the career office's on-campus recruiting system exceptionally good. It held guidance sessions for leading Japanese companies seeking top students just graduating from college. At that time, around 80 companies came to APU to give presentations. I hear that figure has risen to over 400 today.
On-campus recruitment is also meaningful because it helps reduce the students' costs. It becomes pretty expensive and time-consuming if you have to travel to Tokyo or Osaka and stay there for some time during your job-hunting activities.
Q: What made you decide to work for Nissan, and how do you like it?
Ditie: I was fortunate to receive job offers from three different companies. Among them, Nissan was most specific on what I would be doing after entering the company. That perfectly matched with what I wanted to do. In addition, the company allows you to shift careers at any time.
Another point that urged me to join the company was that the Nissan Patrol (known as the Safari in Japan) was the car I liked best when I was in Mali. Hence, I felt as though it was my destiny to join Nissan.
Nissan is fantastic. Inside, you find the true greatness of the company. Everybody works very, very hard, and the workers never give up. People are friendly, and there is a good human relationship.
During my first three years, I was involved in global logistics planning. Then I wanted to be closer to the field and, upon my request, I was transferred to the Oppama plant. It is known for making the Nissan electric car Leaf. Now I am in charge of production control. We plan the vehicle production and procure high-quality parts from all over the world.
I am putting into practice what I learned at APU. You collaborate with all departments within the company, as well as numerous people around the world.
Q: What would you like to do next and in the future?
Ditie: First, I want to go to other emerging countries and start up the Nissan business from scratch. I want to use the knowledge I acquired in Japan and apply it to a different environment.
Eventually in the future, I want to work in Africa and be a role model. To be a role model, mostly you have to become either a politician or a successful businessman. I would go for the latter because I believe that if I work very hard and never give up, I can do it.
Ultimately, in whatever condition or environment, you always should be yourself, while being respectful of others. After all, everything depends on you.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111128
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 4): APU helps to navigate uncharted waters
For the last part of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Md Moin from Bangladesh, who graduated from the school in 2005. Moin revealed his thoughts on APU and Japan, together with his aspirations in life and work.
News photo
Q: Why did you choose to come to Japan and study at APU?
Moin: Originally, it was my father who recommended me to come over. Working as a researcher, he had visited many countries. But he was most impressed by Japan for the kindness of its people, as well as for its safety and cleanliness, despite being the second largest economy in the world.
After becoming a university student in my country attempting to do overseas studies, I found APU posters at the Japanese Cultural Institute, as well as at the Japanese Embassy. I found the multicultural character of APU very impressive. It was very different from other universities.
In 2001, I applied as a transfer to APU, passed the exam, and obtained a scholarship to study international financing and accounting. This happened when I was in my first year at Dhaka University, and I transferred to APU as a sophomore.
Q: How was your campus life at APU?
Moin: To be honest, studies at APU were not as strict as Dhaka University. There, you had to literally immerse yourself in academic studies. I had done enough of that, so the practical, business-oriented studies offered at APU were a good match for me.
APU was wonderful for being multicultural. There were students from a total of 61 countries during my time. Out of the 900 students or so, 50 percent were from overseas. Case studies involving discussions were really exciting. In my course, there were students from 20 countries, and we had debates just as if you were in a global business setting. The school inspired you to be independent, too, and you could build a huge network of colleagues spanning the entire globe. And since I had a vision to become independent in the future, I found the setting perfect.
As for my living situation, I originally checked in at the APU House, the school's dormitory. After one year, I moved to downtown Beppu to share a flat with my mates from Tonga, Canada, Japan and Korea. In my private time, I was also a vocalist in a band. I also started up a fair trade business selling traditional ornaments, original musical instruments and so on. Over the years, I mastered Japanese and Spanish, in addition to originally speaking Bengali, Arabic, Hindi and English.
Q: You stayed on in Japan after graduating from APU. You are currently working for a prominent global company, but you are now starting up your own company. Why?
Moin: First, I wanted to be connected to my dear friends in Japan. Second, I didn't want to forget Japanese, which was a very difficult language for me to learn. I wanted to utilize the language in real life, so that I eventually could build a relationship between Japan and Bangladesh in the future. Those are the main reasons as to why I stayed on.
I got married in 2006 with my wife, who was originally my schoolmate in Bangladesh. I called her over to Japan, and we started up our family here. We now have a 1-year-old son.
I have been working for a German company at its office in Tokyo since 2007. But after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the resulting global economic crisis, I decided to further my studies and enrolled in an MBA program at Tsukuba University in 2009. Those two years were very tough, but I finally completed my studies in July this year.
While obtaining my MBA, I started a company called Pikt (Pick & Talk) in 2010 that offers one-on-one online English conversation courses at strikingly cheap prices. All the core members of Pikt are actually my close friends from APU, and I do the directing, financing and planning. Although Pikt operates in Japan, it has full-time, high-quality English tutors in the Philippines. It adopts what I define as an ﾒintellectual fair trade communicationﾓ business model. It is a ﾒsocial businessﾓ that sets its first priority on social contribution. It helps to provide full-time job opportunities to highly qualified Filipinos who graduated from the University of the Philippines, while offering top-quality English learning opportunities for the Japanese. I came up with the idea of establishing Pikt after discovering from my Filipino APU ex-pat friends that their country had an exceptionally high unemployment rate of 25 percent, even if you graduated from the very top university.
I am setting the foundations toward my future goal to establish a consulting company that will ultimately offer business consulting services that enhance the relationship between Japan and Bangladesh.
Q: How do you define the role of APU, and would you recommend the school to others?
Moin: Oh, absolutely. It is an exceptional existence. I often ask if there are three kinds of people in the world. The first is the cool, the second is the fool, and the third is the cool and the fool. Which one of the three are you? If you answer that you want to be the third kind of person, APU is the place to be.
What I mean by being ﾒcool and a foolﾓ is to be smart, but dare to be different from others by enjoying being creative and original. APU prepares you to be that kind of person.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111205
News photo
Q: Why did you choose to come to Japan and study at APU?
Moin: Originally, it was my father who recommended me to come over. Working as a researcher, he had visited many countries. But he was most impressed by Japan for the kindness of its people, as well as for its safety and cleanliness, despite being the second largest economy in the world.
After becoming a university student in my country attempting to do overseas studies, I found APU posters at the Japanese Cultural Institute, as well as at the Japanese Embassy. I found the multicultural character of APU very impressive. It was very different from other universities.
In 2001, I applied as a transfer to APU, passed the exam, and obtained a scholarship to study international financing and accounting. This happened when I was in my first year at Dhaka University, and I transferred to APU as a sophomore.
Q: How was your campus life at APU?
Moin: To be honest, studies at APU were not as strict as Dhaka University. There, you had to literally immerse yourself in academic studies. I had done enough of that, so the practical, business-oriented studies offered at APU were a good match for me.
APU was wonderful for being multicultural. There were students from a total of 61 countries during my time. Out of the 900 students or so, 50 percent were from overseas. Case studies involving discussions were really exciting. In my course, there were students from 20 countries, and we had debates just as if you were in a global business setting. The school inspired you to be independent, too, and you could build a huge network of colleagues spanning the entire globe. And since I had a vision to become independent in the future, I found the setting perfect.
As for my living situation, I originally checked in at the APU House, the school's dormitory. After one year, I moved to downtown Beppu to share a flat with my mates from Tonga, Canada, Japan and Korea. In my private time, I was also a vocalist in a band. I also started up a fair trade business selling traditional ornaments, original musical instruments and so on. Over the years, I mastered Japanese and Spanish, in addition to originally speaking Bengali, Arabic, Hindi and English.
Q: You stayed on in Japan after graduating from APU. You are currently working for a prominent global company, but you are now starting up your own company. Why?
Moin: First, I wanted to be connected to my dear friends in Japan. Second, I didn't want to forget Japanese, which was a very difficult language for me to learn. I wanted to utilize the language in real life, so that I eventually could build a relationship between Japan and Bangladesh in the future. Those are the main reasons as to why I stayed on.
I got married in 2006 with my wife, who was originally my schoolmate in Bangladesh. I called her over to Japan, and we started up our family here. We now have a 1-year-old son.
I have been working for a German company at its office in Tokyo since 2007. But after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the resulting global economic crisis, I decided to further my studies and enrolled in an MBA program at Tsukuba University in 2009. Those two years were very tough, but I finally completed my studies in July this year.
While obtaining my MBA, I started a company called Pikt (Pick & Talk) in 2010 that offers one-on-one online English conversation courses at strikingly cheap prices. All the core members of Pikt are actually my close friends from APU, and I do the directing, financing and planning. Although Pikt operates in Japan, it has full-time, high-quality English tutors in the Philippines. It adopts what I define as an ﾒintellectual fair trade communicationﾓ business model. It is a ﾒsocial businessﾓ that sets its first priority on social contribution. It helps to provide full-time job opportunities to highly qualified Filipinos who graduated from the University of the Philippines, while offering top-quality English learning opportunities for the Japanese. I came up with the idea of establishing Pikt after discovering from my Filipino APU ex-pat friends that their country had an exceptionally high unemployment rate of 25 percent, even if you graduated from the very top university.
I am setting the foundations toward my future goal to establish a consulting company that will ultimately offer business consulting services that enhance the relationship between Japan and Bangladesh.
Q: How do you define the role of APU, and would you recommend the school to others?
Moin: Oh, absolutely. It is an exceptional existence. I often ask if there are three kinds of people in the world. The first is the cool, the second is the fool, and the third is the cool and the fool. Which one of the three are you? If you answer that you want to be the third kind of person, APU is the place to be.
What I mean by being ﾒcool and a foolﾓ is to be smart, but dare to be different from others by enjoying being creative and original. APU prepares you to be that kind of person.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111205
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 2) : There's no place like APU, a home away from home
For part two of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Mengmeng Cui from Beijing. After obtaining her Bachelor of Social Science in environment and society at APU in 2004, Cui went to graduate schools in Europe, worked for private companies and non-governmental organizations, started her own business, and now works in Singapore. Continuing to take steady steps forward, Cui looked back on her time at APU.
News photo
Q: You were one of the very first students at APU. Why did you decide to study in Japan?
Cui: I entered APU in 2000, when the school had just been established. But this was more by chance, so to speak.
During my high school days, I became interested in environmental science after reading a book on the environmental crisis. I was shocked and thought that should never happen, not on the globe, not in my country. So I thought of studying environmental issues at a college perhaps in Australia. But then my friend told me about APU, a new university that was just starting in Japan. It had the subjects that I wanted to study. The school also provided courses in English. Since I spoke English, that was another attractive point of the new school. The environment was there, so I came over.
Q: How was your life in Japan, especially your campus life?
Cui: On campus, the first year was very tough. For many students, including myself, English was not our native tongue. We didn't speak Japanese, either. We had to study in two foreign languages, which was a big challenge for us. As for Japanese, we had four hours of lessons, four days a week. That is how we learned the language.
The good point of APU, especially in those days, was that since there were only 600 of us in total, we knew each other almost like a big family. Everybody was open and you made great friends. There also were and still are many good professors, and I would often drop by to chat with a professor not only on the subject he taught, but also on culture, art and so on. I have studied at other colleges in different parts of the world, but the openness and frankness of APU is exceptional, and I value the distinctive character of the school very much.
Q: Would you recommend APU to others?
Cui: Yes, definitely. APU is multicultural and really international. You learn so much, and people are integrated. Other universities are often very dominating. You don't find that at all at APU.
The school is also very inviting, even for the graduates, by holding various events. That is why I keep coming back to visit the campus whenever I can.
News photo
But the school is still relatively unknown, and it is not in the mainstream. So I think it should enhance its global PR activities more on a continual basis. For example, the European Union organizes a committee for the graduates of the EU-funded universities. They pay to send the committee members to various places so that they can recruit new students in the respective countries. Perhaps that is one possible way of getting APU's name out.
Another area APU should consider seriously is the reinforcement of its information dissemination activities over the Internet.
Q: Over the years, you have accumulated much experience through your studies and work. What is your next step?
Cui: For me, things have turned out this way more by chance rather than through meticulous planning. Each time I was contemplating the next step to take, a friend or an acquaintance would come up with a suggestion or an offer. That was what happened with APU, the graduate school in Hungary, and now my job at Accenture in Singapore, which I like so much.
Toward the future, I am pondering the probability of finding a job at the United Nations. Working for the public interest and the environment on a global scale is enticing. Another possibility is to come back and teach at APU. Because I learned so much at APU, I would love to give back.
Q: What do you miss about APU?
Cui: People in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, the hometown of APU, are really very good. I have been in constant touch with my host family there, too. They are so close to my heart that they are like my real family. Even at Fukuoka Airport, people would give a nodding smile of approval when you say that you are a graduate of APU.
Honestly, there really is no place like APU.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111121
News photo
Q: You were one of the very first students at APU. Why did you decide to study in Japan?
Cui: I entered APU in 2000, when the school had just been established. But this was more by chance, so to speak.
During my high school days, I became interested in environmental science after reading a book on the environmental crisis. I was shocked and thought that should never happen, not on the globe, not in my country. So I thought of studying environmental issues at a college perhaps in Australia. But then my friend told me about APU, a new university that was just starting in Japan. It had the subjects that I wanted to study. The school also provided courses in English. Since I spoke English, that was another attractive point of the new school. The environment was there, so I came over.
Q: How was your life in Japan, especially your campus life?
Cui: On campus, the first year was very tough. For many students, including myself, English was not our native tongue. We didn't speak Japanese, either. We had to study in two foreign languages, which was a big challenge for us. As for Japanese, we had four hours of lessons, four days a week. That is how we learned the language.
The good point of APU, especially in those days, was that since there were only 600 of us in total, we knew each other almost like a big family. Everybody was open and you made great friends. There also were and still are many good professors, and I would often drop by to chat with a professor not only on the subject he taught, but also on culture, art and so on. I have studied at other colleges in different parts of the world, but the openness and frankness of APU is exceptional, and I value the distinctive character of the school very much.
Q: Would you recommend APU to others?
Cui: Yes, definitely. APU is multicultural and really international. You learn so much, and people are integrated. Other universities are often very dominating. You don't find that at all at APU.
The school is also very inviting, even for the graduates, by holding various events. That is why I keep coming back to visit the campus whenever I can.
News photo
But the school is still relatively unknown, and it is not in the mainstream. So I think it should enhance its global PR activities more on a continual basis. For example, the European Union organizes a committee for the graduates of the EU-funded universities. They pay to send the committee members to various places so that they can recruit new students in the respective countries. Perhaps that is one possible way of getting APU's name out.
Another area APU should consider seriously is the reinforcement of its information dissemination activities over the Internet.
Q: Over the years, you have accumulated much experience through your studies and work. What is your next step?
Cui: For me, things have turned out this way more by chance rather than through meticulous planning. Each time I was contemplating the next step to take, a friend or an acquaintance would come up with a suggestion or an offer. That was what happened with APU, the graduate school in Hungary, and now my job at Accenture in Singapore, which I like so much.
Toward the future, I am pondering the probability of finding a job at the United Nations. Working for the public interest and the environment on a global scale is enticing. Another possibility is to come back and teach at APU. Because I learned so much at APU, I would love to give back.
Q: What do you miss about APU?
Cui: People in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, the hometown of APU, are really very good. I have been in constant touch with my host family there, too. They are so close to my heart that they are like my real family. Even at Fukuoka Airport, people would give a nodding smile of approval when you say that you are a graduate of APU.
Honestly, there really is no place like APU.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111121
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Job-hunting students face new challenges
As the job-hunting season for university students due to graduate in spring 2013 kicked off Thursday--two months later than previous years--students and companies are struggling to find their way in this shortened recruitment season.
With more companies hiring new employees from overseas, the job market for university students--which has been described as being stuck in an "ice age" due to the protracted recession--looks set to get even tougher.
At the Ikebukuro campus of Rikkyo University, third-year students dressed in the suits they wear for job interviews packed a seminar on successful job hunting last week.
One participant, Takayuki Ida, 21, said confidently, "I've already visited five graduates from my university [to get their advice on job hunting], and today I finished sending preliminary job applications to nearly 30 companies."
Many others, however, looked anxious about their prospects.
"I've been busy working on a report for my seminar, so I'm not sure if I can make up for lost time on my job hunting in such a short period," a third-year Komazawa University student said.
Many companies are set to increase the number of recruitment briefing sessions to deal with the shortened job-hunting season.
Lawson Inc., a convenience store chain, will hold about 40 briefing sessions between now and the end of February, an increase of about 10 from last year.
Nippon Steel Corp. says it will send officials from its personnel department to university-hosted industry briefing sessions about 60 times next year, a 1.5-fold increase on the previous year.
===
Foreign rivals formidable
Meanwhile, the number of firms using online recruiting is on the rise. One of them is electronics giant Sony Corp., which will broadcast its corporate profile briefing session over the Internet. Using an online chat function, applicants will be able to ask questions and get answers directly from members of Sony's personnel department.
Many companies have set up recruitment pages on social networking sites such as Facebook.
Making the challenging job market even tougher are the growing numbers of new graduates from overseas. Japanese companies are hiring such employees to help with their plans to expand overseas.
Fast Retailing Co., the parent company that runs the Uniqlo clothing chain, plans to increase the percentage of total sales from its overseas outlets from the current 15 percent to more than 50 percent by 2015. Of about 1,200 new recruits the company will take on in 2012, 900 to 1,000 will be non-Japanese, according to Fast Retailing.
Rakuten, a major IT company, will employ about 120 non-Japanese new graduates next year, out of about 410 new recruits.
Hitachi Ltd. says it will boost the percentage of new non-Japanese recruits from 4 percent in spring 2011 to up to 6 percent of all recruits next spring.
===
More schedule changes?
Not everyone has supported the move to delay the start of the job-hunting season so students can focus more on their studies.
"The later the recruitment season starts, the more anxious students become [about job hunting]," said Hiromasa Yonekura, president of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).
However, Mitsui & Co. Chairman Shoei Utsuda, head of the Japan Foreign Trade Council, which took the initiative in putting back the start of the job hunting season, said reform of the starting date is "still insufficient."
To enable students to concentrate on their studies longer, the starting date for job hunting should be delayed further, according to Utsuda.
He proposes that corporate briefing sessions not start until at least February or March for third-year students, and that job interviews start in August or later for seniors.
This uncertainty is causing anxiety among students preparing to enter the job market.
"It's going to be tough for us if they keep changing the date when the job-hunting season starts," a female second-year student at Meiji University said.
Yasuchika Hasegawa, chairman of the Association of Corporate Executives, has acknowledged that differences in views among business organizations and industrial groups about when to start recruitment have caused confusion among students.
(Dec. 7, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111206004548.htm
With more companies hiring new employees from overseas, the job market for university students--which has been described as being stuck in an "ice age" due to the protracted recession--looks set to get even tougher.
At the Ikebukuro campus of Rikkyo University, third-year students dressed in the suits they wear for job interviews packed a seminar on successful job hunting last week.
One participant, Takayuki Ida, 21, said confidently, "I've already visited five graduates from my university [to get their advice on job hunting], and today I finished sending preliminary job applications to nearly 30 companies."
Many others, however, looked anxious about their prospects.
"I've been busy working on a report for my seminar, so I'm not sure if I can make up for lost time on my job hunting in such a short period," a third-year Komazawa University student said.
Many companies are set to increase the number of recruitment briefing sessions to deal with the shortened job-hunting season.
Lawson Inc., a convenience store chain, will hold about 40 briefing sessions between now and the end of February, an increase of about 10 from last year.
Nippon Steel Corp. says it will send officials from its personnel department to university-hosted industry briefing sessions about 60 times next year, a 1.5-fold increase on the previous year.
===
Foreign rivals formidable
Meanwhile, the number of firms using online recruiting is on the rise. One of them is electronics giant Sony Corp., which will broadcast its corporate profile briefing session over the Internet. Using an online chat function, applicants will be able to ask questions and get answers directly from members of Sony's personnel department.
Many companies have set up recruitment pages on social networking sites such as Facebook.
Making the challenging job market even tougher are the growing numbers of new graduates from overseas. Japanese companies are hiring such employees to help with their plans to expand overseas.
Fast Retailing Co., the parent company that runs the Uniqlo clothing chain, plans to increase the percentage of total sales from its overseas outlets from the current 15 percent to more than 50 percent by 2015. Of about 1,200 new recruits the company will take on in 2012, 900 to 1,000 will be non-Japanese, according to Fast Retailing.
Rakuten, a major IT company, will employ about 120 non-Japanese new graduates next year, out of about 410 new recruits.
Hitachi Ltd. says it will boost the percentage of new non-Japanese recruits from 4 percent in spring 2011 to up to 6 percent of all recruits next spring.
===
More schedule changes?
Not everyone has supported the move to delay the start of the job-hunting season so students can focus more on their studies.
"The later the recruitment season starts, the more anxious students become [about job hunting]," said Hiromasa Yonekura, president of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).
However, Mitsui & Co. Chairman Shoei Utsuda, head of the Japan Foreign Trade Council, which took the initiative in putting back the start of the job hunting season, said reform of the starting date is "still insufficient."
To enable students to concentrate on their studies longer, the starting date for job hunting should be delayed further, according to Utsuda.
He proposes that corporate briefing sessions not start until at least February or March for third-year students, and that job interviews start in August or later for seniors.
This uncertainty is causing anxiety among students preparing to enter the job market.
"It's going to be tough for us if they keep changing the date when the job-hunting season starts," a female second-year student at Meiji University said.
Yasuchika Hasegawa, chairman of the Association of Corporate Executives, has acknowledged that differences in views among business organizations and industrial groups about when to start recruitment have caused confusion among students.
(Dec. 7, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111206004548.htm
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Japanese ‘fever’ hits young Indonesians
Japan, once the pride of Asia, might be economically weakening due to its long economic stagnation and the rapid rise of China in recent years. But, perhaps unnoticed, Japan has been emerging as a cultural powerhouse in Asia through its soft power projection.
It has not been an easy ride, Japan faces stiff competition from China, which has a huge diaspora in many countries, and rising South Korea, whose hallyu (Korean Wave) is spreading widely in Southeast Asia. Yet it seems Japan is markedly gaining the upper hand over its rivals in Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
Popular cultural products like manga comics, cartoon films, food, fashion, arts, J-Pop music and finally the Japanese language have penetrated Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia.
Children at a young age are exposed to Japanese comics and cartoon films.
“I became interested in Japan through cartoon films. I like Naruto characters very much,” a teenager, who prefers to use her Japanese nickname Hitachiin, said during a Japanese education exhibition in Jakarta on Saturday.
Many people are also becoming patrons of Japanese food, which is healthy but out of reach for many. Japanese restaurants are mushrooming in Indonesia’s major cities, with long queues at expensive Japanese restaurants in Jakarta’s posher malls a common scene on weekends.
“Every week, we dine at a Japanese restaurant because our children like Japanese food. In the beginning I didn’t like it much but now it has become my favorite food,” Susi Alexandria, a housewife living in South Jakarta, said.
Another example of this growing Japanese cultural fever is its language.
“I am very happy to say that around 750,000 Indonesians are currently studying the Japanese language in Indonesia,” Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yoshinori Katori said recently during a language debate contest in Jakarta.
According to a survey conducted by the Japan Foundation, 3.56 million people around the world are currently learning Japanese outside Japan. Surprisingly, Indonesia ranks third in the world after South Korea’s 960,000 learners and China with 830,000.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/28/japanese-fever-hits-young-indonesians.html
It has not been an easy ride, Japan faces stiff competition from China, which has a huge diaspora in many countries, and rising South Korea, whose hallyu (Korean Wave) is spreading widely in Southeast Asia. Yet it seems Japan is markedly gaining the upper hand over its rivals in Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
Popular cultural products like manga comics, cartoon films, food, fashion, arts, J-Pop music and finally the Japanese language have penetrated Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia.
Children at a young age are exposed to Japanese comics and cartoon films.
“I became interested in Japan through cartoon films. I like Naruto characters very much,” a teenager, who prefers to use her Japanese nickname Hitachiin, said during a Japanese education exhibition in Jakarta on Saturday.
Many people are also becoming patrons of Japanese food, which is healthy but out of reach for many. Japanese restaurants are mushrooming in Indonesia’s major cities, with long queues at expensive Japanese restaurants in Jakarta’s posher malls a common scene on weekends.
“Every week, we dine at a Japanese restaurant because our children like Japanese food. In the beginning I didn’t like it much but now it has become my favorite food,” Susi Alexandria, a housewife living in South Jakarta, said.
Another example of this growing Japanese cultural fever is its language.
“I am very happy to say that around 750,000 Indonesians are currently studying the Japanese language in Indonesia,” Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yoshinori Katori said recently during a language debate contest in Jakarta.
According to a survey conducted by the Japan Foundation, 3.56 million people around the world are currently learning Japanese outside Japan. Surprisingly, Indonesia ranks third in the world after South Korea’s 960,000 learners and China with 830,000.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/28/japanese-fever-hits-young-indonesians.html
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Exec: Non-English speakers cannot do business in 10 years
English is an indispensable business tool for Japanese, who must compete globally as the domestic markets shrink. This especially applies to young people.
So says Tadashi Yanai, president of Fast Retailing Co., operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain.
"Just think about Japan in 10 years' time. People who can do their jobs only in Japan will not be able to survive," Yanai, 62, speaking in Japanese, told The Asahi Shimbun in an interview. "Japanese students must think that they are competing with students from other Asian countries."
Fast Retailing will make English its official language for business from 2012.
Yanai spoke about what he expects from students entering the job market and why he believes English is essential for their future.
Excerpts from the interview follow:
Q: What is your definition of "global personnel"?
A: My definition is simple. It's people who can do the jobs they do in Japan anywhere in the world. Japan is losing its allure as a market due to a shrinking population, and companies must compete in the world to grow. What is needed is the ability to understand the culture and thinking in a different country and communicate heart to heart with its people.
Q: Is that why English will be the official language at your company?
A: If people cannot speak English in business in the future, it will be tantamount to not having a driver's license even though they have to drive. English is the language for business not only in the United States and Europe but also in Asia. I think (English is indispensable in business) even though I am running a company in the retail sector, which is most focused on the domestic market. That thinking must be taken for granted in the manufacturing sector, and also applies to the service sectors other than retailing.
Q: But was it necessary to go so far as to designate English as the official language?
A: Without officialdom, employees will not work hard. We can talk in Japanese if we have only Japanese employees. But we will employ non-Japanese people in half of the positions in the head office within three to five years. Without English, we will not be able to even hold meetings.
But I want to emphasize that English is merely a tool for business. Japanese will remain the standard language for our thinking and culture. We have no intention of assimilating our thinking to those of overseas enterprises.
Q: What if students who excel in all subjects except for English want to work for your company?
A: We don't need such students.
Q: You don't mince your words, do you?
A: Life is not a box of chocolates. Just think about Japan in 10 years' time. People who can do their jobs only in Japan will not be able to survive. Some Chinese students learn everyday Japanese conversation in half a year. Japanese students must think that they are competing with students from other Asian countries.
Q: Without working so hard, you could lead a reasonably affluent life in Japan, couldn't you?
A: If the nation becomes poor, you cannot maintain that "reasonably affluent" life. Believing in honorable poverty is dangerous.
Having said that, I can understand how you feel. When I was a student, I thought about how to make a living without working. I joined a company using someone's connections, quit the company in less than a year and crashed in a friend's apartment as a sponger. While the friend went to work, I stayed at his apartment. I lived like that for about half a year.
Q: Did you have something to gain?
A: I was wondering all the way through whether I should live a life like that. I did nothing productive. I was thinking about going abroad to study commerce, but I felt it was like a mere excuse. In the end, my father, who was operating a clothing store in my hometown, called me back, and I took over his business. Contrary to my expectations, I found I was cut out for it.
Q: In your younger days, you were not the hard worker that you are now, were you?
A: Because of my experience during that time, I want to tell young people to devote their energies to work. When you're a student, it's a time to be free and comfortable. But it is also something like a rootless wanderer. Work, on the other hand, has the power to change the world. It takes 10 years to go on your own in business. You can think about your life in many ways after that period.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201111250021
So says Tadashi Yanai, president of Fast Retailing Co., operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain.
"Just think about Japan in 10 years' time. People who can do their jobs only in Japan will not be able to survive," Yanai, 62, speaking in Japanese, told The Asahi Shimbun in an interview. "Japanese students must think that they are competing with students from other Asian countries."
Fast Retailing will make English its official language for business from 2012.
Yanai spoke about what he expects from students entering the job market and why he believes English is essential for their future.
Excerpts from the interview follow:
Q: What is your definition of "global personnel"?
A: My definition is simple. It's people who can do the jobs they do in Japan anywhere in the world. Japan is losing its allure as a market due to a shrinking population, and companies must compete in the world to grow. What is needed is the ability to understand the culture and thinking in a different country and communicate heart to heart with its people.
Q: Is that why English will be the official language at your company?
A: If people cannot speak English in business in the future, it will be tantamount to not having a driver's license even though they have to drive. English is the language for business not only in the United States and Europe but also in Asia. I think (English is indispensable in business) even though I am running a company in the retail sector, which is most focused on the domestic market. That thinking must be taken for granted in the manufacturing sector, and also applies to the service sectors other than retailing.
Q: But was it necessary to go so far as to designate English as the official language?
A: Without officialdom, employees will not work hard. We can talk in Japanese if we have only Japanese employees. But we will employ non-Japanese people in half of the positions in the head office within three to five years. Without English, we will not be able to even hold meetings.
But I want to emphasize that English is merely a tool for business. Japanese will remain the standard language for our thinking and culture. We have no intention of assimilating our thinking to those of overseas enterprises.
Q: What if students who excel in all subjects except for English want to work for your company?
A: We don't need such students.
Q: You don't mince your words, do you?
A: Life is not a box of chocolates. Just think about Japan in 10 years' time. People who can do their jobs only in Japan will not be able to survive. Some Chinese students learn everyday Japanese conversation in half a year. Japanese students must think that they are competing with students from other Asian countries.
Q: Without working so hard, you could lead a reasonably affluent life in Japan, couldn't you?
A: If the nation becomes poor, you cannot maintain that "reasonably affluent" life. Believing in honorable poverty is dangerous.
Having said that, I can understand how you feel. When I was a student, I thought about how to make a living without working. I joined a company using someone's connections, quit the company in less than a year and crashed in a friend's apartment as a sponger. While the friend went to work, I stayed at his apartment. I lived like that for about half a year.
Q: Did you have something to gain?
A: I was wondering all the way through whether I should live a life like that. I did nothing productive. I was thinking about going abroad to study commerce, but I felt it was like a mere excuse. In the end, my father, who was operating a clothing store in my hometown, called me back, and I took over his business. Contrary to my expectations, I found I was cut out for it.
Q: In your younger days, you were not the hard worker that you are now, were you?
A: Because of my experience during that time, I want to tell young people to devote their energies to work. When you're a student, it's a time to be free and comfortable. But it is also something like a rootless wanderer. Work, on the other hand, has the power to change the world. It takes 10 years to go on your own in business. You can think about your life in many ways after that period.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201111250021
Friday, November 25, 2011
60% of next year's college graduates secure jobs60% of next year's college graduates secure jobs
More than half of the college students who will graduate next March had found jobs as of Oct. 1, while some 171,000 graduating students are believed to still be struggling to gain employment, according to a poll by the labor and education ministries released Friday.
While those who have landed a position at 59.9 percent are up by 2.3 percentage points from the same point last year, when the figure fell to its lowest level since the survey was first conducted in 1996, the number is still low compared with the early 2000s — a period bleak enough to be dubbed the "employment ice age.".
Among students at national and prefectural universities, 67.4 percent of the former had found jobs, up 4.2 points from a year earlier, as had 57.4 percent of the latter. The poll found 61.7 percent of male students found work, up 2.2 points, and 57.7 percent of females, up 2.4 points.
The rate for students at two-year junior colleges came to 22.7 percent, up 0.2 point.
Meanwhile, 41.5 percent of high school seniors who want to work after graduation had found jobs as of the end of September.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20111119a9.html
While those who have landed a position at 59.9 percent are up by 2.3 percentage points from the same point last year, when the figure fell to its lowest level since the survey was first conducted in 1996, the number is still low compared with the early 2000s — a period bleak enough to be dubbed the "employment ice age.".
Among students at national and prefectural universities, 67.4 percent of the former had found jobs, up 4.2 points from a year earlier, as had 57.4 percent of the latter. The poll found 61.7 percent of male students found work, up 2.2 points, and 57.7 percent of females, up 2.4 points.
The rate for students at two-year junior colleges came to 22.7 percent, up 0.2 point.
Meanwhile, 41.5 percent of high school seniors who want to work after graduation had found jobs as of the end of September.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20111119a9.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
