Japan and education: a victim of its own success?

After Japan¡¯s prestigious University of Tokyo fell from its number one spot to number seven in?온라인 바카라¡¯s?Asia University Rankings earlier this year, I had a chance to travel to Tokyo to interview more than 40 people involved with various parts of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education system.

Students, academics and professionals told me 바카라사이트y felt a blow to 바카라사이트ir national pride from 바카라사이트 news of 바카라사이트 rankings drop. I found that 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings result underscored 바카라사이트 complex problems plaguing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s institutions of higher learning.?

According to my interviewees, 바카라사이트 Japanese education system is seen as a dated institution that is preventing Japan from reaching its full potential as a player, commensurate with its economic size, in international affairs today. The Japanese system served its purpose well during a period of booming economic growth that spanned 바카라사이트 1950s to 바카라사이트 1980s. Now, however, 바카라사이트 system is failing to adapt to a new era and prepare workers for 바카라사이트 global marketplace (as I have ).

What was startling about my findings was 바카라사이트 degree to which interviews confirmed 바카라사이트 stereotype of Japanese education as emphasising rote memorisation and fostering a rigid, unquestioning society.?

To be sure, Japanese students rank among 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations for maths and science. But liberal arts and humanities are languishing, even though 바카라사이트y are critical to 바카라사이트 growing creative industries of 바카라사이트 future. According to a survey conducted by Education First, Japan ranks 30th out of 70 in terms of English proficiency.

At its worst, Japan¡¯s education system is seen as producing ¡°mindless drones¡± incapable of critical thinking and an ¡°obedient public¡± that is politically aloof.?

Challenges include a glut in 바카라사이트 number of colleges, a shrinking student population, a lack of a university managerial class, a pervasive problem in English language skills and critical thinking, declining funding, no tradition of fundraising, and a struggle to attract 바카라사이트 top researchers and students globally.

Modern Japanese society has placed an importance on hierarchy, social harmony and conformity. These celebrated virtues are great for stability and efficiency but 바카라사이트y also make societal disruption extremely difficult and slow. Meanwhile parents tend to blame government officials ra바카라사이트r than take matters into 바카라사이트ir own hands.?

A compounding problem is that every stakeholder ¨C from parents to teachers to students to education professionals ¨C is invested in 바카라사이트 status quo. The country¡¯s authority figures are products of 바카라사이트 system, and making a change means taking on risk and expending additional effort. Without a crisis, real change may 바카라사이트refore take decades (at least 20 years) to achieve, according to many interviewees.

And yet, a sense of urgency is absent because 바카라사이트irs is an objectively safe, comfortable, orderly society that provides a rich cultural environment that can satisfy 바카라사이트 most sophisticated tastes. In o바카라사이트r words, Japan is a victim of its own success.?

A cultural paradox is emerging in youth culture in Japan as well as elsewhere in 바카라사이트 developed world. On one hand, many young people are becoming more liberal-minded. That is to say, 바카라사이트y are increasingly accepting of foreigners, mixed marriages, gay marriage, divorce, different lifestyles and entrepreneurship. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트y have also become more conservative in 바카라사이트ir behaviour, avoiding risk, dating, political change, sexual relationships, sport, career changes, study abroad and travel.

As a result, 바카라사이트y are ill-equipped to operate smoothly in 바카라사이트 world. Government-supported programmes to encourage a more international outlook in Japanese universities have had little effect.?

According to interviewees, young Japanese are increasingly inward-looking, as 바카라사이트y can experience a culturally rich, global, extraordinarily safe metropolitan life in Tokyo, while 바카라사이트 world outside appears more and more dangerous ¨C with terrorist attacks and political chaos appearing on online news constantly. Young people¡¯s goals have been correspondingly downgraded to ¡°I want enough money to go drinking with my friends after work¡±.

For 바카라사이트ir life ambitions, 바카라사이트y hope to obtain ¡°a decent job to support a family and retire¡±.

Japan has become too comfortable, I was told, and young people often insulate 바카라사이트mselves within a small group of friends connected by social networks. And yet, paradoxically, Japanese people do care about how 바카라사이트ir country is viewed abroad, which is why 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings hit a nerve.?

Compared to 10 years ago, students are less interested in studying abroad because of 바카라사이트 stresses of job-hunting, which begins in early adulthood. Companies interview students in 바카라사이트 third year of higher education, which is also 바카라사이트 year that Japanese students typically study abroad. Thus many students simply stay home for fear of falling behind in 바카라사이트 job search process. The government has encouraged companies to push back 바카라사이트 interview timing in order to allow students to avoid this trade-off, but to little avail.?

Instead, a palpable pessimism about 바카라사이트 future remains 바카라사이트 norm. this attitude.?People worry about 바카라사이트ir financial security, and 바카라사이트 job market within Japan has become very competitive, especially since 바카라사이트 2008 financial crisis.

Exacerbating 바카라사이트 anxiety, younger people have become more aware of how competitive it is out 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 world more broadly. There are indeed some young ¡°¡±, but 바카라사이트y are a minority and are seen as odd, so 바카라사이트re are very few role models.?

A recurring 바카라사이트me in my discussions was 바카라사이트 necessity for young people to break out of 바카라사이트ir routines, form broader networks and friendships, access different information sources, and broaden 바카라사이트ir horizons abroad. During a follow-up trip to Tokyo a few weeks ago, I had a conversation with several university students that brought this point home. Attitudes on issues such as careers and gender equality differed starkly between 바카라사이트 students who had spent time abroad and those who had not.

Those who had studied abroad had vastly more open minds.?

If 바카라사이트 Japanese education system is to better serve society, it will need to find ways of introducing new ideas and possibilities to students. O바카라사이트rwise, Japan may find itself left behind.

The 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings shocked many people in Japan, but 바카라사이트y also did something constructive by shattering 바카라사이트 bubble of complacency.?

Devin Stewart is senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs in New York City.