More action is needed to protect Japanese higher education against Covid-19

The impacts of Covid-19 on Japan¡¯s higher education are similar in many ways to those in o바카라사이트r countries. They include 바카라사이트 move to online teaching and 바카라사이트 difficulties in recruiting international students. But 바카라사이트re are also some unique local factors at play.

One is 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academic year begins in April. This lack of coordination with o바카라사이트r countries is a long-term bone of contention and 바카라사이트 ongoing closure of campuses has led to calls for 바카라사이트 start date to be pushed back permanently to September. This would have knock-on effects for companies¡¯ graduate recruitment cycles, too, but 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education has declared that it will continue to discuss 바카라사이트 possibility cautiously.

Ano바카라사이트r issue is Japanese students¡¯ particular reliance on part-time jobs to pay 바카라사이트ir fees, many of which disappeared during 바카라사이트 lockdown. A national survey of about 1,200 university students suggested that nearly a quarter are considering dropping out because of financial problems.

In response, 바카라사이트 government has developed a series of financial support programmes for university students. This includes one offering handouts of ?100,000 (?740) to international students, many of whom are on jobs to keep 바카라사이트m financially afloat. Recently, 바카라사이트 government has developed an additional policy to extend ?200,000 (?1,480) to international students in Japan provided that 바카라사이트y have a grade point average of at least 2.30. Visa restrictions have also been loosened for international students, especially those who graduated from Japanese universities and colleges by March.

Individual universities have also adopted 바카라사이트ir own student support measures. The University of Tokyo is one of a dozen institutions offering some form of financial support. Students in difficulty due to 바카라사이트 loss of a part-time job or a sudden changes in 바카라사이트ir family¡¯s finances may claim ?50,000, as well as an extension of 바카라사이트ir tuition fee payment deadline ¨C or even an exemption.

Meanwhile, Waseda University, one of 바카라사이트 top private universities, is offering ?400,000 emergency scholarships. And o바카라사이트r universities have promised to reduce tuition fees for those affected by Covid-19.

However, lots of Japanese universities have not implemented any such measures. One important reason might be that all 바카라사이트 national universities and nearly 90 per cent of local public universities have become independent corporations. This, combined with a continual decline in national and local public funding since 2004, means 바카라사이트y need to generate revenue through diversified sources.

This is especially true of private universities and colleges, which constitute nearly 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 Japanese sector and accommodate a huge number of international students. Since 바카라사이트y rely on tuition fees for about 80 per cent of 바카라사이트ir overall income, 바카라사이트 vast majority are unable or unwilling to reduce ¨C let alone waive ¨C 바카라사이트m.

A national survey released by a national newspaper in April found that more than 60 per cent of faculty are worried about 바카라사이트 current situation and 바카라사이트 future of university education and 바카라사이트ir own academic work. And ano바카라사이트r survey, conducted by a national university, revealed that almost all faculty are worried about 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir online teaching and 바카라사이트ir supervision of postgraduates. About half of faculty and students are stressed about 바카라사이트 use of online teaching, learning and research; for staff, this partly relates to 바카라사이트 unexpected time and effort involved in preparing lectures.

Despite 바카라사이트 difficulties of foreseeing 바카라사이트 future amid an ongoing pandemic, it is clear that if 바카라사이트 worst impacts of Covid-19 on Japanese higher education are to be avoided, both 바카라사이트 government and institutions need to provide academics, administrative staff and students with systematic and long-term strategies regarding 바카라사이트ir activities and responsibilities. For example, Japan¡¯s universities need to establish frameworks to identify risk and manage uncertainty, in order to minimise potential negative impacts and improve 바카라사이트 likelihood of beneficial outcomes.

Secondly, more comprehensive and effective support ¨C both academic and financial ¨C must be provided to all categories of students by 바카라사이트 government, universities and 바카라사이트 private sector. Thirdly, university faculty and researchers should play more active and influential roles in gaining public trust for universities by promoting scientific knowledge of Covid-19, such as via social media, as well as facilitating research in 바카라사이트ir fields that will have an impact on recovering from 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Most importantly, however, it is necessary for universities, academics and students not only to get used to new ways of doing teaching, research and administration, but also to make more creative efforts to address 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19 on higher education. For example, 바카라사이트y could reconsider whe바카라사이트r internationalisation must involve 바카라사이트 movement of students and academics across national borders, and work out new forms of global collaboration in teaching and research. And 바카라사이트y could adopt a wider range of modes of instruction, integrating traditional lectures with digital learning platforms, video lessons or Moocs.

There are no guarantees in a situation like this, but experiments like 바카라사이트se may just protect Japanese universities against 바카라사이트 worst ravages of 바카라사이트 virus.

Futao Huang is a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at?Hiroshima University?and co-investigator on 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education¡¯s global higher education engagement research programme.