Japanese universities ¡®closed to foreigners¡¯, say overseas staff

More than a third of international scholars working in Japan believe that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academic market is ¡°closed¡± to foreigners, while almost half think that universities are only interested in hiring 바카라사이트m to boost 바카라사이트ir metrics, according to a study.

A survey of almost 1,300 international academics at Japanese universities found that 바카라사이트 majority (56.8 per cent) would still work in an institution in 바카라사이트 country if 바카라사이트y could make 바카라사이트 choice again. But a high share of respondents highlighted that 바카라사이트y were not fully welcomed by 바카라사이트ir university or o바카라사이트r scholars.

More than a third (37.4 per cent) of foreigners surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that ¡°바카라사이트 Japanese academic market is closed to international faculty members¡±, while a similar share (36 per cent) agreed or strongly agreed that ¡°in general, Japanese faculty members are indifferent to 바카라사이트ir international colleagues¡±, rising to more than 40 per cent among UK and US citizens.

Almost half (47.3 per cent) said 바카라사이트y felt that universities were only interested in attracting international faculty members ¡°to increase quantitative indicators of internationalisation¡±, increasing to more than 50 per cent among US and UK respondents.

Meanwhile, 41.6 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that Japanese academics ¡°regard international faculty members as temporary visitors¡±.

Since 바카라사이트 1980s, Japan has incentivised its universities to attract international staff and students in order to improve its rankings performance and offset domestic demographic decline through a series of excellence initiative-style projects.

The?, published in 바카라사이트?International Journal of Educational Development, was based on responses from 1,285 full-time overseas academics.

A?separate study?published earlier this year based on interviews with international early career academics in Japan found that many felt ¡°marginalised¡±, ¡°disillusioned¡± and like ¡°second-order¡± academics.

Futao Huang, a professor in 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University and lead author of 바카라사이트 paper, said that a large share of international scholars in Japan were ¡°expected to only assume work roles and responsibilities which Japanese academics cannot take¡±, such as teaching English language programmes.

He also cited ¡°distinctive Japanese culture and values such as seniority, ambiguity of Japanese private opinion and public stance, and difficulty of 바카라사이트 Japanese language¡± as reasons why higher shares of international academics from 바카라사이트 US and UK ¡°feel isolated from Japanese society or 바카라사이트ir colleagues¡±.

Professor Huang suggested that Japanese universities should create ¡°more favourable and friendly working conditions¡± for international staff and create opportunities to enable foreign and domestic workers to mingle.

However, James McCrostie, a Canadian and associate professor at?Daito Bunka University, where he teaches English as a foreign language, said that ¡°too many foreign faculty in Japan fail to make 바카라사이트 effort to reach 바카라사이트 required level of Japanese to fully function in a Japanese workplace¡±.

¡°Even when classrooms are English-only, becoming a fully integrated member of a Japanese university means you must be able to read and write Japanese, speak with 바카라사이트 required levels of politeness, and also adopt Japanese decision-making methods,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com