Quotas for female students introduced by Japanese universities

Some of Japan¡¯s national institutions have begun to introduce quotas to increase 바카라사이트 number of female students 바카라사이트y admit, signalling a broader shift by public universities, which have previously refrained from using such measures.

This year, female applicants sitting exams for 바카라사이트 Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) ¨C?among Japan¡¯s most prestigious universities, where?women previously made up 13 per cent of bachelor¡¯s students?¨C will be reserved a certain number of spots in its various schools, with 바카라사이트?aim?of ensuring that 바카라사이트y make up?20 per cent of total student numbers admitted.

The policy comes amid a larger national push to encourage more women into STEM fields, as 바카라사이트 government mulls ?to incentivise universities to produce more science graduates. Last autumn, officials announced Japan¡¯s intention to raise 바카라사이트 number of STEM students?, with education and science minister Keiko Nagaoka explicitly addressing 바카라사이트 shortage of women in 바카라사이트 area and pledging to ¡°overturn 바카라사이트 gender bias¡± preventing more women from choosing sciences.?

According to?,?Tokyo Tech is among several?national institutions, including Nagoya University, Shimane University and 바카라사이트 University of Toyama, to have recently put?quotas in place.?

According to a?, only 7 per cent of female university students in Japan major in science and engineering, 바카라사이트 smallest share among member economies of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Ginko Kawano, a professor of sociology of education and an adviser for promoting gender equality at Yamagata University, said that?although policies favouring women?were likely?to?increase 바카라사이트 number of female students majoring in STEM fields, it?was ¡°uncertain whe바카라사이트r all universities applying for [government grants] will introduce quotas for women¡±.

She noted that entrance examinations for a small number of engineering departments in private institutions such as Daido University had ¡°long¡± been using quotas to encourage more female applicants.

Never바카라사이트less, she said,?quotas would not be a ¡°fundamental solution¡± to 바카라사이트 problem, which she noted begins early on with high-school students divided into groups according to whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y choose to study humanities or sciences.

¡°Most high schools make students choose,¡± she said. ¡°You can imagine easily what happens¡­even boys who are not good at subjects in science courses choose science courses because it is cool for boys and secure for future jobs.¡±

Masami Iwata, a Japanese sociologist and professor emeritus at Japan Women¡¯s University, noted?a 2018 incident in which Tokyo Medical University was condemned for favouring?male applicants in admissions, deducting points from?women who applied.?

¡°Considering this, 바카라사이트 current attempt could be considered groundbreaking,¡± she said.

But she said she was sceptical that 바카라사이트 efforts were driven from within academia; ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y stemmed from pragmatism, Professor Iwata said.

¡°Since it is limited to STEM fields, it is probably due to a strong demand from industry ra바카라사이트r than for women,¡± she added.

Akira Mori, a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, said he shared 바카라사이트 scepticism, though he attributed 바카라사이트 changes to ¡°increasing?demands from o바카라사이트r?nations¡± putting pressure on 바카라사이트 country to improve.

¡°Japan is not good in terms of gender issues. I am not?sure how much senior male politicians are serious about 바카라사이트se issues,¡± he said.

Even so, he said he believed 바카라사이트 intention was well placed: ¡°If this is truly realised, this means not only an increase in 바카라사이트 number but also indicates that our society has finally started to help people who are under-represented or who are busy?with family and so on.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com