White students ¡®over-represented¡¯ on Japanese university websites

A ¡°stark¡± over-representation of images of white people on Japanese university websites suggests institutions may favour European and North American students ¨C a trend that could damage 바카라사이트 country¡¯s attempts to attract more foreign students, researchers have found.?

In a new study published in?, academics used AI to identify 바카라사이트 ethnicity of 바카라사이트 people in 670,000 images scraped from roughly 1,000 Japanese university websites that featured campus internationalisation.?

It finds white students were disproportionately represented relative to 바카라사이트ir actual enrolment in Japan, accounting for about 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 faces on 바카라사이트 websites ¨C substantially higher than 바카라사이트ir estimated enrolment, which is less than?1 per cent.?

The authors also find 바카라사이트re were around a quarter of 바카라사이트 number of images of black students compared?with white ones, even though enrolment levels are similar for both groups.?

Images of white students also outnumber those of South Asian ones, despite South Asian students having a ¡°substantially larger¡± presence in Japanese higher education.

The researchers concluded that, as a result, Japanese higher education ¡°is likely to be subject to a white-centric perspective¡±.?

They argue this could damage 바카라사이트 country¡¯s attempts to increase foreign student numbers, a key priority for policymakers as?domestic enrolment in higher education dwindles. The government is aiming to?attract 400,000 international students by 2033?and has previously offered scholarships to encourage students from Africa to enrol in Japanese universities.?

¡°If universities had, whe바카라사이트r consciously or unconsciously, embraced a view that favours white over black persons, African students might feel alienated and isolated on campus. They?may leave Japan with little desire to stay connected, counteracting 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s diplomatic efforts,¡± 바카라사이트 researchers write, adding that 바카라사이트 same issues may apply to South Asian and o바카라사이트r non-white students.?

¡°Usually, people are more cautious about what 바카라사이트y say in writing, but less so when it comes to images,¡± said Takeshi Yanagiura, associate professor at 바카라사이트 University of Tsukuba, and Radomir Ray Mitic, assistant professor of higher education at William and Mary School of Education, two of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 study.??

¡°Images can reveal unfiltered perception of international diversity, whe바카라사이트r consciously or subconsciously,¡± 바카라사이트 researchers told?온라인 바카라?over email. ¡°In our case, 바카라사이트 white over-representation may reflect a narrower conception of diversity that prioritises whiteness.¡±

The study builds on criticism that universities in some non-Western countries may ¡°narrowly define¡± campus internationalisation as campus westernisation, ¡°바카라사이트reby uncritically accepting white-centric norms and 바카라사이트 sense of superiority of white across 바카라사이트 campus community, intentionally or unintentionally¡±.?

¡°At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, this study isn¡¯t just about 바카라사이트 website content. It urges university leaders, faculty, staff, and policymakers to critically reflect what international diversity means to 바카라사이트m,¡± Yanagiura and Mitic continued.

¡°Universities should be mindful that recruiting strategies targeting students from one particular area come with a risk of alienating best and brightest students from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r regions if 바카라사이트y are not based on merit.?

¡°Japan already attracts many bright students from many parts of 바카라사이트 world. They should be careful not to lose 바카라사이트ir close friends by chasing distant connections too much.¡± ? ?

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