The internationalization of higher education in Japan in the 1990s: A reconsideration

This article focuses on the processof internationalization of higher education inJapan since 1995 from two main points of view:1) the improved quality and efficiency ofuniversity education and 2) the increasedopenness to students from any background. Governmental initiatives, intended to increasethe number of international students, alsoenabled drastic changes in financial and humanresource allocations at both national andinstitutional levels. Individual institutionshave been strongly influenced by theseinitiatives and some have actively utilizedinternationalization as a way to enrich theiruniversity education. Equal opportunity foruniversity admission has not been fully securedfor ethnic minorities residing in Japan. Themeaning of internationalization should be nowconsidered from a broader perspective.