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Academic Mobility in Asia. Katsuichi UCHIDA Vice President for International Affairs Waseda University. 14 November 2008. Globalization of Universities. Borderless mobility of students and faculty Globalizing higher education market Highly competitive research environment.
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Academic Mobility in Asia Katsuichi UCHIDA Vice President for International Affairs Waseda University 14 November 2008
Globalization of Universities • Borderless mobility of students and faculty • Globalizing higher education market • Highly competitive research environment Cooperation and collaboration among universities in a nation and across borders are essential to survive
Mobility of Academics • Students and Faculty flow to better places • The “brain drain” and “brain inflow” in different countries Widen the gap between nations Create a truly fluid bilateral and multi- lateral mobility of academics
A clear mobility pattern:Alliances of Universities • Alliance of universities will be formed based on similarity and equal status • Equal partnership within an alliance will be the guiding principle • Severe competition will start among various alliances, and the alliance to which a university belongs will determine its destiny
How to create a multi-lateral mobility of academics • Develop methods and incentives to return their academics • To cultivate the ability of talented academics and persuade them to return • Emphasize the importance of complementary relationships and open cooperation • General duty to help and enhance the academic level of sister institutions
Meanings of Competition • Select and recruit students and in hiring faculty • Compete as the pursuit of truth and the advancement of science
Different Types of Universities • Different in purpose, size, academic quality, and relationships to their local community, nation and the world • Financed by a nation / state or private foundation • Research-oriented or primarily concerned with teaching • Different forms of partnership required by undergraduates, graduate students and professional graduate students • Field of study; humanities, social sciences or natural / physical sciences
Diversity of Universities • The preservation of a variety of universities is important • A diversity of universities and university missions is of the utmost importance • Each university must define its nature and establish its identity
The Mobility of Academics among Universities in Asia • Major universities were established by nations National universities function as a lever for modernization and industrialization by nurturing elites • Many private universities offer the seats to give students an opportunity to study Equal competition, supplementary cooperation, and free academic mobility between public and private universities are necessary
Educating through a Native Language • Educating its own citizens through a native language is fundamental to the independence of a country and its culture • Some countries cannot use their native tongue as the language of instruction in their universities and continue to depend on a foreign country and its language for their higher education • Price can be a lack of people’s independence of mind.
Barriers to Enhance Educational and Research Cooperation in Asia • True cross-border education implies Foreign language should be learned or a common academic language must be shared
Asian Version of the Erasmus Program The problems need to be solved • conceptualize an “East Asian People” and corresponding educational program which unify different national programs • develop practical standards of credits and share the meaning of the degrees • develop ways to harmonize differences between national education programs • contribute budgets to enhance education
Current Developments within Waseda University • Founded in 1882 • Academic Organizations: • 13 Undergraduate Schools • 17 Graduate Schools • 6 Professional Graduate Schools • 2 High Schools • 3 Affiliate High Schools • 2 Schools of Arts and Architecture
Current Developments within Waseda University • Number of Students: 54,400 • 9 Campuses • 2,000 full-time and 3,700 part-time faculties • 760 administrators (full-time) • 500,000 Alumni number
The spirit of independent thinking • Waseda’s founder,the statesman Okuma, was seen as a liberal rebellion against Meiji government • Waseda in its early years was regarded as a nursery for revolutionaries • The spirit of independent thinking attracts students from other Asian countries, after graduation they become forces for anticolonialism, antiimperialism, modernization and democratization
International Students at Waseda As of May 2008 International Students at Waseda (Region of Origin)
International Student problems in Waseda • Language Waseda offers courses not only in Japanese but also in English The list of schools that offer courses in English 1 undergraduate school (School of International Liberal Studies), 3 graduate schools (Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication Studies, and Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems), 1 professional graduate school (Waseda Business School) • Tuition and living expenses Waseda need to provide scholarships and fellowships
Student Exchange + Fee-based (Out-going) As of March 2008 Waseda Students Studying Abroad with One Year Program(Region of Destination)
Student Mobility in Asia • Waseda give nearly all its students to study abroad • Planning to expand intensive language programs in several Asian universities • Waseda’s overseas offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei facilitate and support students mobility
Faculty Mobility in Asia • 3265 Waseda Faculty went abroad last year, 1734 went to Asia • Waseda receive numerous overseas scholars, most of them are from Asia • 200 were in residence longer than a month and 119 of these came from Asia
The balance of Academic Mobility in Asia • Nearly 82% of Waseda’s international students come from Asia, but only more than 10% waseda students went to Asia • More than 50% Waseda Faculty go to Asia and 60% of overseas visitors to Waseda are from Asia
Waseda’s Recent Initiatives within Asia • Double Degree Programs • Started in 2005 with Peking University, Fudan University, National University of Singapore and National Taiwan University • Students conferred two bachelor’s degree when then complete the program • Term of study at a host university is one to two years • Language instruction at Waseda is English or Japanese
Waseda’s Recent Initiatives within Asia • Global Honors College • In the process of establishment jointly with Asian and American partner universities • Offering on-campus or on-line courses on issues of urgent global concern, such as sustainable development • Restricted to selected students based on academic competitiveness
Waseda’s Recent Initiatives within Asia • Double MBA Programme • Jointly offered by Nanyang Technological University of Singapore and Waseda University • NTU offers core MBA courses while Waseda offers elective courses on technology management • All courses in Singapore • 2-week Field Study Mission to go into Japanese industries is provided http://www.waseda.ntu.edu.sg/
Waseda’s Recent Initiatives within Asia • Joint Post-graduate Program with Peking University • Signed MOU with Peking University in May 2008 • Graduate program in "Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development."
Conclusion • The appropriate strategy for enhancing academic mobility in Asia is simply to be clear about our particular mission and to seek alliances with other universities Thank you