The Japanese Ministry of Education revealed a comprehensive plan for the reform of university education on 5 June, in a surprise move that did not follow on from the usual months and years of deliberations by specially-constituted committees. The plan also departs from normal practice in combining both overall strategic directions and concrete action points.

There are two main policy directions:

I. The restructuring of the functions of universities in a rapidly changing society.
II. The broadening and strengthening of university governance in order to carry out such reconstruction.

Areas of focus include the transformation of the quality of university education, the cultivation of personnel adapted to globalisation, and the strengthening of research ability: global research output and the creation of innovation. The plan encompasses several initiatives which are already underway, as well as outlining new measures.

Some policies of specific interest for UK institutions are an emphasis on outcome-based quality assurance and a move to make Japanese university education more transparent to international partners (including the launch of a “University portrait” database of university information); further promotion of international exchange, more courses taught in English, and a possible move to an autumn-start academic year; and increasingly targeted funding for both education and research (which is likely to lead to more initiatives focussing on e.g. global personnel development).

Read our translation of the plan in PDF format to find out more. Although somewhat bureaucratic and repetitive in places, this plan gives an unusually clear overview of the direction of Japanese higher education policy.