The British Council Japan would like to send a delegation of 15 to 20 international office staff from Japanese universities to visit UK universities in November 2014. The Japanese participants will be accompanied by staff from the British Council Japan. We are now looking for approximately four UK universities who would like to be considered to host a visit. 

Purpose of the mission

One of the key aims of the mission is to provide Japanese universities with the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the UK education system and its internationalisation strategies. Through this year’s mission we particularly hope to demonstrate the diversity of the UK Higher Education sector by visiting different types of universities in the UK. Through this programme we aim to showcase examples of best practice by UK institutions in internationalising higher education and also to facilitate networking which will lead to the development of new links between universities in Japan and the UK.  Host universities will also be able to learn about the latest internationalisation trends and initiatives in higher education in Japan from the visiting delegation.

Proposed Programme

We would like host UK institutions to provide an overview of the topics below either in a briefing session or through visits to relevant facilities with international staff from the host institution.

[Required topics]

• Development and implementation of international strategy
• Running an international office: structure, day-to-day management, staff development

[Optional topics]

• Establishing agreements with overseas partners: overseas campuses, student exchange, credit transfer, double degrees/joint degrees
• Summer programmes
• Support for international students: accommodation, learning support, counselling
• Internationalising the student body: Outbound mobility,  admissions policies and alumni networks
• University branding, reputation management and PR
• Working with business to enhance student employability and to generate sustainable funding for university (including contribution to regional economy)
• Offering an opportunity for the Japanese delegates to meet/talk with your students who are interested in studying in Japan

At each university, we would like you to arrange a campus tour in between the sessions. We will also arrange for the visiting university representatives and British Council staff from Japan to provide a briefing on their respective institutions and some insight into the latest internationalisation agenda in Japanese higher education. Please allocate 45 minutes for the presentations within your schedule.

Timing

We plan to hold the mission between 10 and 13 November 2014. We hope to visit approximately four institutions.

Proposed schedule:

• Sunday 9 November - Arrival
• Monday 10 November – University Visit
• Tuesday 11 November – University Visit
• Wednesday 12November – University Visit
• Thursday 13 November  – University Visit

Costs

It would be appreciated if lunch could be provided by the UK institutions hosting the delegation. 

Institutions which can offer on-campus accommodation within the price ranges below will be preferred. The costs will be covered by the delegates.

• Edinburgh: £80-£90
• London: £120-£132
• Manchester: £70-£80
• Elsewhere: £60-£80

*Prices include breakfast and tax.

Japanese university participants

We will select participating Japanese institutions on the basis of:

a) Commitment to developing links with UK institutions including student & staff exchanges and research collaboration
b) Commitment to the Japanese government’s agenda of internationalising universities and supporting the development of global human resources.
c) Participation in the ‘Experience Japan Exhibition 2014’, which will be held in London on 15 November to promote opportunities to study and work in Japan.

How to apply

If you would like to be considered to host a visit, please complete the following on-line form (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WG3CG3Z ) by 2 June 2014 and e-mail to ihe@britishcouncil.or.jp in order to notify us of your completion of the on-line form. We will notify you of the results by the end of June.

Background

Since 2009, the Japanese government has been expanding its support for the internationalisation of Japanese Universities and the development of global human resources. The ‘Global 30’ project, which ran between 2009 and 2014, funded 13 top universities to act as “hubs” of internationalisation. Furthermore the ‘Go Global Japan’ initiative, which was launched in 2012 and is scheduled to run until 2016, provides grants to 42 universities with the multiple aims of overcoming the ‘inward-looking’ tendency of the Japanese, nurturing global talent, and internationalising university education. Starting in 2014, a new government initiative called the ‘Top Global University Project’ will enhance Japanese Universities’ global competitiveness. As part of this project, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology (MEXT) is keen to promote joint degrees and the presence of Japanese universities overseas. It also aims to position 10 Japanese universities within the top 100 of the world university rankings within the next decade. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s strategy towards education, often dubbed as “Abeducation”, aims to double inbound and outbound student mobility by 2020 (to 300,000 and 120,000 respectively). The number of government scholarships for long term study abroad has quintupled from 50 to 250 since 2009.

As many universities in Japan struggle to meet their targets, there is an increased recognition of the need for staff and faculty development in order to successfully internationalise universities. Over the course of the past five years the British Council Japan has successfully organised a series of Inward Missions, providing opportunities for more than 70 staff representing nearly 35 Japanese universities to learn about the internationalisation strategies and best practices of UK universities. The Inward Missions to date have resulted in the establishment of new links and student exchange programmes between the participating institutions.

Thank you.

Contact Details

Ayako Towatari
Project Manager (Education)
T +81 (0)3 3235 8043
F +81 (0)3 3235 8040

ihe@britishcouncil.or.jp

Photos from Previous Missions