With the third-largest economy in the world, Japan is moving forward from the unprecedented natural disasters that struck the country in 2011: reconstructing its infrastructure and strengthening its workforce. Japan has long provided UK higher education institutions with an extremely broad range of opportunities for engagement, be they in student recruitment, research collaboration, or policy dialogue. Recent developments in education and industry are providing further opportunities for the UK in each of these areas.

A focus on “global personnel development”, strongly backed by both government and industry, has made study abroad a career asset for the first time, and is consequently leading to an upturn in demand. The government has allocated GBP 40 million to universities in 2012 for the promotion of global human resource development, and this has led to Japanese universities becoming interested in setting up short-term study abroad programmes, as well as providing improved English-language education for students and staff. An additional GBP 25 million has been allocated to scholarships for overseas study. Local governments are also getting involved, with Osaka sending 48 ambitious high school students to visit UK universities this summer with a view to undergraduate study there. [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/osaka-high-school-students-head-uk]

Industry is also keen to see more graduates with international experience. Keidanren, the main employers’ association, has set up its own scholarship scheme. Companies are adopting more flexible hiring practices and providing job-seeking support for students upon their return. As a result of all these initiatives, there has been significant growth in participation at UK study events. [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/higher-education-student-market-showing-signs-recovery]. There are also openings for UK universities to provide “global personnel” education to students within Japan. Institutions can present their offer to Japanese university and HR professionals at a Global Skills symposium held jointly with the Embassy on 13 September [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/opportunities/global-skills-symposium-tokyo].

Leading universities are seriously considering moving their academic years to match the Western timetable in a bold move to facilitate student mobility [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/plans-move-autumn-enrolment-gather-steam]. Moreover, they will need to provide options for their students during the “gap term” that will open up between high school graduation and the start of university, and overseas study is widely considered to be one of the most profitable activities for this period. [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/reports/gap-year-symposium]

The Japanese government’s “Leading PhD Programme Initiative” is supporting innovative, trans-disciplinary doctoral programmes to the tune of GBP 92 million in 2012. Collaboration is a key feature of this scheme, and several of the programmes selected this year involve UK partners. Industry is also keen to work with universities, both domestically and internationally, to secure world-leading researchers. The British Council provides opportunities for UK universities to tap into this demand through initiatives such as transferrable skills training and a symposium on bilateral university-industry collaboration [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/reports/british-embassy-and-british-council-tokyo-present-building-international-university]. Above all, the newly-established RENKEI scheme [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/reports/british-council-japan%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Crenkai%E2%80%9D-programme] brings together higher education institutions and industry from both countries to jointly develop models, such as a summer school for young researchers, which can then be rolled out across the sector.

A comprehensive university reform plan [https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/comprehensive-japanese-university-reform-plan-revealed] which was recently unveiled highlights a number of priorities overlapping with those in the UK, including quality assurance (both domestic and transnational), the promotion of entrepreneurship among students, university governance, and public engagement. The UK remains a leading model for both policy-makers and university leaders, and the British Council is continuing to foster policy dialogue through round tables, symposia and inward missions [http://ihe.britishcouncil.org/ged].

Whatever the level at which you wish to engage in the Japanese market, the British Council team are ready to support you – get in touch to discuss your goals and how best to meet them.