Higher Education Policy for Global Competence in Japan

In Japanese higher education policy, global competence (GC) has been discussed in terms of its derivative concept, global human resources (GHR), and the persons with GC. In this chapter, higher education policy refers to the policies of the Higher Education Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and its postwar predecessor organizations. However, human resource development is not explicitly stated in the responsibilities of these organizations. Therefore, higher education policies related to GC/GHR are translated and implemented within the duties of the Higher Education Bureau. The policy began with the foreign language education at universities and then progressed to the internationalization of higher education, focus on the GHR, changes in the international student exchange policy, and the impact and recovery from COVID-19. The policy to foster GHR was implemented at the request of the business community and the Prime Minister's Office, both outside of higher education. The development of educational programs to foster GC/GHR was left to individual universities. The relaxation of University Establishment Standards in 1991 facilitated the establishment of colleges in new fields. As part of this, 216 GC/GHR faculties, primarily in the humanities have been established by 2025. Five cases were introduced. The chapter delineates the following three points of discussion. (1) GC has multiple aspects. Global citizenship suggests the liberal arts education of GC, and Education for Sustainable Development is likely to be one of its elements. The content of the specialty will be GC itself or a combination of GC and other fields. (2) GC education in Japan is too focused on foreign languages. Also, GC policy seems to focus too much on studying abroad. (3) The deregulation of media education will provide an opportunity for students specializing in management, STEM, etc., to acquire GC.