Japanese universities losing battle with foreign rivals

Aug 12 (DW News) - A shrinking population, fewer foreign students, falling government support and greater overseas opportunities pose serious challenges for tertiary education in Japan.

Japanese universities are slipping down the rankings of the world's top academic institutions, with many struggling to secure research funding. Fewer international students are choosing Japan for their education, and the number of doctoral students is also falling.

In many cases, Japanese universities are being overtaken by rivals in China, South Korea and Singapore.

Population slumping

There are a total of 780 universities, colleges and vocational schools in Japan, with 2.93 million students enrolled as of 2022.

The total number of students has been virtually unchanged for the last decade, but is likely to start declining in the near future. There were 2.05 million 18-year-olds in Japan in 1992 — but a mere 1.12 million in 2022.

Just as worrying as a shrinking pool of potential students is the reputation of Japanese universities on the world stage. ...continue reading

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