Tenth Knowledge Forum: Considering the Future of Higher Education—Reflecting on the Experiences of Oxford University and the University of Tokyo during COVID-19 Pandemic

On Jan. 18, 2022, the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Research Institute) hosted the Tenth Knowledge Forum “International Student Mobility and Higher Education in the Age of COVID-19: Reflections from Oxford University and the University of Tokyo" online. The forum was held as a dialogue session between Professor Kariya Takehiko of Oxford University (also a distinguished fellow at JICA Ogata Research Institute) and Professor Takahara Akio of The University of Tokyo (also the executive director of JICA Ogata Research Institute) who discussed their observations of and visions for study abroad and higher education during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The discussion then shifted to online education as the newest challenge in international higher education. Takahara commented on the pros and cons of online education from the international student perspective, pointing to lack of close communication, inability to experience life on campus, inability to receive practical training and difficulty understanding the significance of studying abroad as downsides. He also cited cases, however, in which academic staff and students were able to communicate more closely than in face-to-face classes by making full use of online conference systems and/or apps like LINE or Slack. Further, he sees potential in the ability for students to participate in classes regardless of their places of residence. Meanwhile, Kariya remarked that in the UK, international students are basically allowed to enter the country and classes and supervising activities are taking place in person. He added that although remote classes do take place in some situations, Oxford University has always had many small classes with just five or six participants so the negative effects of remote classes were very limited. As many arts and social science departments at Japanese universities hold lectures in large classes, there were contrasting degrees of impact based on the difference in lecture style. Furthermore, while the inability to offer practical training or fieldwork was a common concern between the two professors, Kariya pointed out that the impact of the pandemic has uncovered research themes and problems that were not visible in normal circumstances. They include, for example, how Japanese politicians have reacted to the pandemic or what kind of phrases are chosen with what nuances in different countries in relation to the pandemic. Such pandemic-related changes in politics, culture, society and public perception are thus providing students with rich new opportunities in comparative research.

As the discussion turned to the global competitiveness of Japanese universities and attractiveness for the international student market, Kariya offered that Japanese universities are strong in nurturing personal relationships among students and between students and academic staff, as well as offering diverse experiences outside of the classroom. For these strengths to be more positively recognized, however, there is a need to look beyond the purely academic roles of universities and view them as holistic institutions which serve far broader purposes than simply fostering the academic achievement of students. Takahara suggested that increasing job prospects in Japan is also an important factor in attracting international students. Currently, many companies require strong Japanese language skills, but if international students had the option to job hunt and perform duties in English it would greatly increase Japan’s appeal. The improvement of English communication in Japanese society as a whole is also critical, he said.