Universal Journal of Educational Research Vol. 9(8), pp. 1501 - 1510
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2021.090802
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The Impact of the Japanese Graduate Education System on the Experiences of International Students

Arikawa ^*, Tomoko
Center for International Education and Exchange, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how the experiences of international graduate students are influenced by the graduate education system applied in higher educational institutions in Japan. It is based on the author's ethnographic study on Indonesian students who studied in Japan from 1991 to 1992. The follow-up studies on the returnees after their study abroad were conducted from 2011 to 2013. The paper is likewise based on the author's work on international students at a Japanese university. This paper studied the experiences of Indonesian graduate students in the Science field with the graduate education system at Japanese universities. It focused on the koza research unit, which usually had the head professor and other faculty members in different ranks and the students in different years. The study found that this koza unit could be described as a "person-dependent" system, since the experiences of international graduate students differed depending on how the koza community was managed and practiced. For example, differences arouse from the variety in teaching methods and research learning among its members. This paper discusses the problems that arise when such system does not work from the perspective of international graduate students. Additionally, it discusses some possible improvements in overcoming the limitations of this system, while keeping the positive aspect of teaching and learning among its members. There are many higher educational institutions which seek globalization. This paper discusses the importance of international graduate students' perspectives in clarifying macro-level problems concerning the graduate education system of higher educational institutions.

KEYWORDS
International Graduate Students, Graduate Education System, Japan, Indonesia, Higher Education

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Arikawa , Tomoko , "The Impact of the Japanese Graduate Education System on the Experiences of International Students," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 9, No. 8, pp. 1501 - 1510, 2021. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2021.090802.

(b). APA Format:
Arikawa , Tomoko (2021). The Impact of the Japanese Graduate Education System on the Experiences of International Students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 9(8), 1501 - 1510. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2021.090802.