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Understanding U.S. and Japanese Systems of Higher Education | TeamUp US Japan

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“Compared to most other higher education systems around the world, the U.S. system is largely independent from federal government regulation and is highly decentralized. It is also incredibly diverse – there are public institutions and private, very large and very small, secular and religiously affiliated, urban, suburban, and rural.”

— EducationUSA

“In Japan, the percentage of 18-year-old population students enrolling in universities and junior colleges has steadily increased since the Second World War to exceed 50%. If the percentages of students enrolling in colleges of technology and specialized schools are added, the total percentage exceeds 70%. Judging from the situation, Japan has entered the stage of universal access to higher education.”

— Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan

Understanding U.S. and Japanese Systems of Higher Education

International partnerships bring together institutions representing two different systems of higher education. This is part of their value, for they infuse new perspectives and ideas across these boundaries. It is also part of the background that each partner must master to construct effective collaborations. Having broad knowledge of the range and goals of the other nation’s colleges and universities also opens up a host of potential partner institutions, some of which might previously have escaped your notice.

The authoritative sources below can start your journey into the structure and range of institutions in each nation, as can the summary found in the CULCON Educational Task Force report.

Japanese higher education

Higher Education in Japan (MEXT – Ministry of Education, Sports, Science, and Technology)

Statistics (MEXT – Ministry of Education, Sports, Science, and Technology)

Higher Education System in Japan (JapanEducation.Info)

General Information on Study in Japan (JASSO – Japanese Student Services Organization)

U.S. higher education

Information for International Educators (U.S. Department of Education)

An Overview of Higher Education in the United States (American Council on Education)

The U.S. Educational System (EducationUSA)

Understanding U.S. Higher Education (EducationUSA)

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Next up: Identifying Potential Partners »