Other universities may follow Todai's lead

Fumihiko Ito and Masahiro Ishii / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

Students walk Wednesday on the campus of the University of Tokyo, which is moving toward shifting all its departments to autumn enrollment.

A number of leading public universities have announced they will consider shifting to autumn enrollment, in tandem with the University of Tokyo's steps to move enrollment for all academic departments to autumn to help ensure its international competitiveness in education and research.

The universities' announcements Wednesday have been welcomed in financial circles, which have been dissatisfied with universities' ability to develop human resources. However, many challenges remain.

"Autumn enrollment is the standard internationally. It would be more convenient for foreign students," Kyushu University President Setsuo Arikawa said at a regular press conference Wednesday.

Arikawa said his university would also like to switch completely to autumn enrollment if possible, and that the "gap term"--the period between spring entrance exams and the start of classes that would result from moving enrollment to autumn--could bring about "dramatic change in the approach to students' learning."

Tohoku University President Akihisa Inoue told The Yomiuri Shimbun: "We decided previously that [switching to autumn enrollment] was premature. To become a world-ranking university, however, we'll consider the issue again based on the University of Tokyo's deliberations."

Kyoto University released a statement Wednesday morning saying, "We'll consider the timing of enrollment and the nature of entrance exams."

Osaka University said it would create a working group on autumn enrollment, and Hokkaido University said that although the timing had not yet been decided, a working group would likely consider the issue.

===

Private universities wary

Representatives of private universities expressed mixed feelings about autumn enrollment.

"Some students want to start studying at university right away, so we shouldn't make everyone wait half a year. Wouldn't a combination of April and autumn enrollment be a more realistic option?" Waseda University Vice President Katsuichi Uchida said.

More than 50 percent of Japanese students attend university, but there are nearly 800 universities in the nation. Due to the chronically low birthrate and the consequently shrinking population of young people, many universities fail to make their enrollment quotas.

It has become standard practice at some universities to admit applicants regardless of their academic abilities.

"It's more urgent to deal with how to nurture the students we accept, how to equip them [with skills] to function in adult society and how they can find jobs," a trustee at one private regional university said.

"[The autumn enrollment issue] is just certain universities making a fuss," the trustee said.

===

A more international focus

According to a survey conducted by the University of Tokyo, about 30 to 60 of the university's 14,000 undergraduates have studied abroad per year over the last decade.

A major reason many students hesitate to study abroad is that it will delay graduation by about one year, as 70 percent of countries start their school years in autumn.

The percentage of international students at Harvard University is 10 percent. At the University of Tokyo, it is a mere 1.9 percent. This lack of foreign students will directly impact the university's international ranking.

According to the World University Ranking by Britain-based Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd., the University of Tokyo ranked 25th in 2011, slipping six places from 19th in 2005, and was surpassed by the University of Hong Kong, which ranked 22nd.

These factors have made University of Tokyo President Junichi Hamada eager to start autumn enrollments.

"Even prestigious universities in the United States and Europe have started eyeing the entire world to strengthen their position. I'd like the University of Tokyo to take the first step [switching to autumn enrollment] in altering our society's mindset."

Hamada's intent has been met with praise within the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry. "The impact from the University of Tokyo's initiative is huge. We welcome the move," a ministry official said.

The ministry's approval stems from expectations that the initiative will force business sectors to recognize the depth of the internationalization problems faced by Japanese universities.

However, the biggest remaining hurdle is whether students will be able to find employment should the University of Tokyo adopt an autumn enrollment plan that would also see students graduate in autumn.

An interim report from a University of Tokyo panel reviewing enrollment schedules stated that autumn enrollments will trigger drastic changes to Japanese companies' long-held practice of hiring new employees in April. But if changes don't occur, University of Tokyo graduates will likely face difficulties finding jobs.

Meanwhile, Toyo University, a private university in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, introduced October enrollments for their engineering department in the 1994 school year. In the first year, the number of applicants far exceeded their quota of 60 students, reaching a total of 250 applicants.

However, instead of graduating in autumn, many students intentionally delayed graduation until March of the next year to avoid idly waiting for their jobs to start in April.

As the number of applicants gradually dwindled, Toyo University abolished autumn enrollments in the 2005 school year.

Toyo University President Makio Takemura said, "The Japanese practice of hiring all new employees at the same time is very deep-rooted. If society as a whole does not become more flexible, autumn enrollments won't be successful."

According to Hamada's vision, it will take about five years to start autumn enrollments. Two years of preparation will be needed to discuss the plan with the government and companies.

After that, an additional three years will be needed to inform test-takers in compliance with the current practice of giving three years notice for any changes to the entrance examination system.

In 2008, the education ministry gave university presidents the authority to decide enrollment schedules. The University of Tokyo will ask for opinions at faculty meetings, but Hamada has the final say on the issue.