What opportunities are there for Japanese universities in the global era? ~How can the positive aspects of scholarships and education in Japan be rediscovered?~

April 18th, 2026 | Kyoto University, Inamori Center 3F

We will hold an international conference as outlined below. If you are interested, please register using the registration form.

Overview: Japanese universities are facing a prolonged decline in global rankings, increasingly overshadowed by counterparts in Singapore, Hong Kong, and China. Domestically, the sector grapples with dwindling government funding, precarious tenure tracks for early-career faculty, and mounting administrative burdens.
Conversely, Japan remains a preeminent non-Western powerhouse for Nobel laureates and continues to see rising international student enrollment. Furthermore, the government’s “selection and concentration” policies, notably the Universities for International Research Excellence initiative, seek to revitalize research capabilities.
This conference explores the untapped potential of Japan’s elite institutions—specifically the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University—and their competitive advantages within the Asian landscape. Featuring Professor Jeremy Rappaleye (University of Hong Kong) alongside experts from Tokyo and Kyoto, the session will address ways to overcome the prevailing sense of pessimism. Our objective is to move beyond critical discourse and identify a hopeful, forward-looking trajectory for the future of higher education in Japan.

Date: April 18, 2026
Location: Kyoto University, Inamori center, 3F large meeting room (稲盛記念館大会議室) *Please enter from the back door
Language: Mainly English
Fee: Free of charge
Registration Deadline: 11th April 2026
Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfb0CHhn6iDHqCtd5HyfPXjl9sI63dKsrcBPJmWdxyOUbsp7g/viewform?usp=dialog
Contact: symposium.globalization@mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp