Full Text
MEXT
MEXT
Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > FY2003 White Paper on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology >Part1 Chapter1 Section3.3

PREVIOUS   NEXT
Part 1   Higher Education to Support a Knowledge-Based Society Full of Creative Vitality - New Developments in Higher Education Reform
Chapter 1   Current Extent of Higher Education Reform
Section 3   Giving Flexibility to Educational and Research Systems
3   Response to Adult Admissions


As society and the economy advance and diversify, so that individuals can lead rich and full lives, it is necessary to develop an environment in which even after people become adults, when they want to learn advanced and frontier knowledge and skills they can do so. From this perspective, MEXT has been taking measures to make the education and research systems more flexible ( Figure 1-1-17 ).

Figure 1-1-17 Number of Adult Students


(1) Introduction of the long-term special register student system

Previously, when a student wished to study longer than the required duration of study due to individual circumstances (e.g., studying for six years at a four-year university) it was handled as repeating a year or an absence.

For this reason, from March 2002, in order to expand study opportunities for people who wish to study at university while participating in the workforce, etc., the long-term special register student system was introduced. The system makes it possible to exceed flexibly the required duration of study at universities, take education courses in a planned way and graduate, as required by individual circumstances.


(2) Institutionalization of correspondence graduate schools

A variety of efforts have been made to develop an environment that meets the diverse study demands of adult students at graduate schools. These include the introduction of the special selection procedures for adults, the establishment of evening graduate schools and the utilization of the special register system.

In March 1998, in order to make education and research at graduate schools even more flexible, it was made possible to establish correspondence graduate schools (master's courses). Correspondence graduate schools have the aim of appropriately meeting the needs of adult students, etc. who want to take graduate school level classes but for whom attending university is difficult because there is no graduate school within commuting distance from the student's home or workplace that provides classes in the field the student wants to study, or because of geographical and time restrictions, such as the times when the student can go to the university, that are limited by the working environment. As of 1 April 2003, there were 15 graduate schools (including The University of the Air) that had established correspondence departments.

Furthermore, since April 2002, it has been possible to establish correspondence graduate schools for doctorate courses. As of 1 April 2003, of the 15 graduate schools mentioned above, three had established correspondence doctorate courses.


(3) Institutionalization of undergraduate satellite campuses

In March 2003, it became possible for people, such as adult students, for whom it is difficult to commute continuously to the main campuses of universities due to time and geographical restrictions, to receive university education at so-called satellite campuses, locations outside the main campus of the university. In this way, it has become possible, for example, for universities established in suburbs to provide education and research opportunities in areas where there are many companies, etc., and locations with good public transportation. It is expected that satellite campuses will be utilized by others in addition to adult students, for example, people taking classes under the credit transfer system and for whom it is difficult to commute to the school building of the university providing the credit transfer.


PREVIOUS   NEXT
(C)COPYRIGHT Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Back To Top   MEXT HOME