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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1995 > Remaking Universities Chapter 2 Section 4 2

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Remaking Universities: Continuing Reform of Higher Education
Chapter 2 How Universities Are Changing
Section 4. Reforming Short-Term Higher Education
2. Reform of Colleges of Technology


Colleges of technology are institutions of higher education that provide five-year programs of integrated practical education based on theoretical knowledge. Students enter after graduating from lower secondary school. Since the establishment of the system in fiscal 1962 colleges of technology have earned the respect of industry by achieving good educational results through the provision of extensive curricula focusing on experiments and practical training and based on small classes. In the first few years after the establishment of the system there was a rapid increase in the number of engineering colleges of technology, especially national colleges. Subsequently colleges of technology were also established in the fields of maritime technology and radio engineering in response to various social and economic needs. New courses were added and outdated ones were restructured in response to technological progress and changes in industrial structure. As of May 1995 there were 62 colleges of technology, with a total of approximately 56,000 students.

In 1976 universities of technology were established in Nagaoka and Toyohashi, primarily to accommodate graduates of colleges of technology. The existence of these universities has significantly increased opportunities for more advanced education for graduates of colleges of technology.

In its June 1991 report the University Council recommended a number of measures to enable colleges of technology to keep pace with social changes, including the increasing sophistication of science and technology and the emergence of a lifelong learning society. Among the recommendations were

(1) expansion of the fields covered by colleges of technology to enable them to establish courses in areas other than engineering and maritime technology,
(2) establishment of an advanced-course system,
(3) conferment of the title "associate" on graduates, and
(4) development of streamlined and more flexible Standards for the Establishment of Colleges of Technology.

The systemic changes needed for the implementation of these recommendations were carried out in fiscal 1991, and reforms designed to realize the aims of the recommendations are now in progress.


(1) Expansion of Fields

The School Education Law has been amended to allow colleges of technology to establish courses in areas other than engineering and maritime technology. By fiscal 1995 national colleges of technology had established courses in three new fields ( Table 2.5 ).


(2) Establishment of Advanced Courses

It was decided to allow colleges of technology to establish advanced courses in order to provide their graduates with opportunities for the more advanced education they need in order to keep pace with progress in science and technology and other changes. Between fiscal 1992 and fiscal 1995 advanced courses were established at 12 national colleges of technology ( Table 2.6 ).

Once advanced courses at colleges of technology have been certified by the National Institution for Academic Degrees, students who complete those courses and meet certain requirements become eligible for bachelor's degrees conferred by the institution. The advanced courses of all 12 national colleges of technology listed in Table 2.5 have been certified.


(3) Development of Streamlined and More Flexible Standards for the Establishment of Colleges of Technology

The Standards for the Establishment of Colleges of Technology have been amended to enable colleges of technology to respond appropriately to technological progress and other changes and to encourage them to provide individualized education. These amendments were designed to create streamlined and more flexible standards through changes that included the abolition of certain practices, such as the listing of examples of types of courses and the definition of basic subject names. In addition, regulations were added providing for the same kind of self-monitoring and self-evaluation as that undertaken by universities.

By fiscal 1994 almost all colleges of technology had revised their curricula and made various other changes, including reduction of the number of credits required for graduation. Colleges of technology are now working actively to reform their educational programs through efforts that include the introduction of self-monitoring and self-evaluation systems and the ongoing improvement of their educational and research environment.


(4) Colleges of Technology Open to the Community

Colleges of technology are institutions of higher education dedicated to the training of technical personnel. It is important that they respond to changes in industrial structure, technological innovation, and the shift to a lifelong learning society by making themselves more open to the community.

>From the perspective of adapting to changes in industrial structure, colleges of technology need to respond to industry's need for trained personnel by revising their curricula, introducing new courses, and restructuring existing programs. From the lifelong learning perspective, they need to develop advanced courses and continue to work actively with other educational institutions, including the arrangement of admission to graduate schools for students who have completed advanced courses and transfer admission to universities for those who have completed regular courses, as well as the admission of transfer students from upper secondary schools.

Colleges of technology also need to place increased emphasis on such activities as joint research with and commissioned research for industry and the provision of technical guidance. These activities are important both in terms of transmitting the advanced knowledge and technology of colleges of technology to society and from the viewpoint of keeping pace with technological innovation and enhancing education and research at colleges of technology. As regionally based institutions of higher education, colleges of technology must also continue to respond actively to the needs of workers in such areas as refresher education and lifelong learning through the provision of extension courses and the admission of special register students.

An experiment in mechatronics at Numazu National College of Technology.


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