Governmental Control and University Autonomy

The Redefinition of Teacher Training in University Education

Abstract

　 The relationship between university and government has grown more complex and become increasingly important all over the world at the start of the twenty-first century. However, neither complete university autonomy separate from higher education policy nor complete accountability of universities vis-a-vis government exist. It follows that the validation of individual cases is required to assess where the line of demarcation between autonomy and accountability should be drawn. This study aims to question the relationship between university autonomy and governmental control by focusing on the redefinition of teacher training in university education implemented in the National University Reform Plan from 2012 to 2013 because various issues related to university autonomy such as funding, personnel matters and academic affairs were dealt with in the course of work on the plan. Three analytical perspectives are applied and the following results are obtained. First is the relationship between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the government. The reform of teacher training in university was strongly promoted by the government but that also gave strong power to MEXT about the requirements for reform to be obtained from each university. Second is the relationship between MEXT and universities. MEXT gave strong guidance on the direction of reform to be followed by each university and that in turn impeded the true development of university autonomy. Third is the differentiation of policy among departments in the Higher Education Bureau of MEXT. It is pointed out that the compromise plan for the direction of reform has the possibility of creating a situation of chaos within each university, making reform prospects vague.