The Present and Future of Japanese Junior Colleges

New Strategies for the Twenty-first Century

Abstract

　 Japanese junior colleges have evolved as a distinctive subset of the Japanese higher education system. When we consider the future development of Japanese junior colleges, it is necessary to recognize their institutional characteristics including their high populations of female students, their emphasis on community, and their short-term programs. Moreover, they are often the first stage of higher education for many students in a society dedicated to lifelong learning.

　 Initially focused on quantitative expansion, they now concern themselves with qualitative development. Japanese junior colleges have experienced various reforms concerning new systems for acquiring degrees and an interchangeable credit system. These reforms are compared and contrasted to those implemented in community colleges in the U.S. in the 1980s.

　 Three strategies for the development of junior colleges include : clarifying their institutional status ; developing a fluid transfer system ; and establishing an evaluation system based on clear objectives.