Analyzing Ｄiscourse in University Brochures in the Era of Globalization

Abstract

The present study explores marketing and public relations strategies of Japanese universities for student recruitment in the era of globalization. Specifically, it examines university brochures in English issued by two universities: Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) and Akita International University (AIU). Discourse analysis was applied along with corpus analysis to illuminate their strategies and underlying values behind verbal and nonverbal messages. The analyses identified “becoming global” and ”leading/thriving” in the global society as the major values in the APU brochure. Those values are supported by collaborative learning and hands-on experiences with strong emphasis on pragmatism, downplaying the image of Asia and systematized curriculum. The AIU brochure emphasized both international learning environments in English and rich local experiences in Akita. It also appealed to potential audience differentially, stressing on academic information for degree seeking international students and on touristic information for short-term international students.