Can classes and programs taught in English make Japanese universities globally competitive?

Can classes and programs taught in English make Japanese universities globally competitive?

Without better language planning at most universities and colleges, the strategy is doubtful. It is perhaps something that works best well away from regular institutions and programs, in relative isolation from Japan's typical higher education.

However, Japan's large higher education system may have more to offer to Asian students than American or British institutions, especially for those seeking education and training in Japanese language and in science, technology and engineering (and as more and more high school leavers are avoiding science in higher education, many institutions and programs desire international enrollments).


This perspectives article at Mainichi online (an English translation of a Mainichi Shimbun piece) tells of universities and programs in Japan that teach classes and even entire programs in English in an effort to keep up with globalization, internationalization and competition from Anglophone net education exporters, such as the US and UK.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/20090318p2a00m0na016000c.html

excerpt:

>>[C]ompared to dominant universities in the United States, Britain and Australia that have strategically entered Asia, those in Japan are already finding themselves getting off to a late start. As long as Japan is caught up in a pattern in which internationalization and Americanization have the same meaning, we will see no outlets for Japan's reforms.<<

The original Japanese article can be found here:

http://mainichi.jp/select/world/america/archive/news/2009/03/12/20090312ddm002030048000c.html