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(Last updated: 10 Oct 2007)
Trends and opportunities
The market
Education is highly regarded in Japan. In 2006, 75.9 per cent of students continued onto further education (university, college, and VET). Japan currently has three million undergraduate and college students (Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology - August 2007).
In 2005, 1,854 senior (Y10-Y12) high schools organised some form of study outside Japan such as school excursions and short study tours. A total of 169,680 students participated in events.
The statistics released by Educational Tour Institute in 2006 shows that 210 high schools +31,744 students travelled to Australia on school excursions (22.4 per cent market share, No.1 destination) and that 430 high schools +9,409 students travelled to Australia on study tours (34 per cent market share, No.1 destination).
The following are some brief characteristics of each market in Japan:
|
Population |
No. of high schools |
No. of universities (incl. junior colleges) |
|
Tokyo (Kanto region) |
42 million |
1,461 |
396 |
| Osaka (Kansai region) |
31.2 million |
1,419 |
348 |
| Nagoya (Chubu region) |
20.1 million |
810 |
183 |
| Fukuoka (Kyushu region) |
16.3 million |
707 |
127 |
| Sapporo (Hokkaido region) |
5.6 million |
326 |
57 |
(Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology websites, 2006)
Tokyo is well known as Japan’s political and economic centre. Tokyo draws on a huge population base and plays host to a wide range of Japanese and multinational corporations – many of whom are seeking staff with competent English language skills and the attributes associated with international experience outside of Japan.
Sapporo offers a relatively untapped market. Competition from other overseas education providers is limited and the local student population has a keen interest in opportunities to develop English language skills and pursue an offshore academic and vocational experience. Australia enjoys a particularly high profile in Sapporo courtesy of the influx of Australian tourists and investors into the local ski industry. It is an ideal time for education providers to build on the goodwill flowing from Australia’s enhanced profile.
Fukuoka has an economy which is roughly equivalent in size to Australia’s. Fukuoka has a well-deserved reputation for being open to new ideas and willing to embrace new opportunities. This region offers Australian education institutions good potential to recruit students for individual long term study programs as well as group/study tours.
Nagoya is located in central Japan and is the country's third largest economic zone. With a growing domestic and international economy and the highest savings per household in Japan, Nagoya consistently generates strong interest and demand for international education in Australia.
Osaka is Japan’s second largest city and boasts a catchment of over 30 million people. It is the economic hub for the 14 prefectures of western Japan (Kansai region), including the major academic prefectures of Kyoto, Hyogo, Hiroshima and Okayama.
Japanese student enrolments in Australia (2006)
|
Higher education |
Vocational education |
School education |
ELICOS |
Other |
|
Japan |
3,413 |
4,792 |
1,444 |
7,250 |
905 | (Source: AEI Website)
Long-term stays (over three months) by students, researchers and teachers
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
USA |
54,744 |
60,732 |
58,389 |
60,776 |
63,365 |
67,460 |
70,887 |
| UK |
16,963 |
16,574 |
16,745 |
16,889 |
17,104 |
17,316 |
18,708 |
| Australia |
6,528 |
6,855 |
8,006 |
8,248 |
9,338 |
9,480 |
11,021 |
| Canada |
4,866 |
4,453 |
4,834 |
5,015 |
5,718 |
7,449 |
5,901 |
(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'Statistics on Japanese Staying Overseas 2007')
Opportunities
The demand for Australian education services in Japan continues to be strong. According to Australian Education International, the number of Japanese students studying in Australia in 2006 was 17,804. Australia ranks third behind the USA and UK as the preferred English-speaking destination for long-term study stays by Japanese students.
Safety is a major consideration for Japanese people considering study abroad. In the context of heightened fears centred on international terrorism, Australia is seen as a low risk option for Japanese in search of a safe haven destination.
International education and training is increasingly attractive in a Japanese economy characterised by structural changes to the traditional employment system and a premium placed on prospective employees with relevant international experience. Accordingly, young people in Japan are more open to studying abroad and are keen to secure the competitive edge associated with an overseas education.
Challenges for Australian education institutions include the need to demonstrate international career paths for graduates of Australian institutions, and the need to build a strong brand to compete against major competitors in the US, UK and Canada.
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