A study of the first destinations of graduates of national universities in the Tohoku region of Japan, 1980–1985

Abstract

This study, of seven national universities in the North Eastern region of Japan, compares the ‘first destinations’ of their graduates over a five year period - the proportions entering employment, undertaking further study and remaining at home or unemployed. In comparing three different groups, engineers and scientists, teachers, and arts and social scientists the author finds differences between the employment patterns of these three different groups, as between men and women, between the oldest national university in the region, and the others. International comparisons are interesting as unemployment rates in Japan are very low and in the case of several groups, have decreased over the five year period. Setting this study in the context of the evaluation of performance of universities and in particular in the light of current deliberations on the future of higher education in Japan, the author speculates about the ways in which first destinations may change in the future.