From knowledge seeking to knowledge creation: The Japanese university's challenge

Abstract

Underlying the steady expansion of Japanese education is a strong public faith that success in schooling leads to a secure adult career with permanent employment in an organization. The Japanese work contract emphasizing stability and security pervades all walks of life including universities and research laboratories. This strength of the Japanese system is also its major weakness. It induces a penchant towards conformity and uniformity that sometimes conflicts with the creativity and initiative required in the best scientific and technical work. Thus, a major concern in the present reform effort is to bring greater flexibility and instability to a system that is premised on limited choice and stability. Japan's university challenge is to identify the structural reforms required to reverse the traditional focus of the educational sector. The current concern to expand graduate education, break down the chair system, expand university-industry collaboration, and increase the number of foreign researchers in Japanese laboratories is all part of the thrust for a new more stimulating educational process. But even bolder reforms are required if Japan hopes to move the educational sector to a new knowledge creation paradigm.