'Catching Up with Korea'... Japan to Increase Science and Engineering University Quotas by 11,000 Students
by Lee Sojin
Published 24 Mar.2024 18:47(KST)
Updated 24 Mar.2024 19:32(KST)
35% of Science and Engineering Degree Holders in Japan, 42% in Korea
Fostering Digital and Environmental Talent and Enhancing International Competitiveness
Japanese universities have announced that they will increase the total enrollment quota for science and engineering fields by 11,000 students starting this year. The plan aims to secure specialized personnel first in order to accelerate digital transformation, which has lagged behind compared to other countries.
On the 24th, the Nikkei newspaper reported that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has approved the enrollment expansion plans of various universities to increase the intake of science colleges over the next four years starting this year.
Previously, MEXT prepared a fund of 300 billion yen (approximately 2.6679 trillion KRW) for the establishment and expansion of science colleges, and as a result of a public call for applications last year, 106 universities, accounting for one-eighth of all universities in Japan, received approval for their enrollment expansion plans this time. Among these 106 universities, 30% are establishing science colleges for the first time.
Japan Women’s University reduced the quota for its Faculty of Letters and newly established the Department of Architectural Design with an intake of 100 freshmen. The plan is to nurture experts in the decarbonization field and talents researching architectural digital technologies.
Meiji University plans to establish the Department of Information Mathematics with 80 freshmen to train data analysis experts, while Chuo University announced that it will launch the Department of Agricultural Informatics with 300 freshmen in 2027 to cultivate talents to prepare for food crises and other challenges.
The Japanese government is working together with universities to foster science and engineering personnel to enhance Japan’s competitiveness. Nikkei explained, "The Japanese government estimates that by 2030, there will be a shortage of about 790,000 digital-related professionals domestically." Currently, among Japanese university graduates, those with science and engineering degrees number 210,000, accounting for only 35% of all degree holders. In comparison, the proportion of science and engineering degree holders among university graduates is 42% in Korea and 45% in the United Kingdom, both higher than Japan.
The Japanese government plans to raise this ratio to about 50%, or 310,000 people, by 2032. MEXT plans to accept a second round of applications for science college enrollment increases this summer.
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