Missions of the Japanese National University Corporations in the 21st Century: Content Analysis of Mission Statements

Abstract

In 2004, Japanese national universities became national university corporations (NUCs). Many scholars have discussed the NUCs as Japan’s alignment with neo-liberalism in higher education. Under the new system, these NUCs have stronger autonomy in governing their institutions, while they remain under pressure to serve the country’s goals as government agencies. The present study examined the mission statements of 86 NUCs to explore their visions and roles. The findings based on content analysis revealed the NUCs’ strong commitment to improving education and research. A few select NUCs place stronger emphasis on research while others focus on education. These NUCs express a commitment to society and their regional communities—some more strongly than others. These NUCs recognize the importance of general and advanced specialized education. The paper discusses these findings in reference to the discourse of neo-liberalism in higher education and the unique Japanese contexts shaping these NUCs’ missions. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n3p197