Making the Global Local: Twenty Years at Miyazaki International College, Japan

Abstract

Miyazaki International College (MIC), which opened in 1994, is a private international liberal arts college in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. Miyazaki is one of the more economically-challenged prefectures, ranking 45th out of 47 prefectures in terms of per capita income. MIC was established with the credo “Respect and Diligence” and for the purpose of cultivating truly international citizens. This chapter first looks at MIC’s historical and pedagogical foundations, then examines the college’s successes, failures and challenges, and concludes with suggestions for future developments in liberal arts education in Japan and beyond.