Women’s universities at a turning pointーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS

Key Concepts

• Women's Universities in Japan: Institutions historically established to provide higher education opportunities for women, now facing declining enrollment and a shift towards co-education.
• Gender Equality: The state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations, and needs equally.
• Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Human Resources: The people who make up the workforce of an organization, industry, or country.
• Co-education: Education in which students of both sexes are taught together.
• Gender Norms: Societal expectations and beliefs about how men and women should behave.
• Liberal Arts Education: An academic program that emphasizes broad general knowledge and transferable skills rather than vocational training.

The Turning Point for Japanese Women's Universities

Declining Enrollments and Institutional Changes

Japan is grappling with the challenge of increasing women's participation in society, and women's universities, once a significant part of this effort, are now at a critical juncture. Historically, there were nearly 100 women's universities in Japan, but this number has dwindled to approximately 70. This decline is evidenced by several institutional changes:

• Name Changes and Co-education: Seen Joaklin College in Nagoya City changed its name and became co-educational in April.
• Closures: Kyoto NRAAM University, with over 60 years of history, is expected to close as it will not admit new students next year.
• Planned Co-education: Mukawa Women's University in Hyogo Prefecture plans to transition to co-education in 2027.
• Continued Single-Sex Status: In contrast, Kyoto Women's University intends to remain a single-sex institution.

Redefining the Role of Women's Universities

These institutions are viewed not merely as alternative educational choices but as crucial for cultivating human resources essential for Japan's sustainable development. To attract more students, some universities are expanding their offerings. For instance, Kyoto Women's University is launching three new faculties, including one for business studies, a field traditionally underrepresented in women's universities.

Historical Context and Evolution of Women's Higher Education in Japan

Professor Nishimura Miko from International Christian University provided insights into the historical role of women's universities in Japan.

Pre-War Era: Limited Opportunities

• Pre-war Japan: Women had very limited opportunities for higher education. Women's universities played a vital role in providing access, though their curriculum often focused on domestic skills ("how to be a good wife, a good mother") and a few permitted occupations like teaching.

Post-War Economic Boom and Increased Access

• Economic Growth: The booming Japanese economy led to a significant increase in university enrollment for all young people.
  • The proportion of young people attending higher education rose from 10% in 1960 to 36% in 1990, and exceeded 50% by 2005.
• Shift from Junior Colleges: Until the 1990s, women often attended two-year junior colleges. However, a growing desire for four-year university degrees emerged, coinciding with an opening job market for women with such qualifications.
• Rise of Co-education: Since the 1990s, more women have opted for co-educational universities, leading to a decrease in the popularity of women's universities.

Challenges Faced by Women's Universities

Professor Nishimura highlighted critical challenges that question whether women's universities are truly achieving gender equality or inadvertently perpetuating gender inequality.

Curriculum and Career Prospects

• Faculty Focus: Many faculties in women's universities concentrate on humanities, home economics, and education.
• STEM Underrepresentation: The proportion of women studying in scientific fields in Japan is significantly lower compared to top universities in the United States, particularly in engineering.
• Income Disparity: Engineering is a field known to lead to higher incomes for graduates. Graduates from women's universities, with less exposure to such fields, may face limitations in earning potential.

Gender Representation in Leadership

• Male Dominance in Executive Positions: Men hold more than half of the executive positions within women's universities.
• Need for Women's Voices: This situation raises concerns about how women's voices are reflected in institutional decision-making processes.

The Continued Purpose of Women's Universities

Despite the challenges and the declining numbers, Professor Nishimura argued that women's universities can still serve a vital purpose in achieving gender equality in Japan.

Fostering Leadership

• Low Female Participation: Japan has significantly lower female participation in politics and the economy compared to other countries.
• Leadership Development: Women's universities can play a crucial role in fostering leadership skills among women, empowering them to drive change.
• Safe Space for Leadership Practice: In co-educational institutions, women may face gender norms that restrict them from pursuing leadership roles. Women's universities offer a more conducive environment for practicing leadership.

Addressing Gender Biases and Promoting Equality

• Knowledge Sharing: Women's universities can share knowledge gained from research and educational practices to address gender biases present in co-educational universities.
• Designing Gender-Equal Education: They can contribute to designing educational approaches that promote greater gender equality in society.

Global Perspective on Women's Universities

The discussion extended to the situation of women's universities in other countries.

Similar Trends in Developed Nations

• United States and South Korea: In countries like the United States and South Korea, where university enrollment rates have surpassed 50%, women's universities are also experiencing declining popularity and numbers.
• Perceived Attractiveness of Co-ed Institutions: This trend suggests that women perceive co-educational universities as more attractive due to their wider range of specialized programs and greater post-graduation employment opportunities.

Importance in Regions with Lower Enrollment and Strong Gender Norms

• Protection and Access to Education: In regions with lower university enrollment rates and strong gender norms, women's universities play a critical role in ensuring women's right to higher education.
• Conservative Social Cultures: For example, in South Asia and Southeast Asia, conservative social cultures may prevent women from attending university unless they enroll in women's institutions.

Role of Women's Universities in Social Transformation

Asian University for Women (Bangladesh) as a Case Study

• Breaking Social Norms: Some women's universities are actively working to break through social norms and promote social transformation.
• Mission: The Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh, aims to train women to become agents of social transformation in pursuit of gender equality.
• Scholarships and Education: It provides full scholarships and a liberal arts education to high-achieving students from across Asia, particularly those from families with no history of higher education.
• Empowerment and Advancement: The university offers opportunities for women who face employment or societal advancement challenges in their home countries to succeed, potentially abroad.

Expected Roles in Empowering Women

• Protection and Empowerment: Women's universities in these regions are expected to provide protection and empowerment for women.
• Access to Quality Education: A key consideration is ensuring equitable access to quality higher education.
• Societal Acceptance and Opportunity: It is crucial to assess the extent to which individual abilities are accepted by society and provided with opportunities to thrive.
• Realizing Potential and Influencing Inequality: These universities must demonstrate how they help women realize their full potential and contribute to addressing social inequalities.

Conclusion

The landscape of women's universities in Japan is undergoing significant transformation, driven by declining enrollments and a societal shift towards co-education. While some institutions are closing or adapting, the discussion highlights their enduring potential to foster leadership, address gender biases, and contribute to sustainable development. Globally, women's universities remain vital in regions with strong gender norms, ensuring access to education and empowering women for social change. The focus is shifting towards how these institutions can best equip women to realize their potential and influence societal inequalities, both within Japan and internationally.