Ushering in the Global Age Shimane University and Its Students

In the race to lead Asia, Japan is continuing to slip behind in terms of the internationalization that occurs with study abroad. While 21.3 percent of the total enrolment in Hong Kong tertiary institutions is studying abroad, the ratio is just 1.4 percent for students in Japan. This paper discusses research exploring students' opinions about participating in study abroad programs, with a focus on the location of the programs and length of stay.
A questionnaire was administered to 180 first-year students with an advanced English ability; the results indicate almost half of the students expect to participate in a study abroad program before they graduate from university. The United States was the most often provided destination, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. The results of the study also indicate that students (1)want programs of two weeks or less and (2)have a propensity toward programs of about one month. The results suggest that additional programs in the United States and Australia may be well received by students. The paper examines the benefits of the creation of additional study abroad programs and concludes with the suggestion that Shimane University can become a leader among universities in rural Japan by fostering students' awareness of and perspectives on internationalization and study abroad.