Internationalisation and Intercultural Interaction at a Japanese University

1. Introduction

“A problem is though there are many international students, the communication is not enough.” (Chinese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“The important thing is not the number of international students but the relationship between them and Japanese students.” (Japanese female undergraduate in Law)

“I think that the university sticks to the number of international students too much. I think they should prepare attractive curriculum and support systems, and present more opportunities for Japanese students and international students to interact.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

Jane Knight (2011) recently reminded us that the presence of international students alone does not mean that the higher education institution, domestic students, or even international students themselves are reaping the benefits of internationalisation. Since the number of international students is more readily measurable or quantifiable as compared to, for instance, interaction between domestic and international students, the latter has often been overlooked. The present author finds it humbling that the three students quoted above appear to be more perceptive than some policy makers and educators. This paper focuses on interaction between domestic and international students, also known as intercultural interaction, partly to redress the oversight.

According to Knight and de Wit (1995), a major aspect of internationalisation of higher education is to prepare staff, faculty and students to function in intercultural contexts. They argue that one of the major functions of international education is to enable students to understand and appreciate the reality of interdependence among nations and prepare them to function in an international and intercultural context. In a globalised world, intercultural competence or intercultural literacy, which refers to the understandings, competencies, attitudes, language proficiencies, participation and identities necessary for successful cross-cultural engagement, is an important graduate outcome (Leask 2009).

Japan is currently attempting to increase the number of international students to 300,000, under the Global 30 or G30 project, in its efforts to stay ahead in this age of globalisation and competition. The G30 Project for Establishing Core Universities for Internationalisation was launched in July 2008 to select universities that will function as core universities for receiving and educating international students (MEXT 2010). In 2009, 13 core universities1 were selected, one of them being Nagoya University, the present case study.

While attracting more international students is a legitimate means to internationalise, intercultural issues need to be addressed. Although the importance of the intercultural dimensions of internationalisation in higher education has been stressed in the Anglo-European literature since the mid-1990s, there appears to be a lack of emphasis on fostering intercultural development at the institutional and individual level in Japan (Whitsed and Volet 2011). As G30 will soon increase the number of foreigners to unprecedented levels, the urgency of intercultural issues cannot be overstated.

Intercultural contact and friendship

Intercultural contact benefits both domestic and international students. In addition to preparing students to function in intercultural contexts, studies suggest that for international students, increased intercultural contact is positively correlated with language capability and increased satisfaction with the student experience. For domestic students on the other hand, a multicultural campus helps them develop cross-cultural competence that will lead to personal growth and improved career prospects (Brown 2009). However, despite the benefits, many have observed a lack of integration between domestic and international student groups. Interaction tends to take place within co-national groups and their members are rarely willing to leave the confines of their groups.

Dunne (2009), in his study of an Irish university, used homophily to explain the lack of intercultural contact. Homophily predicts that similar people will make contact at a higher rate than dissimilar people. In his case, the similarity was based on students’ nationality and age. The respondents also reported the tendency to gravitate towards and stay within their own cultural peer group. This is a pattern witnessed time and again in many parts of the world. Dunne warned that in the absence of well-planned interventions at an institutional level, students’ homophilic tendencies may seriously hinder intercultural acquaintance prospects.

The literature on sojourner adjustment, including the international student experience of adjustment, emphasises the importance of friendship during the process of transition, especially friendship with domestic students. Domestic students are seen as the means to improving language skills and cultural knowledge, and their friendship is very much valued. However, these friendships are rare, causing widespread disappointment among international students. The literature has shown that it is difficult for international students to make friends with domestic students and the level of contact is low despite international students’ desire (Campbell 2011). The International Student Experience Report (UNITE 2006, cited in Brown 2009) found that host students generally did not perceive international students negatively, but were indifferent to interaction.

Campbell (2011) warned her readers against assuming that cultural diversity on campus automatically leads to intercultural contact. The difficulties involved in establishing contact and friendship between international and domestic students led Dunne (2009) to conclude that student diversity is a resource, and the potential of which can be realised only through active management. We next turn to language, without which interaction and friendship are impossible.

Language

Language shapes our mentalities and makes communication and association possible. For international students, cross-border mobility is mobility from one zone of social communication to another. Language fluency not only affects ease of mobility, but in some respects it also determines whether mobility takes place. Students’ capacity in the language of the country of education governs academic success, as well as with whom students talk and the nature of their day-to-day life. Language capacity also determines whether students can deal with problems and emergencies on their own behalf. Communication is essential to survival and security in almost all situations. (Marginson et al 2010: 294)

Language is practically as essential and basic to human survival as food and water. In their study of international students in Australia, Marginson et al (2010) found a positive correlation between English language proficiency and social interaction with domestic students. Those unable to speak English fluently could not participate in Australian society. This is a pattern observed in many parts of the world. Most of the respondents also said that language difference was a barrier in intercultural interaction and friendship.

The role of language in the adjustment of non-native speakers of English in the US, Britain, Australia and other English-speaking countries has been heavily researched. The interesting difference between these countries and Japan is that in Japan, for most of the international students arriving under G30, two languages, namely English and Japanese, are involved. For many, English will be the language of education, since the action plan for G30 clearly states the intention to increase English-only programmes.

Until relatively recently, the medium of education in Japan has been the national language, Japanese. In the 1980s, the government encouraged national universities to establish postgraduate programmes and courses taught in English (Ninomiya et al 2009). Later in July 1997, a government report on foreign students strongly encouraged the creation of English-medium programmes at universities to lessen the burden of learning Japanese for international students and attract high-achieving students who otherwise would not have considered studying in Japan. This is part of the goal of making Japanese universities “international centres of learning” which attract students and scholars of the world (Tsuneyoshi 2005:67). Since then, there has been an increase of English programmes and courses offered by universities. The move by the core universities in G30 to open more English programmes and courses is consistent with the above rationalisation.

However, outside the English-only classroom, English plays a limited role in Japan. In spite of the long years of school English and strong visual presence of English in cities and towns, very little English is spoken in daily life. English is an extremely prestigious minority language, due to its status as a language of international communication and business and the effects of the seven-year Allied Occupation of Japan at the end of World War II. Proficiency in the language is highly esteemed in many sections of society and education (Yamamoto 1995). Despite the above, the use of English within Japan is limited in range and depth. There are very few domains or functions in which English has either supplanted Japanese or is used as an alternative. The number and type of users who interact with others in English are small, although there is an increasing number of those in scientific or technical fields who read English for professional purposes and those who use English in business-related correspondence (Yano 2001, cited in Morrow 2004). Despite the strong visual presence (in advertising and popular culture, for example) that English has within Japanese society, the language has no official status, neither do the majority of citizens require any particular fluency in it for their everyday lives (Yano 2008, cited in Seargeant 2009).

It is very difficult for English speakers to live in Japan without some competency in Japanese, seeing as it is the language of daily transactions, the workplace, business, education and government. Despite its role as world lingua franca, it does not take long for visitors to realise that Japan is not a country in which English plays a meaningful role as a language of international communication (Honna 1995).

2. The data

The data in this study comes from three surveys conducted over the course of a year from July 2010 to June 2011. The two tables below present the size and scope of the surveys:

Survey 1

The research instrument in the first survey was an open-ended questionnaire administered to students in the researcher’s English and Sociolinguistics classes. The respondents were a mixture of undergraduates, postgraduates and administrative staff. It was made very clear that the questionnaire was optional and not part of course work. 46 copies were given out and 22 were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 47.8%. Among the seven international respondents, one was Korean, three Taiwanese, one Chinese, one American and one Brazilian.

Survey 2

Respondents in this survey were asked to mark the most suitable response (from ‘Strongly disagree’ to ‘Strongly agree’) to statements in a multiple-choice questionnaire. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed at three institutions: the Graduate School of Languages and Cultures (GSLC), the Graduate School of International Development (GSID), and the Nagoya University Program for Academic Exchange (NUPACE), which runs an exchange programme, mostly for six months or a year, with partner institutions all over the world. These institutions have the highest numbers of international students in the university. 347 questionnaires were put in their mailboxes and 64 (32 from GSLC, 19 from GSID, 13 from NUPACE) were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 18.4%. The tables below show the country of origin and sex of the respondents:

All the GSLC and GSID respondents were postgraduate students. At NUPACE, three respondents were postgraduates and ten were undergraduates.

Survey 3

In this survey, the research instrument was a questionnaire made up of multiple-choice questions with additional space for comments under each question. Respondents were asked to mark the most suitable response (from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”) to statements as well as write their comments. The researcher distributed these questionnaires at undergraduate English classes at the university. The 150 Japanese respondents came from the faculties of Economics (41 respondents), Literature (36) Science (34), Law (16), Engineering (14) and Agricultural Science (9). 108 males were male and 42, females. There were also 3 international students in these English classes, all Chinese.

In addition, the questionnaire was distributed at NUPACE. 60 copies were distributed in students’ mailboxes and 11 were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 18.3%. The respondents were all undergraduates from Korea (1 respondent), Taiwan (1), Hong Kong (1), Australia (1), France (1), Germany (3) and the U.S. (2).

NUPACE students are unique in some ways compared to GSLC or GSID students. Many NUPACE students, due to limited Japanese skills, take only English-taught classes in which there are few or no Japanese students. On the other hand, GSLC and GSID students, at least until the present, have to complete part of their course work in Japanese, and are stronger in Japanese.

Many of the international students arriving under G30 are coming to fill places in English programmes and courses and are going to find themselves in classrooms with few or no Japanese students. They will be in situations similar to NUPACE students in some ways. The experiences of current NUPACE students can therefore help us anticipate the issues and challenges that future international students are going to face.

3. Main findings

Awareness of benefits of intercultural interaction

Most of the 150 Japanese respondents in Survey 3 claimed to know the benefits of interacting with international students:

“[Interacting with international students] will improve my language skills.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“It is good to know new ways of thinking by interacting with people from different cultures.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“It is good to compare my point of view with [international students’].” (Japanese female undergraduate in Literature)

Based on their comments, it was difficult to judge the extent to which they understood the value of intercultural interaction. Some commented on the positive effects on, presumably, English skills while others wrote about comparative perspectives. None wrote directly about intercultural competence. In retrospect, it may have been a better idea to ask the respondents exactly what benefits they had in mind.

International students too, were aware of the benefits of intercultural interaction:

“I think the only way you can ever really learn a language or culture is by immersing yourself totally—which requires native speakers.” (Australian female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

Desire for intercultural interaction

Most of the Japanese respondents in Survey 3 were dissatisfied with current levels of interaction with international students:

Comments such as those below were common:

“I want to interact with [international students] a lot.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“It is good to see some international students in campus, but there is no chance to do something with them. I want to interact with them more.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“I want to interact with them although I’m worried about my language ability.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Science)

“I want to be more involved [with international students].” (Japanese male undergraduate in Economics)

“I want more opportunities [to interact with international students].” (Japanese male undergraduate in Economics)

The enthusiasm was commendable because, as we will see later, many felt so in spite of insecurities about their English communicative skills.

International students also wanted to interact with domestic students:

“I would like to meet more Japanese students and know how real Japanese student life is and to be accepted into it.” (American female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

“I want more opportunities [to interact with Japanese students].” (Hong Kong female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

Engaging in intercultural interaction

“There are no opportunities” was the most frequent comment in Survey 3 when respondents were asked about whether they engaged in intercultural interaction. Only 41% of the 150 Japanese respondents interacted with international students even though a higher number claimed to know the benefits and were unhappy with current levels of interaction:

In class

Most Japanese students in Survey 3 claimed there were few or no international students in their classes:

Table 8. I have opportunities to work with international students in class.

Strongly disagree Disagree Agree Strongly agree

48 (32.0%) 66 (44.0%) 35 (23.3%) 1 (0.7%)

“I have never had a class with [international students].” (Japanese male undergraduate in Literature)

“There are no international students in my classes.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Science)

NUPACE students painted a similar picture about the absence of Japanese students:

“All courses are taught in English and nearly no Japanese students participate.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

“Classes for Japanese and international students are mostly separate.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

Outside class

Opportunities for intercultural interaction outside the classroom were also few and far between:

“There are some parties for international students, but not many. Moreover, not many Japanese go there.” (Chinese female undergraduate in Literature)

“It is good to see some international students in campus, but there is no chance to do something with them.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“The university encourages me to interact with Japanese students but the Japanese rarely go to events/show up.” (American female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

Interaction limited to the classroom only

For some who did engage in intercultural interaction, it was restricted to the classroom or to academic matters:

“I don’t interact with [Japanese students] outside classes.” (Chinese female undergraduate in Economics)

“Interaction with international students is limited to inside class.” (Japanese female undergraduate in Literature)

“These are some international students in my research group, so we talk about practical matters, but not private matters.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Literature)

Interaction in Japanese limited to some interlocutors and venues only

NUPACE students interacted with a limited range of Japanese speakers only. Many of them spent time with members of ACE (Action Group for Cross-Cultural Exchange), an organisation in which Japanese students provides support for international students:

“I interact mostly with Japanese students involved with ACE or other associations welcoming foreign students in the university. Occasions to meet other Japanese students are quite rare.” (French female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

For some respondents, the only Japanese they interacted with were people at the help desk (in the Educational Center for International Students [ECIS], where the NUPACE offices are located):

“[I interact with Japanese] only when I talk to my own tutor or people at the help desk.” (American male undergraduate in International Relations, NUPACE)

“Apart from people at the help desk and ACE, I have few chances to talk to Japanese.” (Hong Kong female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

Some NUPACE students spoke to Japanese students who wanted to practise their English. They had limited choice when it came to which Japanese speakers they interacted with. The Japanese chose them rather than they choose which Japanese person to speak with. Most of them ended up spending most of their time with other international students:

“I tend to only interact with Japanese students who have some interest in speaking English or interacting with exchange students rather than just any Japanese students who have no interest in those sort of things.” (Australian female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

“The interaction I have with Japanese students is mostly due to these students’ desire to speak with foreigners. But as things are now, the people I interact the most with are other foreigners.” (French female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

“[I interact with Japanese students but] only with the Japanese students who come to ECIS.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

“As a NUPACE student, I get the feeling that I spend most of my time with other foreign students and not that much with Japanese students. Most of the classes and events for foreigners take place at the ECIS, where not that many Japanese students spend their time. We get little information concerning the events organized by/for the Japanese students, making it hard to actually meet them.” (French female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

Some respondents wrote about the lack of opportunities to meet “ordinary” or “regular” Japanese students and one expressed her desire to interact with “a more diverse range” of students:

“[I do] not really [find it easy to make friends with Japanese students. I think it’s easy to make friends with those from special school clubs such as ACE, which support international students; but for the other ordinary Japanese students met in class, it’s difficult.” (Taiwanese female graduate student in Communication, NUPACE)

“I would like to interact with a more diverse range of students: Those who do not treat me any differently or slow down their speech etc.” (Australian female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

“We can interact with students who are interested in foreign countries and also participate in intercultural activities. We hardly have an opportunity to meet regular students.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

Intercultural friendships

Over half of the international respondents in Survey 2 found it difficult to make friends with their Japanese counterparts:

“No, [it is] not at all [easy to make friends with Japanese students]. Nagoya University students have a ‘busy’ mindset and only have time on school days since they live so far away. My opinion.” (American female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

As in many other studies of international students, most of them found it much easier to relate to and become friends with other international students and described themselves as kindred spirits:

“Yes [I find it easy to make friends with other international students]. Maybe we have same problems and feelings.” (Chinese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“Yes [I find it easy to make friends with other international students]. We are in the same position: ‘foreigner.’” (Taiwanese female undergraduate in Business, NUPACE)

“Most of my friends are international students.” (Chinese female undergraduate in Literature)

The university’s role in providing the environment and opportunities for intercultural interaction

Most of the Japanese respondents in Survey 3 felt the university was not doing enough to encourage intercultural interaction:

“The university should present more opportunities [for me to interact with international students]. I feel the Education Center for International Students is not open enough.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Literature)

“[What the university does to provide the environment and opportunities for me to interact with international students is] not enough.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Economics)

“[I strongly disagree that the university encourages me to interact with international students.] I hope the university presents more opportunity.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Science)

“I guess [the university does provide the environment and opportunities for me to interact with Japanese students], but it is not enough.” (Chinese female undergraduate in Literature)

“There are some parties for international students, but not many. Moreover, not many Japanese go there.” (Chinese female undergraduate in Literature)

“There are some evenings and trips organised but there is not much on a daily basis.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

“[The university provides the environment and opportunities for me to interact with Japanese students but] the environment could be better.” (German female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

One common problem for both Japanese and international students was lack of information on events:

“As a NUPACE student, I get the feeling that I spend most of my time with other foreign students and not that much with Japanese students. Most of the classes and events for foreigners take place at the ECIS, where not that many Japanese students spend their time. We get little information concerning the events organised by/for the Japanese students, making it hard to actually meet them.” (French female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

“[The university does not provide the environment and opportunities for me to interact with international students.] I don’t get enough information.” (Japanese female undergraduate in Literature)

Language issues

It is impossible to live without language. Our existence is so closely entwined with language that language issues directly impact our daily life.

Some international respondents, especially those who were weak in Japanese, felt frustrated about the limited role English plays in Japan:

“Yes, [I have been in situations in which I was not understood in English outside the university,] when I just came to Japan, I was frustrated that most of the time my English can’t be understood, even simple ones.” (Taiwanese female graduate in Communication)

“No! No! No! [English is not widely used outside the university.] Usually people can’t speak English outside the university, even in some important places like train station.” (Taiwanese female graduate in Communication)

Most of the Japanese respondents in Survey 3 felt that language was a barrier to interacting with international students and were anxious:

“[I feel anxious about interacting with international students.] I am worried about my language skills.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Engineering)

“[I feel very anxious about interacting with international students.] I want to interact with them although I’m worried about my language ability.]” (Japanese male undergraduate in Science)

They were more comfortable speaking to international students in Japanese:

“[I strongly agree that language is a barrier to interacting with international students.] I talk to international students who are in Master’s course and speak Japanese fluently.” (Japanese male undergraduate in Literature)

In class, Japanese and international students found it difficult to work together because most Japanese students preferred to use Japanese, according to international respondents in Survey 2:

“I took an English-taught course this semester in which class discussion is necessary. Since the other Japanese students can’t understand English much, they ask me if I can discuss in Japanese… Well, a big challenge for me!” (Taiwanese female graduate in Communication, NUPACE)

Language differences is again a barrier in friendship:

“No [I do not find it easy to make friends with Japanese students]. [Because of] lack of language ability (whether it’s my Japanese or their English), shyness, and lack of interest toward Asians.” (Taiwanese female undergraduate in Business, NUPACE)

“I think it is difficult for Japanese students to make friends with international students. Because it is necessary to use English, and they have little opportunity to speak English in usual university life. So, I want to support them to make friends with international students, and I want to make friends with international students.” (Japanese female administration staff)

“I would like to [make friends with international students], but I don’t have any international students friends. I don’t have any opportunity to communicate with international students. Moreover, I hesitate to speak poor English.” (Japanese female graduate in International Development)

“No [I do not make friends with international students]. Because I can’t speak English fluently. But I want to make friends with them.” (Japanese female)

3. Discussion

The number of international students

The literature on internationalisation has numerous studies which show that classroom presents wonderful opportunities for intercultural interaction. In addition to the exchange of perspectives and development of language skills pointed out by respondents in Survey 3, domestic and international students can learn to work together, about each others’ countries and practices, and broaden their horizons. This will help them prepare for their future multicultural work environment. On the social side, they can get to know each other, be introduced to friends of friends and hence widen their networks, as well as exchange information on intercultural events.

We saw earlier that Japanese respondents in Survey 3 complained about the lack of international students. At present, the proportion of international students in the university is 9.1%. The figure varies widely from faculty to faculty; from one international in every two students in the Graduate School of International Development to three in 100 in Mathematics:

Depending on where one is, opportunities to work with international students can be plentiful (as at GSID or GSLC) or rare (at Mathematics or Medicine).

The number of international students at the university on the whole has increased:

With the extra G30 funding, the university has had more resources at its disposal to spend on opening more English-taught courses and hiring specialised personnel. However, at least until the present, most of the G30 efforts focus on creating English-medium programmes, so that Japan can compete with English-speaking countries for top international students. This means that Japanese students in Japanese-medium classes will benefit little in terms of cultural diversity in the classroom. The university needs to be aware of this and as a result work doubly hard on providing opportunities for domestic and international students to interact in other ways.

Even in present Japanese-speaking classrooms which have international students, ensuring meaningful interaction between Japanese and international students is not easy. In many studies, students show a tendency to form monocultural groups if permitted to do so. Students at the University of South Australia reported that although they were given the opportunity to work in culturally mixed groups in class, they believed that their courses offered relatively little assistance in the development of the skills required to develop their international perspectives in these groups (Leask 2009). Group work needs to be carefully managed and students need guidance and support to interact effectively in class. In addition, the assigned task has to be carefully designed. Students should be given tasks that are structured in such a way that they cannot be successfully completed without a meaningful exchange of cultural information.

Leask also pointed out that lecturers need to have the necessary skills in order to guide and support students in culturally mixed groups. In the Nagoya University context, the twice yearly university-wide faculty development sessions may be a good time and place to develop these skills. Faculty members need to know the importance of carefully structured and designed interactive and collaborative learning processes in internationalisation (Van der Wende 2000).

English-medium classes

Although English-taught courses, in theory, attracts more international students because they do not require high levels of proficiency in Japanese, one of the drawbacks is that there are few or no Japanese students in the classroom. Despite recent emphasis on English communicative skills in junior high and high schools, Japanese students are generally weak in listening and speaking and most are unable to keep up in English-medium classes. International students who take only these classes tend to have few Japanese in their social circles and therefore miss out on valuable opportunities to develop intercultural friendships as well as their Japanese skills. We saw earlier that NUPACE students had limited Japanese networks, which were mostly made up of ACE members and students wanting to practise their English.

English is a prestigious language in Japan and its speakers are in privileged positions. The Japanese are trying to improve their communicative skills, either in schools, higher education institutions or the multimillion-dollar English-conversation-school industry. It is ironic that NUPACE students, who are mostly native speakers or fluent speakers of English, should be in such a restrictive social position.

One way to improve acquaintance prospects would be to encourage Japanese students with stronger English skills to take English-taught classes along with international students. Lecturers would have to provide extra language support for Japanese students in this case and may have to be relieved of other duties or compensated accordingly. Likewise, international students with better Japanese abilities could take Japanese-medium classes with extra language support.

Language and anxiety

Language can be a barrier in intercultural interaction and friendship. Most of the respondents in Marginson et al 2010 mentioned language differences, sustained and compounded by cultural differences and lack of mixing outside class as obstacles to friendship.

Japanese respondents in Survey 3 discussed anxiety about their English abilities in intercultural interaction. Anxiety is a common issue in intercultural encounters. In Dunne’s (2009) study of an Irish university, many host students, despite being the dominant cultural group, associated intercultural contact with strong and persistent feelings of anxiety. Anxiety, including feelings of apprehension, emotional unease, embarrassment, fear and intimidation, was powerful. These feelings of anxiety had serious implications for intercultural contact, with host students indicating that anxiety caused them to avoid intercultural contact.

In many cases in Survey 3, anxiety was related to insecurities about domestic students’ English abilities. These feelings are understandable, since until recently, English education in schools and higher education institutions consisted of mainly grammar-translation, which is word-by-word translation of English into Japanese and Japanese into English. This has its origins in the earlier part of the 20th century when the purpose of English education was to decipher English texts from abroad to keep up with developments in the rest of the world (Morita 2010). Japanese undergraduates, with the exception of those who spent time abroad, are generally weak in English communicative skills and are uncomfortable speaking it.

Another obstacle is the belief that students should not speak English unless their English is perfect like that of an American or British native speaker. This, at least partly, comes from English teachers’ perfectionist attitude towards students’ written work. Japanese students are often paranoid about making mistakes and are therefore afraid to use English.

The university needs to step in to stimulate wider interest in intercultural interaction, encourage both sides to socialise and promote the use of both English and Japanese in the university. The university administration has been systematically producing English versions of printed information. One of its recent achievements is making the university portal, which faculty members depend on heavily, available in English. Since reform at all levels of English education is moving towards a more communicative approach, this is a good time to push students to use more English, even if they can only speak it haltingly. This would be a move consistent with the university English curriculum. Most Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) professionals would agree that learners do not become fluent speakers of the target language without practice or making mistakes.

Institutional support

We saw earlier that Japanese students in Survey 3 were critical of what they perceived to be a lack of university support for intercultural interaction. Institutional support refers to aspects of students’ university environment over which the institution exerts control and which may influence acquaintance prospects, including extracurricular venues and events, including clubs and societies and campus accommodation (Dunne 2009). Institutional support is critical because simply bringing together domestic and international students in and outside class does not necessarily result in meaningful interaction between them or the development of valuable intercultural communication skills and international perspectives (Leask 2009).

Currently at NUPACE, all students are offered the services of a tutor, who is a Japanese student in a similar field of study, for up to 45 hours each semester. The tutor meets the international student at the airport and assists with official procedures and paperwork. He/she also guides the NUPACE student around the university, helps with coursework, provides Japanese language support and introduces Japanese culture and customs. There is also a cross-cultural social event called Small World Coffee Hour, which takes place three times in a semester for about 90 minutes. This is held at the Education Center for International Students and is open to all students and faculty members.

It is interesting that a Japanese respondent in Survey 3 complained that “the ECIS is not open enough.” Another respondent explained that he felt apprehensive about approaching international students without a good reason. The ECIS is a modern and attractive building with a spacious lobby filled with a cluster of small tables and chairs in one part of it. During the researcher’s visits to the building, the seats were taken up by NUPACE students studying together or conversing. It would be normal for an average Japanese student with average English skills to feel nervous about walking into the building and striking up a conversation with the students there. Attending the Small World Coffee Hour, although less daunting, would still be a challenge.

According to the university, there are 96 sports and cultural clubs with a total membership of 3,500 students. International students are encouraged to participate but it has been reported that few do. These clubs and societies tend to be filled with Japanese undergraduates.

The Japanese and international respondents in Survey 3 were probably truthful when they said there were simply no opportunities to meet each other, as was the NUPACE student who said there was not much going on on the intercultural scene on a daily basis. Since it appears that it is going to take time for more international students to be in Japanese classrooms and Japanese students to be in English-medium classes, the university needs to improve acquaintance prospects in other ways soon.

In the literature, many of the methods used to promote intercultural interaction could be helpful to Nagoya University. These include peer-assisted study sessions (PASS) and online peer-mentoring systems. The latter in particular may be useful to typically shy Japanese students as it avoids face-to-face contact. First year students could accustom themselves with online peer-mentoring before progressing to more direct forms of contact. Another merit lies in the flexibility of time commitment. In the University South Australia, a series of cross-cultural lunches were held on each campus, each facilitated by a trained counsellor. In many cases, intercultural interaction proceeds best when a skilled third-party facilitator is involved. The university may want to consider either training existing personnel or hiring these professionals using the G30 funds. In any case, all intercultural events must be well-advertised. Some respondents in Survey 3 complained about the lack of information on these events.

For effective intercultural interaction to take place, there has to be motivation and reward for both domestic and international students. In Campbell’s (2011) buddy project in New Zealand, intercultural interaction is part of the assessment (35%) of an intercultural communication course. Since the current English curriculum at Nagoya University advocates communication and university is internationalising, it would be appropriate to start an intercultural communication course as an English requirement. This will put Japanese and international students in the same classroom and give them regular opportunities to make contact. Students will also be motivated since they need to earn the credits. Although the interaction may seem forced at the beginning, students should gradually recognise its purpose and value. In Dunne’s (2009) study, host students broadly advocated forced rather than voluntary interaction.

Two languages

NUPACE students and future international students registered in English-taught courses require two languages to pursue their studies and lead a fulfilling life in Japan. In the Australian context, Marginson et al (2010) discussed the role of English as the medium of learning and daily life. In the present case, English is the medium of learning but Japanese is the language of daily life. Students need Japanese to deal with financial institutions, the health sector, the housing market and the retail sector, to manage the tasks of paid work, especially when these involve direct dealings with the public, to establish a broad network of friends and contacts and to navigate through problems and crises. It is absolutely true that “competence in language brings with it connectedness and confidence. It allows international students to respond at need and to be proactive and self-determining agents” (pp. 320-321).

Japanese is also necessary for participation in Japanese student life. It is a well-known fact in Sociolinguistics that linguistic varieties are powerful markers of group membership. Coulmas (2005) illustrated this with Eliza Doolittle in Bernard Shaw’s My Fair Lady. In order to be accepted as a member of the middle class, Eliza had to painstakingly learn the type of English spoken by the middle class. In the great variety of available choices, the socially acceptable one is essential. Language is a key to becoming a member of, in the present case, the university student community. Until English gains wider currency as a language of communication, international students need Japanese to enjoy wider participation in Japanese student life.

International students need to be encouraged to learn Japanese and be given a realistic picture of the language situation before arrival. It has to be made very clear to them that they need Japanese in their daily life. After they land in Japan, they need continuing support in Japanese, both formally and informally.

In closing

Kuwamura (2009) pointed out that given the direction towards greater diversity and capacity in the internationalisation of Japanese higher education, more focused attention needs to be directed towards the development of intercultural competence at both institutional and individual levels. The development of intercultural competence is impossible without intercultural interaction. Since institutional changes may take time, educators need to encourage Japanese and international students to be understanding and accepting of each other now, which is what many are looking for:

“I think it would be better to have more international students if the regular Japanese students were more interested or accepting as I think many international students want Japanese friends and vice versa but everyone is shy of his or her language ability it seems.” (American female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

“I think the number of foreign students is not the key to enhance mutual understanding for Japan and other countries. Instead, the education which teaches the locals how to have better tolerance toward different cultures seems to be more important.” (Taiwanese female graduate in Language and Literature)

“I would like to meet more Japanese students and know how real Japanese student life is and to be accepted into it.” (American female undergraduate in Japanese, NUPACE)

“I would like to interact with a more diverse range of students: Those who do not treat me any differently or slow down their speech etc.” (Australian female undergraduate in Linguistics, NUPACE)

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Notes

Article copyright Liang Morita.

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