Careers of Japanese University Faculty with Foreign Degrees: Choices of Studying Abroad and Returning Home

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01604
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07040:Economic policy-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University (2021-2023); Gakushuin University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: KATO Maki 名古屋大学, 教育基盤連携本部, 教授 (80517590)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 大学教員 / 外国学位 / 日本 / 留学 / 帰国 / 国際化 / キャリア / 高等教育政策

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of Japanese university faculty with foreign degrees in their choice between studying abroad and returning home. Analysis of the School Teachers' Statistical Survey indicated their higher job ranks and wages compared to those with domestic degrees. It also shows that the Japanese university teaching market has not become as internationalized as former studies had predicted.
From the characteristics as professors, women, staying in large cities, private universities, and more in the humanities and social sciences, it was inferred that the choice to return home was due to the expansion of higher education in Japan, as well as the choice to study abroad based on the difficulty of entering Japanese graduate school. To infer the reason to return to Japan, a satisfaction survey of U.S. university faculty members was analyzed, which indicated the reality of Asian female foreign faculty members who are always in a precarious situation.

Free Research Field

高等教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本テーマに関連するのは研究者の出国と帰国移動である。特に高技能労働者の帰国移動の理論化は途上であり、本研究はこれに向けた基礎的な知見の提供を試みた。本分析結果からは、高等教育政策の変遷による留学と帰国選択が示唆された。今後は、高等教育政策における構造的変遷の影響を意識しつつ国際移動を研究する必要が考えられる。また本研究からは留学経験を持つ大学教員は依然として小規模だが、その優位性が示された。これは出国時の選択バイアスと同時に外国経験による成長などが研究者の生産性を向上させる可能性を示唆する。よって、積極的な留学政策の推進と同時に大学教員育成の国際化も検討に値することが提言される。