Investigating Interconnections between the Higher Education Internationalization Policies of Japan and Australia

2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02973
• Research Institution: Shimonoseki City University
• Principal Investigator: サリバン クリステン 下関市立大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (80514132)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Internationalization / Higher Education / 国際化 / 高等教育 / 日豪関係

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In this project, I am investigating the higher education (HE) internationalization policies of Australia and Japan especially against the background of their special strategic partnership. Particularly, I am interested in investigating how each country's HE internationalization policies and strategies over time have or have not supported various forms of exchange, interaction, cooperation and collaboration between their HE institutions and those affiliated with them.
In 2020 I primarily conducted a literature review aimed at mapping developments in Australia's and Japan's HE internationalization policies and strategies from the 1950s to the present. Through this review I have been able to identify several themes and documents for further investigation in the next stage of the project.

Current Status of Research Progress

3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.

Reason

The project's progress has faced some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I have been able to conduct the initial literature review as planned, there have been difficulties with gaining access to certain documents. Moreover, I had planned to use the first year of the project to conduct general networking to identify and gain access to stakeholders to interview for the project. However, with the cancellation of related conferences and events, and the general disruption the pandemic has brought to the HE internationalization sectors of both countries, these plans have also been affected causing a slight delay to the progression of the project.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

Firstly, in 2021 I plan to continue investigating the themes raised through the literature review and write up initial findings for publication. I will also try to identify relevant stakeholders to approach for interviews. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed the HE internationalization landscape in both Australia and Japan. There is a high possibility that the pandemic has or will also influence the bilateral industry-focused academic cooperative initiatives that had been developing before the pandemic, and which were one focus of this project. Given these developments, I will consider whether to broaden the project's scope to also consider how the pandemic will impact the HE internationalization policies of Australia and Japan as well as their collaborative efforts.

Causes of Carryover

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented me from participating in events and conferences which I had planned to attend in 2020. This is the primary reason for not completely using the allocated budget for 2020.
It is still not entirely clear how the pandemic will affect the ability to travel. However, in 2021 I plan to use the allocated budget for travel purposes in order to conduct stakeholder interviews. In addition, I will purchase or obtain by interlibrary loan necessary books, articles, and other documents. This will be especially important given continued restricted access to libraries.