 Science & Technology || Search|| Back Numbers NEW SCHOOLS FOR JAPAN: A Proliferation of Welfare Studies to Cope with Japan's Aging Society January 16, 1998 
Japan's halls of learning are looking toward the needs of an aging populace. (Photo: Rikkyo University) Government policy currently leans toward strictly curtailing the establishment of new universities, faculties, and courses, as the number of children born in Japan continues to decrease. However, those dealing with social welfare studies are an exception: A succession of new schools and courses are scheduled to appear. The move to increase the number of people qualified in social welfare has come about because of a shortage of workers ready to deal with the advent of an aged society. Each university is racking its brains in order to come up with distinctive welfare courses, such as those incorporating ample practical training. Sign Language and Braille Become University Electives Most of the slated welfare departments and curricula aim to offer students unique courses where the emphasis is on acquiring practical knowledge and experience, which can then be put to use in their chosen field of work. Rikkyo University, a long-established private Christian university considered one of Tokyo's top six, is scheduled to set up a College of Community Welfare Studies that will admit its first students in April 1998. At present, a campus to accommodate the faculty is being built in one of Tokyo's neighboring prefectures. The aim is to produce graduates ready to take the national social worker qualifying exam and go on to contribute to local welfare. First-year students will be expected to conduct interviews with the elderly, thus having the chance to meet and talk to them, and second-year students will be required to take part in volunteer activities. A curriculum is being devised to make students aware of the realities of social welfare. Included are plans to invite directors of homes for the elderly and disabled people such as the wheelchair-bound as guest lecturers. Meanwhile, Tokyo's Musashino Women's College also plans to inaugurate a social welfare course in April 1998, and is being flooded by inquiries and application requests. Only 100 women will be admitted, but compared with other courses the number of interested high school seniors is high. This course will introduce sign language and braille skills as electives in the third year. The supervisor of the office overseeing the establishment of the new faculty explains, "It is an unusual experiment [the introduction of these electives] for a university, but communication with the disabled through sign language and braille is indispensable."
Welfare Studies Used to Lure Students Social welfare universities, faculties, and courses are on the increase nonetheless, as they respond to the needs of an aging Japanese society. It is forecast that one out of every four individuals will be 65 years old or over by 2025. There is a pressing need to train people to work in various welfare-related fields, as well as such obvious welfare facilities as hospitals and health organizations. Japan's Ministry of Education has adopted a distinctly flexible attitude toward its standards for the establishing of universities. According to the Education Ministry, as of May 1997 there were 52 four-year universities offering social welfare courses (9 public, 43 private), up 6 from the previous academic year. The launching of three social welfare universities and four social welfare faculties is expected for April 1998, and four universities will also create social welfare courses to commence at the same time. On top of this, out of 16 applications requesting ministry permission to launch universities or junior colleges in 1999, 4 prospective schools would specialize in social welfare. The government is scheduled to introduce a public care insurance system in fiscal 2000 (April 2000 to March 2001), welfare related business is expected to boom from now on, and the demand for social welfare experts will increase. There are, therefore, high expectations for the welfare faculties which, compared to other faculties, are attracting a far greater number of applicants. The competition between universities weathering the winter age promises to intensify. In their efforts to attract students, it is likely that universities will increasingly choose to offer education relevant to the needs of Japan's aging society. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic
Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference
purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese
Government.
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