Educ Advising

EIS AT A GLANCE 2000-2001

The Japan-United States Educational Commission (JUSEC) was established in 1979 as a binational commission with support from the governments of Japan and the United States.   From 1951 to 1979 the Fulbright office was funded by the United States government alone, and from 1949-51 approximately 1,000 Japanese travelled to the United States for study under the GARIOA (Government Aid and Relief in Occupied Areas) Program.

The Educational Information Service (EIS) of JUSEC was established in 1964.  At the present time there are three full-time advising staff.

In FY 2000/2001, there were 46,497 students from Japan studying at U.S. institutions.

Student Contacts in 2000-2001:

          Library users:                                              6,281

          Computer users:                                             739

          Mail contacts:                                              7,961

          Email contacts:                                            2,161

          Tel contacts:                                              22,214

          Fax contacts:                                               3,065

          Website hits:                                           343,494

          Visitors:                                                         223

          Group advising sessions (Tokyo):               1,249

          Individual advising sessions:                           140

          Outreach programs:                                        869

          Pre-departure orientation programs:                347

          Cross-cultural visits program:                          120

          University fairs:                                            2,707

          Other fairs:                                                  3,180

                                                                                    

              Total:                  394,750

Outreach Activities:

 

·        Group Advising Sessions: EIS provides group advising sessions separately for the graduate and undergraduate levels in Tokyo (18 sessions per year) and in Sapporo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Naha (two advising sessions per city per year).  In addition, by invitation, EIS visits local universities and other international centers throughout Japan to provide group advising sessions. At most of these sites, EIS offers individual advising in addition to the group advising sessions.

 

·        Pre-Departure Orientation Program: In May EIS provides a PDO for students who have been accepted into undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the U.S. for the following academic year.  The Tokyo PDO sessions are divided into three graduate sessions (natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, professional programs) and one undergraduate session.  A combined session is offered in Osaka.

 

·        Cross-Cultural Visits Program: EIS works with the Women’s Group of the Tokyo American Club to provide host families for recipients of Fulbright and other prestigious grant programs prior to their departure for the U.S.

 

Other Activities:

 

·        U.S University Fairs: In cooperation with IIE, EIS manages a university fair in Tokyo and Kobe.  In FY 2000/2001, the fair attracted 207 institutions (Tokyo 137, Kobe 70) and 2,500 students (Tokyo 1,900, Kobe 600).  EIS also participates in study-abroad fairs conducted by other governmental organizations and universities.  Although the mission of EIS is focused on college level study, EIS is working with AAIEP and the Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy to establish a U.S. government sponsored “Study in the U.S.” fair which would be open to Intensive English Programs.  The first such fairs was held in March 2001 in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo.

 

·        Publications: EIS publishes a Pre-departure Orientation Handbook and numerous handouts on the study abroad process.

 

·        Support services for the Fulbright Program: EIS provides support for the American International Education Administrator (IEA) program by assisting in the planning and execution of the program.

 

·        Liaison with ETS and other testing organizations: EIS provides information on tests in the EIS handout materials.  EIS also provides TOEFL CBT seminars at the IIE university fairs and briefing on test requirement at its group advising sessions.

 

·        Cost Recovery:  EIS seeks sponsorship of EIS activities including the fairs, PDO sessions, and the group advising sessions.  In FY2000/2001 such activities raised approximately $191,000.

 

·        JAFSA (Japan Network for International Education) : EIS staff are involved in JAFSA activities as JAFSA training committee members.  Professional development programs on sending students to English speaking countries are conducted by EIS staff for university administrators in Japan.

 

Future Directions/Issues:

 

·        The Web: JUSEC and EIS see the development of interactive, Internet-based, advising services as key to the continued evolution of educational advising in Japan.  Visitors to the EIS website increased 78% this year compared to the previous year.  The website is under constant revision and utilizing the internet is a key topic in group advising sessions.

 

·        Linkages: As the number of traditional college-age students continues to fall in Japan, Japanese universities and colleges face an increasingly competitive recruitment situation. In response to this, Japanese institutions are turning to linkages with US institutions as a way to bolster their competitiveness. Such linkages may involve the offering of US accredited courses on Japanese campuses, an increase in Distance Learning and Continuing Education course offerings (sometimes in cooperation with a US institution) and of course, student and faculty exchanges. EIS is trying to help institutions make productive linkages by offering its website as a clearing house for institutions on either side who wish to establish a linkage.  Registration is free for all accredited institutions.

 

·        Cooperation with the American Embassy: EIS tries to enhance study in the U.S. opportunities in Japan by cooperating with the cultural/public affairs section and consulate section of the American Embassy and American centers in Japan in terms of public relations, advocacy, public policy and visa issues.  EIS is pleased to see the American Embassy and JUSEC cooperating to achieve common goals, and sees these efforts as being in line with efforts of NAFSA and other international education organizations to persuade the U.S. government to establish an education policy and for the US international educational community to begin to "speak with one voice."

 

 

·        Cooperation with other English speaking countries: EIS closely communicates with the British Council, the Canadian Embassy, the Australian Embassy and the New Zealand Embassy in Japan by exchanging ideas, statistics and information on current trends, issues, and events such as fairs and advising sessions for each country.

 

·        Maintaining government and corporate support for EIS activities.  EIS remains committed to providing its services free to users as a way to distinguish itself in the public’s mind from the for-profit study abroad agencies.

 

 (As of December 2001)