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Etsuko KatsuVice President International, Professor, School of Political Science and Economics, Meiji University

September 2014 No.121 — Digest Version —

TOEIC® Newsletter

Providing students the expertise and English communication skills needed in the international community

Asglobalcompetitioninthebusinessworldintensifies,thepaceofglobalizationamonguniversitiesisalsoaccelerating.ForJapaneseuniversities,theurgenttaskathandistodevelopyoungpeoplewhocanbeactiveplayersontheworldstage.Inrecentyears,therehavebeenacollaborativeeffortamongindustry,government,andacademiatoaddressglobalization,includingtheMinistryofEducation,Culture,Sports,ScienceandTechnology’s“GoGlobalJapanProject(*1)”.Oneimportantmeasurefortheprojectistoincreaseopportunitiesforstudentstostudyabroad,whichinturnrequiresfurtherinternationalizationofteachingstaffs,improvementsinthequalityofeducationandresearchthroughcollaborationwithgraduateinstitutionsandjointresearchprojects,andanenhancementoftheprofileofJapaneseuniversitieswithintheinternationalcommunity. Fortheirpart,studentsmustacquireproficiencyinEnglish,theglobalcommonlanguage,inordergainahighlevelofexpertisethroughaccessingtheworld’smostadvancedknow-howandtechnology.Advancedcommunicationandpresentationskillsareamusttoplayanactiveroleintheworld.Thefourskillsofreading,listening,speaking,andwritingmustbeacquiredinabalancedmanner.IbelievethatfosteringJapanesestudentswithadiverseoutlook,expertise,andacademicEnglishlanguageskillswillhelptopromotetheinternationalcompetitivenessof

The balanced acquisition of all four English skills is essential to be an active participant in the global society

School Overview

Meiji University was founded in 1881 as the Meiji Law School, tasked with teaching the French legal system. The founding principles are "Rights, Liberty, Independence, and Self-Government." In 2011, for its 130th anniversary, the university set forth the long-term vision of seeking to be a university open to the world that is dedicated to education, research, and philanthropy under the slogans: “Making Meiji University a university that will be an international hub for fostering globally minded individuals and international exchanges and to realize education and research that nurture strong and bright individuals who will succeed on a world scale.”

What do the “inward-looking” youth of Japan need to do to become active participants in the global society?This was the question we asked Etsuko Katsu, vice president and professor at Meiji University’s School of Political Science and Economics—who also serves on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Central Council for Education Subdivision on Universities and on the Special Subcommittee on Connecting Higher Education. Professor Katsu is well-positioned to offer advice on this topic because she is also a special member of the university’s working group on globalization.

Etsuko Katsu Vice president and professor at Meiji University’s School of Political Science and Economics. Earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Keio University. After working as senior economist at the Japan Research Institute, she served as an assistant professor at Ibaraki University’s College of Humanities Department of Social Sciences, and in 1998 was appointed as an assistant professor of Meiji University’s School of Political Science and Economics, becoming a full professor in 2003 as well as the vice president international director in 2008. Presently, in addition to serving as a special member of the university’s working group on globalization, her

responsibilities include a position on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Central Council for Education Subdivision on Universities and on the Special Subcommittee on Connecting Higher Education.

Special Interview

Meiji University188132,270 students (as of May 1, 2014)

Name：Founded：

Student body：

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ScienceandEconomics;thisisaprogramthatwasselectedforthe2012academicyear“ProjectforPromotionofGlobalHumanResourceDevelopment,”asitwasthenknown. ThemainobjectiveforstudentsinstudyingabroadistoattendEnglishlanguagelecturesintheirspecializedfieldandparticipateindiscussionsandjointresearchprogramsusingEnglish.By“learningin”English,insteadof“justlearning”English,studentscanacquireabroaderperspectivewhileengagingintheiracademicstudies.TheycanalsounderstandtheneedforspecializedknowledgeandahighlevelofEnglishcommunicationskillstoaccessthecutting-edgeknowledge. TheSchoolofPoliticalScienceandEconomicsalsoevaluatesanddevelopsstudents’EnglishproficiencybyprovidingthemwithmanyopportunitiestotaketheTOEICtest.ScoresareutilizedasanentrycriterionforsophomoreseminarsandtoallowstudentstogainEnglishcoursecredits.AsidefromtheusualEnglishcourses,ourschooloffersauniqueAdvancedCommunicativeEnglish(ACE)courseforstudentswhoscore540orhigherontheirTOEICtest.Ourgoalinthemonthsaheadistoproduce100seniors—orroughly10percentoftheseniorclass—whoscore800orhigheronthetestbythe2016academicyear.Andbybroadeningthisefforttoincludetheentireuniversity,weintendtopromotethefurtherinternationalizationofMeijiUniversityasawhole. Theuniversity’seducationalidealistofosterstrongindividualswhoaregloballymindedandcapable,andinthiswaywearecontributingtotheinternationalcommunity.Japaneseuniversitieswillneedtocontinuetochangeinordertodevelopoutstandinghumanresources.TheglobalizationofuniversitiesinJapaniscrucialtoenhancingthelevelofeducationandresearch.

Japaneseuniversitiesthroughouttheworld.

MeijiUniversitybegantoplacegreateremphasisonaglobalorientationsoonaftertheturnofthecentury.Aftertheuniversitywasselectedasoneofthe“Global30(*2)”in2009,thenumberofforeignstudentsstudyingatMeijiincreasedfourfoldinfiveyears,tomorethan1,600bythe2013academicyear. Ontheothersideoftheequation,JapanesestudentswishingtostudyabroadarerequiredtoacquireacertainlevelofEnglishproficiency.AttheSchoolofPoliticalScienceandEconomics,ourtargetistohave10percentofourseniorsattainaTOEICscoreof800.WealsoadministertheTOEICSpeakingandWritingTeststostudentsbeforeandaftertheystudyabroad,usingthescorestomeasuretheeffectivenessoftheirforeignstudy.IntheupcomingyearswealsoaimtoutilizetheTOEICtestasapartofourentranceexamination. Theuniversityisfocusingenergyontheglobalizationofourteachingstaff,too.Thenumberoffull-timeprofessorswhohavescoredatleast800ontheTOEICtestroseto10percentbythe2013academicyear.

WeareaimingtostrengthenourtieswithmajorforeignuniversitiestomakeiteasierforstudentstostudyabroadandimprovetheirEnglishproficiencythroughthe“ProgramsforStudy-AbroadPromotion”oftheSchoolofPolitical

Meiji University’s globalization drive includes utilizing the TOEIC® test and the TOEIC® Speaking and Writing Tests

Examples of how the TOEIC® test is utilized in the School of Political Science and Economics for the “Go Global Japan Project”

1000

800

600

400

200

0

（persons）

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (Academic year)

275

409490

560621

1014 persons

108 128208 220 228

38962

162122 143 144

233

44

5070

87 80

147

58

93

35

3450

71111

152

26

3540

39

Twofold in

crease

800score or higher

750-795

700-745

650-695

600-645

Since the 2008 academic year, which was the year after the “Programs for Study-Abroad Promotion” was launched, TOEIC scores have increased steadily. By the 2011 academic year, we had attained a twofold increase of students who scored 600 or higher on the TOEIC test, compared to the 2008 academic year. And the number of students scoring at that level continued to increase during the 2012 and 2013 academic years.

*1: “Go Global Japan Project” (initially named the “Project for Promotion of Global Human Resource Development”) aims to provide focused financial support for the globalization of university-level education in order to develop people capable of undertaking the challenge of being active on the global stage. This can serve as a foundation for enhancing the international competitiveness of Japanese industries and strengthening ties between nations, while helping the younger generation in Japan overcome its “inward-looking” tendency.

*2: “Global 30” is short for the “Project for Establishing University Network for Internationalization,” launched by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The 13 universities that were selected for the project, which aims to develop personnel who can play an active role internationally, engage in a variety of efforts to offer more opportunities and programs to foreign students so that they can study and interact with students in Japan.

[Reference] Distribution of Meiji University School of Political Science and Economics students with TOEIC® score of 600 or higher (2008–13 academic years)

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TOEIC®　test utilized in university programs for

cultivating creative and capable world citizens

InterviewKwansei Gakuin University

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TakahiroShinyo,Vice-PresidentofKwanseiGakuinUniversityandExecutiveDeanoftheOrganizationforWorldwideCollaboration,explainswhythe“ActiveWorldCitizensProgram”wasawardedtheprestigiousgrant: “KwanseiGakuinUniversity’sfounder,AmericanmissionaryReverendW.R.Lambuth,wasatrue‘worldcitizen’whoseactionstranscendednationalbordersandethnicboundaries.Hisdedicationembodiestheschoolmotto,‘MasteryforService,’andthisdedicationcontinuestobeinheritedamongallinvolvedwithKwanseiGakuintothisday.In2004,ourstudentsbecamethefirstinAsiatoengageintheUnitedNationsYouthVolunteerProgram(previouslytheUnitedNationsStudentVolunteerProgram)intandemwiththeUnitedNationsVolunteers.The‘ActiveWorldCitizensProgram’hascontributedtobroadeningthescopeandcontentofourvolunteerprograms,andwebelievethatourprogramwasselectedbyMEXTbecauseKwanseiGakuin’slongstandingapproachofcultivating‘worldcitizens’correspondstosociety’sneedforglobalhumanresourcestoday.”

ThreenewCertificateProgramsinthe“ActiveWorldCitizensProgram”havebeendesignedforstudentstoacquirethenecessaryglobalskillstobecomeleadersandexpertsinavarietyofdisciplines.The“GlobalLeaderCertificateProgram”intendstofosterindependentmindswhowillacquiretheleadershipskillsandvisiontocontributetotheglobalcommunity,the“GlobalExpertCertificateProgram”forcultivating

A unique program for global human resource development that reflects the school’s founding spirit

Kwansei Gakuin University will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2014. Since its founding, the university cultivates its members to be creative and capable “world citizens” and has consistently worked to develop students who can play an active role in the global community. In September 2012, Kwansei Gakuin University was awarded the prestigious grant “Go Global Japan (former name “Project for Promotion of Global Human Resource Development”)” by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Through this grant, the university has designed 3 new Certificate Programs in the “Active World Citizens Program,” where the TOEIC® test is utilized as one of the requirements for completion.

Kwansei Gakuin University

Associate Professor of Kwansei Gakuin School of Law and Politics, Assistant to the President

Takahiro Shinyo Junko Okabe Jun NakashimaOffice for the Promotion of Global Human Resource Development

Vice-President of Kwansei Gakuin University, Executive Dean of the Organization for Worldwide Collaboration

School Overview

Kwansei Gakuin is a leading private comprehensive and integrated institution in Japan founded in 1889 by the American missionary Reverend W. R. Lambuth. Today the university has 11 undergraduate departments and 13 graduate schools. The university aims to be a “learning community without fences” based on Christian principles, and adheres to the mission of cultivating creative and capable world citizens who embody the school motto, “Mastery for Service”.

Kwansei Gakuin University1889approximately 24,300 students (as of September, 2013)

Name：Founded：

Student body：

TOEIC® scores are one of the requirements for completion of the “Active World Citizens Program”

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theglobalstage.ThemostnotablecharacteristicofthisprogramisthatalloftheclassesaretaughtbynativeEnglishinstructors.TOEICscoresareoneofthefactorsforplacingstudentsintooneofthefiveEnglishproficiencylevelclasses(Reference2). “Forthehighest-level‘SuperAdvancedEnglish’class,studentsaretaughtpracticalEnglishskillssuchasacademicwritingandcriticalthinking,”notesJunkoOkabe,AssociateProfessorattheSchoolofLawandPoliticsandAssistanttothePresident.“Inthefuture,weintendtopromoteglobalizationoftheuniversityasawholebyincreasingthenumberoflecturestaughtbynativeEnglish-speakinginstructorsandacceptingmorestudentsfromforeigncountries.” Inaddition,theTOEICtestismandatoryforalloftheuniversity’sincomingfreshmen,excludingthoseenteringtheSchoolofPolicyStudies.InMarch,justbeforethestartoftheschoolyear,theuniversityalsooffersthe“WelcomeIntensiveEnglish”programfornewlyadmittedstudents,toraiseawarenessoftheimportanceofEnglishatanearlystage. “Ourintentionistocommunicatetheseinitiativestootheruniversities,andtobeafrontrunnerinthedevelopmentof‘worldcitizens’inwesternJapan,therebycontributingtotheglobalizationofuniversityeducation.”remarksDr.Shinyo.

studentswhoareexpertsintheirfieldswithhighcommunicationskillsandglobalexperiences,andthe“GlobalCitizenCertificateProgram”istargetedatproducingcitizenswhohaveinterculturalunderstandingandwhocanworkharmoniouslyintheworldstage. StudentswhoparticipateintheseprogramstakecoursessuchasGlobalCitizenshipandIntroductiontoGlobalCareerDesignaswellaslecturesbynativeEnglish-speakinginstructors.Throughthis,thestudentscanbetterestablishtheirownidentitiesandacquirethenecessaryknowledgeandskillspriortostudyingabroad.Studentscanalsocreateaportfoliotoclarifytheirmotivesandtheprocessforcompletingtheprogram.Togainpracticalknowledgeandexperience,studentscanparticipateinoverseasprograms,andonreturningtoJapantheycansharetheirexperienceswithotherstudents.TOEICscoresareoneoftherequirementsforcompletionofthe“ActiveWorldCitizensProgram”(Reference1).“TheProgramwillhelpstudentsbecomeworldcitizensthatcancommunicatebothwithinandoutsideJapan,”explainsJunNakashimaoftheOfficeforthePromotionofGlobalHumanResourceDevelopment.“Thiswillbenefitthemintheircareersorgraduateschools,andwhateverelsetheychoosetodoaftergraduation.”

Inadditiontotheseprograms,KwanseiGakuinUniversityoffersthe“IntensiveEnglishProgram”designedforthecomprehensiveimprovementoflistening,speaking,readingandwritinginordertodevelopEnglishcommunicationskillsandcultivatepersonnelwhocanbeactiveon

TOEIC® test is one of the factors utilized for placing students into proficiency-based English language classes and for evaluating English proficiency at the time of admission

[Reference 1] Requirements for completion of each of the “Active World Citizens Programs”

Global Leader Certificate Program

Global Expert Certificate Program

Global Citizen Certificate Program

Cumulative Grade Point Average

3.0 in courses specified by the program 2.8 in all courses 2.5 in all courses

Mandatory participation in an International Education Program

UN Youth Volunteers Program, International Volunteer Program

One semester to a year-long Exchange Program

One or more mid to short term study-abroad programs, intercultural seminars, such as the Cross-Cultural College (Canada) program

Number of specified credits 40 30 30

TOEIC scores TOEIC 730 TOEIC 730 TOEIC 590

Pre-IntermediateEnglish

IntermediateEnglish

Pre-AdvancedEnglish

AdvancedEnglish

SuperAdvancedEnglish

English classes suited to each

student’s proficiency level!

[Reference 2] “Intensive English Program” courses by proficiency level

TOEICscores

900

800

700

600

500

400

350

Score

At Kwansei Gakuin University the TOEIC test is administered to undergraduate students, excluding those in the School of Policy Studies, and the number of students who take the test continues to increase every year. As TOEIC scores are also utilized as a requirement for admission to or completion of various English language programs and the Business Internship Program, the university provides e-learning materials to support students in their studies.

Utilization of TOEIC® scores at Kwansei Gakuin University

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InterviewYamagata University

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“Kiban” Education for freshmen aims to improve students’ practical English communication skills

YamagataUniversitylaunchedits“Kiban(Foundational)”EducationinApril2010,inordertounifyspecializedandliberalartseducation.The“Kiban”Educationtakestheplaceoftheconventionalliberalartseducationandservesasthefoundationforthefouryearsofundergraduatestudy. TheEnglishcurriculumprovidedforallfreshmenaimstoimpressuponthematanearlystagetheneedforEnglishcommunicationskillsintheworkplace.KojiAbe,whoserveduntilthe2013academicyearastheDirectoroftheCommonCoursesDivisionoftheInstituteofArtsandSciencesandisnowtheuniversity’svicepresident,explainsthebackgroundofthisdevelopment: “Whenweaskedourgraduatestofilloutaquestionnaire,manyoftherespondentsindicatedtheywishedtheyhadstudiedEnglishmorediligentlyduringtheirfouryearsatuniversity.Withmoreofourlocalindustriesexpandingoverseasandsettingupoffshoreoperations,theneedforEnglishinthelocalcommunityisgreaterthaneverbefore.Uptonow,ourartsgraduateshavenothadaparticularneedforEnglishintheircareers,butresponsesfromouralumnihaveshownthatEnglishhasbecomeessential,evenforthoseingovernmentoffices.ThisledustoconcludethatweshouldreviewourEnglisheducationonauniversity-widebasis,forbothartsandsciencescourses.”

The“Kiban”EnglishisamajorpartoftheCommunicationSkillscurriculumintheCommonCoursesDivision.ShinyaMorikawa,alecturerattheuniversity’sInstituteofArtsandSciences,saysthatitsaimisto“fosterstudents’abilitytocommunicatewithothersinEnglish,”basedonthebeliefthat“Englishisanintegralpartoftheliberalartseducationneededforthestudentstobecomeafull-fledgedforceintheworkplace.”

English is essential for all students regardless of majors, as with the increasing need for English skills in the local community

Yamagata University advocates the development of students with a richer “human force” (personal strength). In 2010, the university launched “Kiban (Foundational)” Education as the freshmen curriculum, with the aim of providing students with the foundation they will need for their four-year academic study. The English education at the university is designed to raise student awareness of the importance of English skills from the beginning of their university study, to facilitate improvement of their proficiency throughout the four years they are undergraduates, and to foster their acquiring of practical English skills that will be useful in their future careers.

Yamagata University

Professor, Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences

Koji Abe Kaoru Tomita Shinya MorikawaLecturer, Institute of Arts and Sciences

Vice President (formerly Professor, Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences)

TOEIC® scores count as 20 percent of student evaluation in two first-year English courses

School Overview

Yamagata University was formed in 1949 through the merger of Yamagata High School, Yamagata Normal School, Yamagata Youth Normal School, Yonezawa Engineering College, and Yamagata Prefectural College of Agriculture and Forestry. The university now has six faculties: Literature and Social Sciences; Science; Education, Art and Science; Engineering; Agriculture; and Medicine. Based on its outlook of fostering harmony between human beings and nature, the university engages in education, research, and community service under five basic principles, including an emphasis on “development of a rich human spirit and high level of expertise” and “cooperation with the local and international communities.”

Yamagata University19497,695 students (as of May 1, 2013)

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● Published by IP DivisionThe Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC)Sanno Grand Building 2-14-2, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0014, JapanPhone: 81/03-5521-5012 Fax: 81/03-3581-5512Official Website: http://www.toeic.or.jp

The TOEIC® Newsletter is published quarterly by the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) in Japanese. It features how the TOEIC program is used effectively within companies, universities and other institutions. We offer the latest case studies of TOEIC program usage to our clients, so they can take full advantage of the TOEIC program within their organization. In this journal, we also introduce a trend of global human resources development and the globalization movement in Japan. This issue is a summary of the TOEIC Newsletter No.121 (issued: June 2014) translated into English by IIBC for its readers around the world.

ETS, the ETS logo, PROPELL, TOEIC, TOEIC Bridge, TOEIC BRIDGE are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service in the United States, Japan and other countries and used under license.

Issued: September 2014

Thefirst-yearEnglishcurriculumconsistsof“EnglishC”and“EnglishR”classes,standingfor“Communication”and“Reading,”respectively.Thefocusof“EnglishC”isconversation,listening,andwriting,while“EnglishR”dealsprimarilywithreading.Thecurriculumaimstohelpstudentsimprovethefourskillsinabalancedway,withsmallclasssizesofaround35studentsperclass.KaoruTomita,aprofessorattheFacultyofLiteratureandSocialSciences,explainsmore:“ForbothEnglishCandEnglishR,studentsarestreamedintothreeproficiency-basedcategories.Ourhopeisthatthe“Kiban”EnglishcourseswillhelpstudentsacquirethebasicskillsneededtoutilizeEnglishasapracticaltoolsothattheycanplayamoreactiveroleinsocietyaftergraduation.” Inaddition,YamagataUniversitymandatestheTOEICIPtesttoallfreshmeninJulyandDecember,withthescorescountingas20percentoftheacademicevaluationfortheEnglishcourses.“IthinkintroducingtheTOEICtesthasservedasamajorimpetusforourstudentstostudyEnglish,”saysProfessorTomita.“Theuniversityisalsoboostingitssupportsystem,byincreasingthenumberoflecturersandenhancingoure-learningsystems.”

Inadditiontoitsnew“Kiban”education,YamagataUniversitylaunchedtheIn-the-FieldEducationProgramin2013forstudentsinthreeFaculties:theFacultyofLiteratureandSocialSciences,theFacultyofEducation,ArtsandScience,andtheFacultyofScience.Thisisaspecialeducationprogramcommontoallthreefaculties,inadditiontothespecializededucationthateachfacultyprovides. Theprogramiscomposedofthreecourses:GlobalStudies,PublicPolicyStudies,andCorporateActivityStudies.TheGlobalStudiescourse,inparticular,incorporateslong-termstudyabroadasawaytoforgeleadershipskillsnecessarytoplayanactiveroleintheinternationalcommunity.Thisinvolvesstudentsstudyingforaperiodrangingfromtwomonthstoayearat

overseasuniversityprogramsaffiliatedwithYamagataUniversity.Thisoverseasstudyexperience,alongwiththelearningthattakesplacebeforehandandafterward,shouldprovidestudentstheopportunitytoacquirebasicworkingknowledgeofEnglishaswellasknowledgeandunderstandingofforeigncultures.Thehopeisthattheknowledgegainedthroughthisexperiencewillhelpthestudentsmasterthepracticalskillsneededtoidentifyandsolveproblems. “LastyearwasthefirstyearforourIn-the-FieldEducationProgram,”notesProfessorTomita.“ApplicationforenrollmentintheGlobalStudiescourseexceededitscapacityof25students,whichindicatesthestudents’highlevelofawarenessofglobalization.Wehopethat,inadditiontoEnglishproficiency,ourstudentswillacquirethetoughnessthatglobalizationwillrequire.”Dr.Abeisalsoenthusiasticabouttheuniversity’sglobalmission.“Regionaluniversitiesshouldopentheirdoorsmorewidelytotheworld.Inthefuture,weintendnotonlytosendoutourownstudentstostudyoverseas,butalsotoacceptmorestudentsfromforeigncountries.IhopethatourstudentswilluseEnglishasatooltogooutintotheworldandcarveoutafutureforthemselves.”

6

Extended overseas study under the In-the-Field Education Program fosters global competence

“One of the series of English courses we have for the second and subsequent years of specialized academic programs at the Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences is Practical English (1) to (3), which rigorously trains students in a wide range of English skills— from listening, grammar, vocabulary, reading, to discussions and presentations. In Practical English (1), designed to prepare students for English certification tests such as the TOEIC test, students are required to take the TOEIC test twice a year (in July and December), with the scores counting for 30 percent of the course evaluation. Students who took the course in the 2013 academic year improved their TOEIC scores by around 30 points on average, with some students improving by 200 points. In February 2014, the students enrolled in Practical English (1) participated in the trial of the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests. In the future, we intend to explore the possibility of incorporating the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests in a part of the Practical English series that focuses on training students in presentation skills. We also hope to expand our English course curriculum so that it would help students better prepare for tests such as the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests.”

TOEIC® Speaking and Writing Tests given for the Practical English courses of specialized academic programs

Yukiko KoizumiAssociate Professor, Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences