Questões de Concursos

More and more of Japan’s universities are moving toward teaching their classes in English, not just for those on exchange programs, but for domestic students.

The University of Tokyo’s graduate school of engineering triggered a wave of online debate earlier this year when it announced that it would be teaching all classes in English “as a general rule” from 2026.

Many netizens argued that the move was unfair, most Japanese students have studied mostly, if not exclusively, in Japanese their entire lives, leaving them ill-equipped to learn university-level English fast enough, and a lot of faculty members may not be set up to suddenly teach advanced material in English.

The University of Tokyo’s announcement came just as private universities such as Sophia and Waseda were rolling out quieter, more incremental versions of similar initiatives. “The push has been there for decades,” said Laurie Wesselhoff, a cultural anthropologist and lecturer at Keio University.

When Wesselhoff started at Keio about 30 years ago, universities were talking about offering more classes in English, but “there wasn’t much standardization or ministry guidance,” she said.

Instead, schools built English programs for returnee Japanese students and for international students, rather than the bulk of domestic undergraduates. The result, she said, was English tracks that looked international on paper but were socially and academically segregated between international and domestic students.

Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/03/japan/more-japanese-universitiespushing-english-classes/

More and more of Japan’s universities are moving toward teaching their classes in English, not just for those on exchange programs, but for domestic students.

The University of Tokyo’s graduate school of engineering triggered a wave of online debate earlier this year when it announced that it would be teaching all classes in English “as a general rule” from 2026.

Many netizens argued that the move was unfair, most Japanese students have studied mostly, if not exclusively, in Japanese their entire lives, leaving them ill-equipped to learn university-level English fast enough, and a lot of faculty members may not be set up to suddenly teach advanced material in English.

The University of Tokyo’s announcement came just as private universities such as Sophia and Waseda were rolling out quieter, more incremental versions of similar initiatives. “The push has been there for decades,” said Laurie Wesselhoff, a cultural anthropologist and lecturer at Keio University.

When Wesselhoff started at Keio about 30 years ago, universities were talking about offering more classes in English, but “there wasn’t much standardization or ministry guidance,” she said.

Instead, schools built English programs for returnee Japanese students and for international students, rather than the bulk of domestic undergraduates. The result, she said, was English tracks that looked international on paper but were socially and academically segregated between international and domestic students.

Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/03/japan/more-japanese-universitiespushing-english-classes/

Democratic management in school is a topic that has gained prominence in recent decades and has established itself as an essential concept to promote improvements in the educational environment. This management model is based on the collaboration and active participation of all those involved in the educational process, including students, teachers, parents, and the community. By fostering this participation, it seeks not only an improvement in pedagogical practices, but also a cultural transformation in educational institutions. The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives is key to building a space that is truly representative and capable of meeting everyone's demands.

One of the main pillars of democratic management is the appreciation of diversity. Recognizing the plurality of opinions and experiences within the school community provides a richer environment for the exchange of ideas and mutual learning. As Alvarenga and Silva (2023) state, "deliberation in school management promotes an invitation to new perspectives", implying that active participation in decision-making can result in more innovative pedagogical practices that are appropriate to local realities. This reaffirms the importance of constant dialogue among all participants in the educational community.

In addition, the construction of a collaborative culture is essential to make democratic management effective. In order for everyone to feel part of the process, it is necessary to create a climate of trust and mutual respect where each other's contributions are valued. This model promotes not only engagement but also social responsibility, an aspect that can be widely developed when students are encouraged to become active agents within their own education.

Source: REVISTA ARACÊ, São José dos Pinhais, v.7, n.3, p.12840-12856, 2025

Democratic management in school is a topic that has gained prominence in recent decades and has established itself as an essential concept to promote improvements in the educational environment. This management model is based on the collaboration and active participation of all those involved in the educational process, including students, teachers, parents, and the community. By fostering this participation, it seeks not only an improvement in pedagogical practices, but also a cultural transformation in educational institutions. The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives is key to building a space that is truly representative and capable of meeting everyone's demands.

One of the main pillars of democratic management is the appreciation of diversity. Recognizing the plurality of opinions and experiences within the school community provides a richer environment for the exchange of ideas and mutual learning. As Alvarenga and Silva (2023) state, "deliberation in school management promotes an invitation to new perspectives", implying that active participation in decision-making can result in more innovative pedagogical practices that are appropriate to local realities. This reaffirms the importance of constant dialogue among all participants in the educational community.

In addition, the construction of a collaborative culture is essential to make democratic management effective. In order for everyone to feel part of the process, it is necessary to create a climate of trust and mutual respect where each other's contributions are valued. This model promotes not only engagement but also social responsibility, an aspect that can be widely developed when students are encouraged to become active agents within their own education.

Source: REVISTA ARACÊ, São José dos Pinhais, v.7, n.3, p.12840-12856, 2025

Democratic management in school is a topic that has gained prominence in recent decades and has established itself as an essential concept to promote improvements in the educational environment. This management model is based on the collaboration and active participation of all those involved in the educational process, including students, teachers, parents, and the community. By fostering this participation, it seeks not only an improvement in pedagogical practices, but also a cultural transformation in educational institutions. The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives is key to building a space that is truly representative and capable of meeting everyone's demands.

One of the main pillars of democratic management is the appreciation of diversity. Recognizing the plurality of opinions and experiences within the school community provides a richer environment for the exchange of ideas and mutual learning. As Alvarenga and Silva (2023) state, "deliberation in school management promotes an invitation to new perspectives", implying that active participation in decision-making can result in more innovative pedagogical practices that are appropriate to local realities. This reaffirms the importance of constant dialogue among all participants in the educational community.

In addition, the construction of a collaborative culture is essential to make democratic management effective. In order for everyone to feel part of the process, it is necessary to create a climate of trust and mutual respect where each other's contributions are valued. This model promotes not only engagement but also social responsibility, an aspect that can be widely developed when students are encouraged to become active agents within their own education.

Source: REVISTA ARACÊ, São José dos Pinhais, v.7, n.3, p.12840-12856, 2025