Study On Undergraduate Vocational Education In Japan

To promote industrial upgrading and transformation,optimize higher education structure,and construct a modern vocational education system,Japan regards the development of undergraduate vocational education as an important strategic mission and has made it a priority for development.A series of explorations and reforms have been attempted to execute,among which the institutionalization of "specialized vocational universities" is a significant measure for the development of undergraduate vocational education in recent years.The Japanese government expects to achieve the goal of updating the modern vocational education system through the development of "specialized vocational universities" and providing high-level,high-quality,practical vocational education in a teaching mode that integrates industry and education,to cultivate high-quality applied talents with both practical and innovative abilities.This study analyzed the existing system and setting considerations of the Japanese specialized vocational universities,including training objectives,admission requirements,curriculum and teaching,teachers and students,academic years and degrees,and quality assurance mechanisms by sorted reviewing the development overview of undergraduate vocational education in Japan,especially relevant reports,laws,regulations,and practical explorations of specialized vocational universities.The study summarized the operational characteristics of specialized vocational universities in policy guidance,financial expenditures,discipline and major layout,curriculum system construction,evaluation mechanisms,integration of general and vocational education,and employment security.The study insisted on specialized vocational universities are a type of higher education that tries to create a new type of higher education institution by integrating academic education from universities and practical skill education from specialized schools.Also,it takes high-level practical ability training as the logical starting point.In order to promote the transformation of specialized schools,which originally had the characteristics of industry and education integration but lacked effective regulations and were outside the school education system,to new types of higher education institutions.Moreover,it has enhanced the status of specialized schools in Japan,promoted the differentiation of university functions,and enriched the modern vocational education system.Simultaneously,in the current operational process,Japanese specialized vocational universities also encounter problems such as non-standard practice time for student internship,uneven development among universities,and non-standard connection for occupational qualifications.The establishment and practice of Japanese specialized vocational universities have crucial reference values for China’s higher vocational education,especially the cultivation of high-quality applied talents at the undergraduate level.Firstly,it clarifies the positioning of undergraduate vocational education talent cultivation and highlights the uniqueness in category,level,and mode.Secondly,it strengthens the institutional system construction necessary for achieving the educational objectives,formulates restricted admission standards,highlights the vocational-oriented curriculum,builds a practical-oriented teachers team,conducts pedagogical practice teaching activities,and improves diversified employment mechanisms,providing institutional guarantees for the development of undergraduate vocational education.Thirdly,it constructs an internal and external collaborative quality assurance system to ensure educational quality and effectiveness and promote the vigorous development of undergraduate vocational education.