| 独行法反対首都圏ネットワーク |
Plans to Give National Universities the Status
of Independent Administrative Institutions
（1999.10.18 Ｒａｄｉｏ Ｊａｐａｎ）
（首都圏ネット註）
以下は、ラジオ日本（ＮＨＫの海外向け日本語放送）で放送された「国立大学の独立行政法人化」（京都大学教授・柏倉康夫）です。
海外の研究者、国内の外国人研究者等で独法化に関心のある方へ、是非、一読をお奨めください。 日本語版はこちら
NEWS COMMENTARY:
Plans to Give National Universities the Status of Independent
Administrative Institutions
We now bring you News Commentary. Today's talk is abount
plans to give Japan's state-run universities the status of independent
administrative institutions. It was written by Yasuo Kashiwakura,
a Professor at Kyoto University.
On September 20th, the then Education Minister, Akito Arima,
announced moves to make Japan's national universities more independent.
The plan is to give the universities the status of independent
administrative institutions. The Minister expressed hopes that
the various measures and ordinances to implement the change would
be ready by around next April.
However, the reaction from the national universities has been
one of bewilderment and opposition.
The government came up with the idea of so-called independent
administrative institutions as a means of slimming down government
and making it more efficient.
It wants to turn many bureaucratic departments into independent
entities. The state, however, will retain departments which are
responsible for making decisions and policies.
The Education Ministry wants to turn each of the 99 national
universities into independent institutions. However, techers
and staff would remain state employees. The Minister will appoint
each university president, acting on recommendations fro the universities
themselves.
And universities must submit five-year mid-range goals, for
the Minister's approval.
The Minister will be assisted by a specially created evaluation
panel.
The association representing Japan's national universities
already announced its opposition to any change in status back
in November 1997. The association said that the government's plans
were at loggerheads with what the national universities are trying
to achieve.
The association argued that universities are concerned with
the long-term goals of educating individuals and fostering free
and vigorous research. The members said that five years is too
short a time to make a proper evaluation of a university's goals.
The association has not altered its stance.
The Education Ministry was also initially against the idea.
Bureaucrats argued that the cahnge of status would lower the level
of education and research.
However, the government later unveiled plans to cut the number
of state employees by 25 percent over a ten-year period starting
from 2001. The Education Ministry changed its stance when it realised
that the 125-thousand employees and teachers at the national universities
would have to be included if the government was to reach its target.
This commentator, however, is concerned abount the obligation
for universities to formulate short-term goals and the process
of evaluating those goals. How, for example, do you evaluate something
like the liberal arts, which are far removed from practical learning?
In the late 19th century and early part of this century, the
word 'liberal arts', or bungaku in Japanese, had the wider connotation
of learning in general, or cultural attainment. The 'liberal arts'
are not only concerned with literary studies, but language, politics
and all other fields of inquiry. Much time is needed before research
can produce results. While the goals of research and education
naturally change with the times, the current calls for change
are concerned only with quick efficiency.
A very important part of education as a means of fostering
cultivated individuals could be lost.
In this day and age, young people need a philosophical education,
one where they consider the whys and wherefores of things.
Fifteen of Japan's 99 national universities have philosophy
departments or offer courses in philosophy. The figure for the
nation's 440 or so private universities is only nineteen.
The French man of letters, Paul Valery, already warned against
the tendeny to disregard liberal art s-based learning back in
the 1920s.
He said that practical scientific knowledge had conquered the
world and was changing the human environment. As a result, man
was valuing only the things that he could measure or verify, and
rejecting any vagaries as irrational.
Valery's prophecy is being fulfilled now.
Japan spends only 0-point 5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product
on higher education. This is half of what other industrialised
countries spend. The national universities need to reform themselves,
and they are currently engaged in that task. Some people say that
this is not enough. However, the idea to change the status of
national universities lacks any discussion abount the nation's
education in the future. The parameters for education in the 21st
century should not be decided with so much undue haste.
News Commentary. Today's talk was written by Yasuo Kashiwakura,
a Professor at Kyoto University.
This is Radio Japan.