世論 What Japan Thinks

Excuse the rather clumsy headline, but Macromill recently interviewed 309 members of their internet research monitor group who currently worked as either private or public employees and expressed a wish to enter or re-enter further education as mature students.

Demographics

Between the 4th and 5th of April 2007 309 people completed a private online questionnaire; 66.0% were male, 35.6% in their twenties, 42.1% in their thirties, 18.8% in their forties, and 3.6% in their fifties. All of them were considering entering a Japanese university as an under-graduate or post-graduate within the next five years.

In addition, 13.9% were married with no children, 27.8% married with children, 52.8% were single with no children, 0.6% were single, with children, but didn’t need to support them, and 1.3% were married with children that didn’t need to be supported. Regarding education levels, 11.0% had post-graduate qualifications, 57.6% had graduated from university, 14.2% attended college, 16.2% attended up to high school, 0.3% to middle school, and 0.6% didn’t answer.

Sadly, this survey does not highlight those wishing to do MBAs. Additionally, a number of UK and USA universities offering distance learning MBA courses in conjuction with Japanese institutions, but whether or not these would be counted as Japanese courses for the sake of this survey is not clear.

Research results

Q1: Which are you thinking most about, under-graduate or post-graduate qualifications? (Sample size=309)

Under-graduate	49.8%
Post-graduate	50.2%

Q2: How are you mainly thinking you will attend university? (Sample size=309)

	Under-graduate N=155	Post-graduate N=154
Correspondance course, distance learning	48.4	23.4
Night school	28.4	27.9
Both day and night classes	8.4	24.7
Daytime classes	9.7	14.3
One-year post-graduate	N/A	2.6
Don’t know yet, other	5.2	7.1

Q3: If you enter university, what are you thinking of doing regarding your current place of work? (Sample size=309)

Continue to work whilst attending further education	78.3%
Quit my job then enter further education	10.0%
Take a sabbatical from work	5.5%
Change jobs then enter further education	3.9%
Don’t know yet	2.3%

Q4: In which faculties do you want to study? (Sample size=309, multiple answer)

Rank	All	Percentage	Under-graduate N=155	Percentage	Post-graduate N=154	Percentage
1	Commercial science, management studies (MBA, etc)	30.4	Politics, economics	29.7	Commercial science, management studies (MBA, etc)	33.1
2	Politics, economics	27.5	Commercial science, management studies (MBA, etc)	27.7	Law	29.2
3	Law	26.9	Law	24.5	Politics, economics	25.3
4	Psychology	21.7	Psychology	23.9	Physical science, engineering	20.8
5	Physical science, engineering	18.1	Welfare	16.1	Psychology	19.5
6	International relations	12.6	Physical science, engineering	15.5	International relations	12.3
7	Social science, sociology	12.3	Education	15.5	Medicine, dentisty	10.4
8	Welfare	12.0	Social science, sociology	14.8	Social science, sociology	9.7
9	Education	11.7	International relations	12.9	Welfare	7.8
10	Art, design	9.1	Art, design	11.0	Education	7.8

Q5: Why do you want to become a mature student? (Sample size=309, multiple answer)

	All	Under-graduate N=155	Post-graduate N=154
In order to deepen my specialist knowledge regarding my current job	51.1%	42.6%	59.7%
Because I want to study a field I’m interested in, unrelated to work	48.5%	54.8%	42.2%
In order to change jobs, I want to attain knowledge and skills	33.0%	30.3%	35.7%
Because I want to widen my personal connections	19.7%	16.8%	22.7%
Because I can raise my salary in my current job if I obtain specialist techniques	19.4%	20.6%	18.2%
Because I want to get a graduate or post-graduate qualification	17.5%	16.1%	18.8%
Because I want some stimulation in my life	16.5%	18.7%	14.3%
Because I feel uneasy about being made redundant	6.5%	9.0%	3.9%
Because I can afford the time	3.9%	4.5%	3.2%
Other	1.6%	1.3%	1.9%

Q6: Have you decided which university or universities you want to enter? (Sample size=309)

Yes, and already been accepted for one	17.2%
Yes, applied to a number, but not been accepted to one yet	55.7%
Not yet decided nor applied (to Q9)	27.2%

Q7: Is/are the university/ies you want to enter a public or private one? (Sample size=225)

	All	Under-graduate N=114	Post-graduate N=111
Only public university	24.0%	16.7%	31.5%
Only private university	21.8%	34.2%	9.0%
Both	54.2%	49.1%	59.2%

Q8: On what basis did you decide you wanted to enter that/these university/ies? (Sample size=225, multiple answer)

	All	Under-graduate N=114	Post-graduate N=111
Has the faculties I want to study	66.2%	71.1%	61.3%
Has a curriculum that is easy for mature students to study	36.9%	41.2%	32.4%
Easy-to-reach campus with the faculties I want to study at	32.4%	26.3%	38.7%
Can acquire qualifications	31.1%	23.7%	38.7%
Has a lecturer I want to learn from	21.8%	9.6%	34.2%
Tution fees	16.9%	21.9%	11.7%
Many research facilities	16.0%	13.2%	18.9%
My alba mater	10.7%	1.8%	19.8%
Famous institution	10.2%	8.8%	11.7%
Examination subjects	4.0%	2.6%	5.4%
Other	1.3%	0.9%	1.8%

Q9: Have you any concerns about entering university as a mature student? (Sample size=309)

Yes	75.4%
No (to Q11)	24.6%

Q10: What sort of concerns do you have about entering university as a mature student? (Sample size=233, multiple answer)

Burden of education costs	73.0
Whether I have time to attend classes	52.8
Whether I have time to study at home	49.4
Whether my employer will understand about my attending university	36.9
Whether I can do the studying	36.5
Whether I can graduate	26.2
Whether my family will understand about my attending university	14.6
Other	0.4

Q11: Is there anything unsatisfactory regarding the systems for mature students to enter univeristy? (Sample size=309, multiple answer)

	All	Under-graduate n=155	Post-graduate n=154
Fees issues	43.7%	35.5%	51.9%
Lesson timing issues	38.5%	39.4%	37.7%
Earning credits issues	29.4%	34.8%	24.0%
How to take entrance examination issues	26.9%	26.5%	27.3%
Lesson contents issues	22.0%	24.5%	19.5%
Other	2.6%	3.2%	1.9%
No particular dissatisfaction	18.1%	14.8%	21.4%