Internationalization Strategies Advisory Service ISAS (2.0)
International Association of
Universities

Toyo University
ISAS (2.0): Assessing Strategy andMonitoring Achievements
FINAL REPORT
Submitted on 30 August, 20191

1. Introduction
Internationalization of higher education has been a national policy objective in Japan for morethan two decades and successive measures and programs have been put in place by theJapanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to encourage universities
to pursue this process. Toyo University successfully applied for a project grant in one the mostrecent, highly competitive MEXT initiatives, namely the Top Global University project. Toyo
University’s Top Global University project is a 10-year strategy and associated activities. Toyo
University began implementing this project, entitled Toyo Global Diamonds, in 2014 which isessentially the current internationalization strategy and overall action plan for the University.
The decision by Toyo University to use the International Strategies Advisory Service (ISAS)
offered by the International Association of Universities (IAU) was taken as early as 2015, but its
undertaking was delayed until 2018-2019 for several reasons. Among these, was the timeneeded for Toyo University to negotiate and take on the role of the Secretariat of UMAP, aninternational mobility program involving many governments and higher education institutionsin Asia. Another reason was the mid-term review of the Top Global University project, a laborintensive undertaking requiring the collection of data and information for the external review
committee.
Making use of the ISAS service was a strategic decision on the part of Toyo University
leadership, who recognized the benefits that external perspectives might bring to the complex
task of implementing a dynamic and intense internationalization process at the University.
In the interim period, between the initial decision to take ISAS and the actual signing of theMemorandum of Understanding between IAU and Toyo University in 2018, the Association had
moved to ISAS (2.0), a highly tailored advisory service which allows each university to select amore specific focus for the process and adds the reward of a Learning Badge upon thecompletion of the overall project.
The work on the ISAS (2.0) began in earnest in March 2018 when Toyo University decided tofocus on Assessing Strategy and Monitoring Achievements strand of service of ISAS (2.0) andafter the signing of the MoU, in collaboration with IAU established the Expert Panel.
The ISAS (2.0) Steering/Coordinating Committee, chaired by Vice President Kazuo Takahashi
and representing both staff members from administrative bodies and faculty members fromacross various disciplines at Toyo University was established in May 2018.
Members of the ISAS (2.0) Panel
The panel of four was an international team, with extensive knowledge, skills and experience invarious aspects of internationalization.
• Ms. Eva Egron-Polak, Former Secretary-General, Senior Fellow, International Associationof Universities (IAU), Chair

2

•
•
•

Prof. Betty Leask, Prof. Emerita La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia and Visiting
Professor, Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE), Boston College, USA.
Mr. Giorgio Marinoni, Manager, HE and Internationalization policy and projects,
International Association of Universities (IAU)
Prof. Akiyoshi Yonezawa, Professor and Vice-Director, International Strategy Office,Tohoku University, Japan

2. ISAS (2.0) Assessing Strategy and Monitoring Achievements strand of service
ISAS (2.0), the second generation of this program initiated by the IAU in 2010, retains thefundamental approach of the original service, namely provision of advice, feedback and ananalytical review of internationalization by international experts. It is not an evaluation or
critical assessment of how internationalization is being defined or implemented, though it isdesigned to ensure that institutions are deliberate about the process, aware of the rationales
that may be driving it, focusing on impact and aware of some of the potential risks of certain
strategies.
Among the various possible strands of the ISAS (2.0) program, in the case of Toyo University,
the choice was made to focus most particularly on the internationalization strategy, themonitoring framework and indicators. For this reason, Toyo University chose the Assessing
Strategy and Monitoring Achievements strand of service of ISAS (2.0).
Generally, the purpose of this strand of the ISAS (2.0) service is to assist and accompany thoseinstitutions that wish to review their internationalization strategy and the means they have put
in place to assess its progress and achievements.
The ISAS (2.0) at Toyo University therefore aimed at and enabled the university to stimulate aninternal process of critical self-analysis of the current internationalization strategy, to inform
immediate improvements but also in part, to prepare for the future, beyond the current Top
Global University project. The University is already considering how to sustain the momentumof the current project, and to determine how, beyond 2024, it may wish to build on or redirect
some of the internationalization activities begun with the Toyo Global Diamonds (TGD) project.
The Expert Panel was commissioned to provide external qualitative feedback on theinternationalization strategy and achievements of Toyo University thus far, to analyze the link
between the goals identified in TGD Project and the overall vision/philosophy of Toyo
University. In other words, to answer the questions. Is the strategy fit for purpose? And is the
purpose in line with the overall university values and mission? In reviewing the strategy, thePanel examined the alignment between the goals and objectives being pursued by Toyo
University in its internationalization efforts, and activities being undertaken to reach thesegoals. Finally, and importantly, the monitoring framework and the relevance andappropriateness of the indicators used by Toyo University to track their achievements ininternationalization were discussed and examined fully.
3

The support from the IAU Expert Panel is designed to make constructive recommendations to
the institution in order to help resolve challenges and facilitate progress towards the goals set
by the institution. At the same time, the Panel makes observations on current activities andmay also suggest possible new ways of pursuing the internationalization strategy or ways tofind alternative indicators of progress towards, and achievement of, strategic goals.
Achieving the Strategy and Monitoring Framework Learning Badge requires the institution to
successfully undertake the following steps:
•
•

•
•
•

Designate an ISAS (2.0) Steering Committee whose members will shepherd and coordinate
the project
Undertake the necessary consultations and research to prepare and submit to the IAU
Expert Panel a comprehensive Achievement Report which not only describes the state of
the art in internationalization at the institution but also analyses the challenges
encountered in its implementation
Plan and coordinate the Expert Panel site visit by convening meetings with stakeholders
Verify the factual accuracy of the Panel’s preliminary report
Formally accept the Panel’s Final Report and recommendations

3. Background information, data sources, and ISAS (2.0) methodology
Toyo University provided the IAU Expert Panel with extensive documentation that enabled thePanel members to become familiar with the university in general terms. More specific material,describing the Top Global University project and the Toyo Global Diamonds project as well as
related work across the institution within the framework of internationalization, was also madeavailable. For the most part, these documents were prepared for other purposes, including
general planning and management of the university. The materials provided included theuniversity general information brochure, the institution’s strategic plan, the statistical overview
of students, staff and faculty, and financial information for budget year 2016. Documents
related specifically to the internationalization strategy provided to the Panel were thedescription of the Toyo Global Diamonds project (the TGD project), several issues of thenewsletter reporting on achievements of the TGD project, the presidents’ “Declaration for the
Future”, the “Monitoring and External Evaluation Cycle”, the format required for action plans
and the detailed action plans developed by each faculty for the mid- to long-term, along withthe allocation of financial resources and their source.
Most important for the work of the Panel, however, were the documents prepared specificallyfor the ISAS (2.0) project, most notably the Achievement Report and its numerous annexes.
These included reports on all Roundtable discussions which Toyo University organized withinstitutional stakeholders to inform their own critical analysis, and the results of thequestionnaires which were used after the Roundtable discussions to collect more in-depth
views and data from staff, students and faculty. Also included as an Annex was a list of all
4

projects forming part of the TGD project and a Progress Status Table for the TGD action plans
with funding allocated to each activity. The general description of the I-Turn Employment
Promotion Program, The general description of the I-Turn Employment Promotion Program,which was selected for “Career Development Program for Foreign Students in Japan”
administrated by MEXT in 2017 as one of the 12 institutions (two private universities and ten
national universities) nationwide, was provided to the Panel.
Information on the student Toyo Global Leaders Program along with the requirements to reacheach of the three levels of this honours program was part of the package of information
included in the Achievement Report. Toyo University’s international partners were listed
indicating, for each partnership, whether the collaboration was institution-wide or
faculty/graduate school-specific.
Several issues of the regularly published TGD newsletters as well as the website for the various
initiatives were also provided to the IAU Panel. These high-quality promotional materials
included useful descriptions of TGD achievements and activities, but did not discuss any of thechallenging issues, obstacles and difficulties that could be encountered by students, staff,
faculty or the leadership of the university in implementing the activities. However, these wereappropriately identified and discussed in the Achievement Report.
Finally, the ISAS (2.0) site visit, conducted over two and a half days from 1 to 3 July 2019, andorganized into thirteen distinct sessions, was an invaluable source of knowledge, viewpoints,
insights and commentary from a large number and varied groups of university representatives
from all campuses, including Deans, faculty, staff of the international office and educational
affairs offices, international and domestic students. Communication was expertly facilitated by
the use of simultaneous interpretation. This enabled even those Japanese Toyo University
representatives who were reluctant to speak in English to express themselves during thediscussions which were conducted in as informal a manner as possible. The aim was to facilitate
open dialogue around achievements, challenges and possible future directions.
The panel also had the opportunity to meet the Chairman of the Board and the President of
Toyo University and witness at first hand, the high level of enthusiasm and commitment tointernationalization at the most senior level of leadership of the university.
The preparation and presentation of the Achievement Report and its annexes were exemplary.
In particular, the analysis of the surveys and Roundtable discussion results offered rich andimportant source of information and insights for Toyo University management. These should be‘exploited’ as much as possible. The reports include many examples of positive comments aswell as suggestions for making changes, too numerous to cite here, but of immense value to theongoing implementation of the TGD project. For example, recommendations concerning
making the acquisition of English language proficiency more fun; recognizing that Japaneseemployers often do not value international experience; concerns that students need to be moreproactive rather than passive consumers of information, etc. Such observations could be used5

to stimulate and develop new approaches to existing programs, information dissemination,outreach to employers and English instruction, among others.

4. General observations about Internationalization at Toyo University
Internationalization is not a process taking place in a vacuum. It is either part of an overall
institutional development strategy or an addition to overall plans. To be understood it is always
necessary to approach it and evaluate it in context – with particular attention to both thenational and the institutional context. This is critical for Toyo University especially since its
internationalization strategy is essentially articulated as the TGD Project which was developed
as part of the national Top Global University Project competition, which has imposed certain
priorities, and by association boundaries, on the University’s internationalization strategy. Toyo
University was selected for a Type B Top Global University grant and its project Toyo Global
Diamonds (TGD) has no emphasis on improving research. The priorities of this project include a
focus on student mobility and increasing the academic offer in English language. This has
resulted in a strong focus on these internationalization activities at Toyo University andsignificant investment of Toyo University funds on TGD project promotion, scholarships,
international student services, dormitories, etc. The IAU review team noted that a number ofcontextual factors, external to the University have had a significant impact on the priority goalsof the University’s internationalization strategy, especially the choice of targets andperformance indicators. These external contextual factors have included the Top Global
University grant rules, the general demographic trends in Japan, the nation’s interest in tradeand position in Asia have to date.
The panel also noted a number of relevant internal contextual factors of relevance tointernationalization at Toyo University. These include the fact that Toyo University was founded
by Dr. Enyo Inoue in Hakusan in 1887 as a private institution with a strong commitment toeducation through philosophy. Since then it has grown into a multi-campus institution with themain campus located in central Tokyo, and 4 other campuses located up to two hours away.
These satellite campuses house specific faculties, such as the Faculty of Science and Engineering
for example, and are expected to expand further as space is limited in central Tokyo.
Nevertheless, despite its growth into a comprehensive university with 13 Faculties, 15 graduate
schools and multiple departments offering courses to more than 31,000 students, thetraditional values that the founder, Dr. Enyo Inoue promoted, remain emblematic for the
institution.
Dr Enyo Inoue may be regarded as a pioneer of internationalization, a man with a global
outlook who travelled to compare how philosophy was taught and learned in different parts of
the world. However, internationalization in today’s universities is a complex and multi-faceted
response to local, national and international contexts and is therefore increasingly approached
as a deliberate policy undertaken in a systematic manner. At Toyo University the systematic
approach has a relatively short history. The TGD project submitted by the university in 2014
was the first strategic and institution-wide effort to promote internationalization and Toyo
6

University has made outstanding progress in some aspects of internationalization through thisproject over a relatively short period of time. The review panel noted a number of strengths
and challenges of relevance to the future development of internationalization at Toyo
University.
There is a strong level of commitment for internationalization at the university’s most seniorleadership levels, including the Chairman, the President and dedicated Faculty members suchas the Vice President for International Affairs and senior staff in the International Office.
However, the results of the roundtable discussions and survey showed that the commitment tointernationalization is not equal across the university. Non-teaching staff are much more
inclined to see internationalization as necessary and important for Toyo University than faculty
and teaching staff. Several non-teaching staff even mentioned that they saw the very survival of
the University as being dependent on internationalization.
Toyo University’s approach to the design of the strategy (TGD project), has been largely topdown, but having recognized that this may be a limiting factor in terms of reaching the goals
and overall sustainability of the process, senior leaders are now working to create a better
understanding of internationalization and strong ownership of the processes at all levels.
The Top Global University project was a useful catalyst for developing an internationalization
strategy, articulated in the TGD Project. However, this project has been and remains, in largepart, the Toyo University internationalization strategy, even though In the Mid- to Long Term
Plan (faculty), specific targets for internationalization at faculty level have been set in addition
to those associated with the TGD project.
Being one of only 37 Japanese universities to be selected in the Top Global University project
was undoubtedly a major achievement for Toyo University which has brought many benefits
including increased visibility and prestige both nationally and internationally. However, the fullpotential of the Top Global University Project to increase the visibility and reputation of Toyo
University for its research are still to be realized. This may also be because Toyo University ismainly a teaching focused university (the number of undergraduate students is 37 times theone of graduate students) and the focus on graduate studies and research is only recent.
Moreover, the Top Global University project has resulted in an increase in the amount of time
faculty members must spend on administrative duties, thus perhaps limiting the time available
for research. In summary the international recognition of the project has benefited Toyo
University’s educational programs more than its research.
Not all Toyo University campuses and not all Faculties are implementing internationalization at
the same pace or to the same extent. This uneven level of implementation ofinternationalization in different campuses may in part be due to resourcing issues (human andfinancial). Faculty members, staff and students, whose Departments are located at the Hakusan
campus have easy access to specialized support from the International Office, while most of theother Campuses rely on part time support from Academic Affairs managers and staff who have7

other responsibilities as well, and who may not have completed any professional development
or training linked to their additional international responsibilities. It is important to ensure that
not only is relevant training available but that there is time set aside and encouragement for
staff to complete the training as part of their workload prior to commencement of additional
duties associated with internationalization.
Similarly, major differences exist in the understanding of and achievements ininternationalization between different faculties. Several of the faculties located outside the
Hakusan campus, Engineering for example, appear less active in internationalization. The Panelwas told more than once that students enrolling in Science and Engineering, often do so
because they do not wish to study English. This might be surprising as usually scientific faculties
are expected to be the most internationalized due to the global nature of science and research.
However, all scientific and technological faculties at Toyo University focus more on appliedscience than on fundamental science. Students enrolling in scientific and technological faculties
at Toyo are expecting to work at Japanese companies as professionals rather than pursuing
careers as researchers at an international level. Such a pattern appears a general trend inJapan, rather than a characteristic of Toyo University’s science faculties.
Taking this into consideration, the question of whether Engineering is less internationalized
because it is taught outside of Hakusan Campus or because it attracts Japanese students who
do not want to study English and/or are not interested in internationalization, remains
unanswered. The cause and effect cannot be determined with any certitude but the reality isquite clear. It may be linked to location, or to students’ lack of interest in gaining proficiency inEnglish, or their fear of having difficulties learning English. It may also be a matter of thecapacity and interest of teaching staff. Investigation of this issue may be a useful starting point
for an exploration of context-specific blockers to internationalization (i.e. blockers unique toToyo University), noting that blockers may also be nation-wide and/or Faculty-specific.
In addition to gaining in visibility and prestige by becoming a part of the Top Global University
project, the efforts by Toyo University to recruit more international students and to increase
the number of students going abroad has been successful and there has been an increase in theinternational mobility of students and staff, in both directions. Student mobility has taken on
diverse forms and presents different characteristics - degree seeking international students are
predominantly Asian, while credit mobility exchanges are mainly with Europe and North
America.
As is often the case, and in line with the Japanese government’s emphasis on increasing student
mobility, there is a tendency at all levels of Toyo University to focus on rather standardized,
narrowly-focused indicators of internationalization - outgoing student mobility, classes inEnglish and recruitment of international students and (especially, English-speaking) faculty. This
does not reflect a comprehensive understanding of internationalization which incorporates
broader and more wide-ranging interpretations of the process inclusive of a broader range ofinternationally or globally focused outcomes. This focus on a limited number of inputs and a8

preoccupation with overly ambitious numerical targets in relation to them, is causing muchconcern and some pushback on the whole internationalization process at Toyo University.
Several issues related to language of instruction were observed. First, a preoccupation withovercoming the obstacle of insufficient proficiency in English on the part of faculty and students
was evident throughout the site visit. There is some frustration with the pressure for English asa language of instruction at all costs, regardless of relevance to the program or course and staff
and student capacity to teach and learn in English, which may have a negative impact on
student learning. Second, some faculty expressed concern that English language requirements
may also be having a negative effect on the retention and recruitment of excellent academics.
They cited examples of Toyo University losing some high-quality current employees andcandidates who would otherwise have been an asset to the institution. Third, some argued thatas the majority of international students are Asian, appropriate place and attention in the
curriculum should be given to instruction in Japanese language and culture and to teachingsome courses in, for example, Chinese, as Chinese students represent the majority ofinternational students at Toyo, rather than focusing only on teaching in English. Fourth, somespoke of the need to provide Japanese language classes for international students and foreign
faculty within the study program and within faculty workload. Both international students andfaculty members mentioned that some international students choose Toyo University becauseof their interest in Japanese culture and their desire to pursue a career in Japan after
graduation. These discussions highlight ambiguities and tensions concerning language of
instruction and language teaching at Toyo University. There was no strong consensus on thesematters across the institution.
Toyo University’s internationalization is strongly focused on students. The Top Global Leaders
program for example, part of the TGD project, is an interesting initiative designed to incite all
students to consider internationalization of their study experience, allowing all to earn a
specific achievement level. Both international and domestic students who met with the Panelmembers and the majority of those surveyed are satisfied with their conditions at Toyo
University and would recommend the institution to their peers. Both groups – internationaland domestic students who had studied in other countries and could thus compare theirexperience with that of other institutions, found Toyo University courses less challenging. At
the same time, the international students who had been granted scholarships found the GPA
requirements of the scholarships high. Paradoxically, the high GPA requirements to retain
scholarships appear to be having a negative impact on students’ learning, in two ways. First,
they discourage collaboration between domestic and international students, as international
scholarship students, seeking to protect their GPA, choose to work with international peers
rather than Japanese students who are “more relaxed” about their GPA. Second, to protect
their GPA, international scholarship students at times select courses they know will be lesschallenging, and may also be less relevant. Hence scholarship students make activity choicesthat prevent them from fully taking advantage of being in Japan, at Toyo University, and making
9the most of the interactions they could have with Japanese students. The latter has a negative
impact on Japanese students.
These summary observations are necessarily restricted to those deemed by the panel to be
most relevant to the ISAS (2.0) process. Hence, they are only observations of direct relevance tothe strategy and its implementation, and activities and programs in general. They do notinclude detailed comment on specific activities and programs, issues of governance, budget andcommunications which were not covered in the review but which are nevertheless important
for the University to consider as it moves forward.

5. Commendations
Reading the documentation and meeting with Toyo University representatives provided the IAU
Expert Panel with a good understanding of the scope of academic activity undertaken by the
University, a relatively good sense of the overall atmosphere especially at the Hakusan campus
but also at the other campuses. Overall, the Panel had a very positive impression, noting theexcellent physical infrastructure at Hakusan Campus and a welcoming, dynamic environment
for students and staff alike. The following aspects, singled out for comment here, are by nomeans the only areas of work or initiatives that the Panel found interesting and noteworthy.
They are simply those that we wish to underline.
1. Toyo University has elaborated a clear, coherent, long term vision for its
development and has anchored its internationalization strategy as one of threepillars within this plan. Furthermore, the vision is linked to its ethos and longstanding philosophical tradition.
2. The Top Global University and the implementation of the Toyo Global Diamonds
Project have been used to mobilize a large group of staff and faculty and have also
raised general awareness about internationalization at Toyo University.
3. The Achievement Report prepared by Toyo University for the ISAS (2.0) is of very
high quality and among the best IAU has received to date. The data that areincluded in its annexes can be mined for insights and suggestions for future policy
and program initiatives.
4. The leadership and management of Toyo University have accurately identified manyof the implementation problems and challenges of the TGD Project and are proactively seeking solutions and ways to overcome problems.
5. Toyo University has been strategic in identifying target recruitment countries forinternational students and allocating resources to open offices overseas.
6. Toyo University is responsive to international student feedback, seeking to findsolutions to problems as they are raised.

107. There is a high level of satisfaction with the support that international students
receive at Toyo University, in particular with regard to securing internships andassistance in job seeking.
8. Outgoing students expressed satisfaction with the opportunities offered by Toyo
University and were, for the most part, encouraged and able to share theirexperiences with others upon their return.
9. The concept of the Top Global Leader program is innovative and has the potential to
improve the international readiness of all Toyo University students. While achieving
this potential would require a number of modifications to the existing program, thebenefits would be substantial.
10. A crisis management protocol for students going abroad has been developed andtested by the International Office and a similar policy is being developed forinternational students.
11. Toyo University’s international engagement has been acknowledged andsynergistically enhanced by assuming the role as the Secretariat for the University
Mobility in Asia Pacific (UMAP).
12. Toyo University takes its role as a Top Global University institution type B very
seriously. It is committed to share its experiences and learnings with otheruniversities by organizing seminars on various internationalization topics and byplans to widely disseminate the ISAS (2.0) report when it is completed.

6. Recommendations
The overall and main purpose of the ISAS (2.0) is to provide participating institutions withadvice that can, in the short and medium-term, help universities find possible solutions toproblems encountered and/or consider alternative approaches to improve future policies andactions. The recommendations are based on an ‘outsiders’ appreciation of issues, challenges
and opportunities and therefore require interpretation and careful consideration within thecontext of the institution.
Recommendation 1:
The Toyo Global Diamonds project is the expression of the institutional strategy forinternationalization at the current time. It has a clear end date in 2024, and much has beenlearned through its implementation. The learnings from the project should be used to enhance
the next stage of the institutional strategy development. To ensure a smooth transition to a
new strategy it will be important to involve a wide range of stakeholders rather than relying
only on a top down approach to strategy development. The IAU Expert Panel therefore
recommends that Toyo University:11•

Immediately start to develop, in collaboration with the total university
community, a more comprehensive internationalization strategy, which willtake the university beyond the end of the current TGD project in 2024.

While a strategy must be developed in context for a particular institution at a particular point in
time, it may be useful for the planning group to look at examples of the internationalizationplans of other universities who have taken Comprehensive Internationalization as their starting
point, where these are available online. For example, the La Trobe University
Internationalization Plan 2014-2017 is founded on the principles of Comprehensive
Internationalization and readily available on the internet athttps://www.latrobe.edu.au/about/downloads/Internationalisation_plan.pdf.
Recommendation 2:
As observed above, the implementation of internationalization is taking place at a different
pace and in different ways in the various Faculties and Departments of the university. There isno universal single model or set of actions to achieve internationalization across institutions oreven within one institution. However, it is important that each Faculty and Department
understands its role within the strategy and is able to fulfil that role, using existing experiences,
projects, skills and knowledge and obtaining support whenever needed to develop new
activities, gain new skills and knowledge as necessary. This requires that some flexibility is built
into the strategy. It is therefore recommended that Toyo University:•

Adopt a more flexible, tailored strategy and actions to achieve internationalization
goals taking into account the existing capacities, strengths and interests of different
departments and faculties.

Recommendation 3:
The approach that has been adopted by Toyo University to the introduction of English as alanguage of instruction and the ambitious goals set within the internationalization strategy
have met with success in some parts of the university, but have also caused friction and tension
in some Departments. Concerns with the way in which English had been introduced as alanguage of instruction were voiced by the majority of stakeholder groups interviewed by thepanel. The panel was not able to explore these concerns or possible solutions in any depth in
the time available because solutions will depend largely on a range of factors outside of thescope of this review. Such factors include, for example, the percentage of staff with sufficientcompetency to teach effectively in English only, in English and in Japanese, in Japanese only,
and in languages other than Japanese.
It is important however that existing concerns are acknowledged and addressed as soon as
possible in order to ensure that students are provided with a high-quality learning experience.
Stakeholder views will be important in the development of a fit for purpose language of

12

instruction policy. Key stakeholders include faculty, staff and international and domestic
students.
The Panel recommends that,•

Through consultation with all stakeholders, specifically including students, Toyo
University develop a language policy that would avoid focusing indiscriminately andalmost exclusively on the use of English as a medium of instruction and consider theuse of other languages, including Japanese, that may correspond equally well to the
pursuit of its internationalization goals in the region and more globally.

Recommendation 4:
Increasing English language proficiency throughout the institution is required if Toyo University
is to attract international faculty members and students, maintain the quality of courses taught
in part or in whole in English and enhance its reputation as an international university.
Improving the English proficiency of faculty and students is a process that takes time,
resourcing and persistent effort. The current approach to the development of English
proficiency levels is focused primarily on recruitment strategies for new faculty, entry
requirements and concurrent language training for faculty and students. Though the approachto developing English classes should be considered carefully, a range of strategies beyond thosecurrently being used, could usefully be employed to improve, and increase if so decided, thecurrent offer. Strategies such as, for example, team teaching where teachers who are more
proficient in English teach alongside those with lower levels of proficiency and dual or bilingual
programs. Options for instructors include, but are not limited to: team teaching which pairs proficient with less proficient English language speakers,
 free English language classes for instructors,
 short term language development focused exchange programs for instructors
Options for students include, but are not limited to: Intensive vacation English classes offered free of charge or sponsored by grants and/or
scholarships from donors
 virtual conversation classes pairing students learning to be English language teacherswith Toyo University students seeking to improve their English
 additional extra-curricular activities in English such informal language mentoring (wherefor example Japanese speakers wanting to improve their English are paired with native
English speakers seeking to improve their Japanese), English language internships,
 teaching assistantships, and a concurrent Diploma in English Language similar to that offered by universities such as
the University of Queensland in Australia https://futurestudents.uq.edu.au/study/program/Diploma-in-Languages-1602.
13

A range of options should be provided and recognized. Recognition might include
accumulation of formal credit towards a Degree or concurrent Diploma or recognition
within a revised Toyo Global Leaders Program (see Recommendation 13).
It is recommended that Toyo University:•

Initiates, supports and recognizes the involvement of instructors and students in a
broader range of strategies and activities to support the development of the English
language skills.

Recommendation 5:
Student mobility is a central feature of the internationalization strategy at Toyo University andthere are many opportunities for domestic students to take up study abroad as part of theircourse. At the same time, obstacles remain and include language proficiency and a lack ofconfidence on the part of the Japanese students. Removing one important obstacle, namely
the recognition of credit for students’ study abroad, is within the capacity of the university andhas been successfully addressed in at least one Faculty. The IAU Expert Panel recommends that
Toyo University learn from this experience and facilitate the sharing and adapting of such goodpractice among Faculties in order to:•

Ensure that all students going abroad are able to clarify credit transfer arrangements
prior to departure.

This could be achieved through the introduction of a formal learning agreement to be signed byboth the university and the student prior to departure.
Recommendation 6:
Toyo is a large, comprehensive university spread, due to its multiple campuses, over several
locations. It is not unusual in such universities to find ‘hidden gems’, pockets of good practice ininternationalization.
The panel heard of a number of activities supporting the development of international andintercultural knowledge and skills in students and faculty at Toyo University, which did notappear to be widely known across the university. A number were organized by individual
faculty – hidden champions of internationalization. Examples included Theatre Workshops,
cross-cultural mentoring and occasional cross-cultural celebrations (such as a one-off “Iftar”1dinner involving Japanese and international students).
Pockets of good best practice in research were also identified by faculty interviewed by thepanel. The panel suggests there should be a stronger focus on supporting and strengthening
those faculty with existing international research collaborations and using them to mentor
other faculty to establish new collaborations. There are a number of ways in which faculty
might be supported in these endeavors. Those with international research collaborations might
1

Iftar is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset

14attract additional benefits such as additional administrative support to give them more time tospend on research, additional leave for research, bonus payments at the end of the year. A
number of universities reward faculty for peer reviewed journal articles. Such schemes canquite easily be calibrated to specifically reward articles co-authored with international
colleagues. Such a strategic approach will have multiple benefits. Faculty with increased
research experience and stronger international networks, will inspire other faculty and will also
be better able to contribute to the broader internationalization agenda of the university.
The panel is sure that there are many more examples of good practice in internationalization at
Toyo University than it was able to identify. The panel suggests a two-pronged approach toidentifying other internal examples. First, that existing champions and examples of goodpractice are identified and rewarded through the initiation of an annual ‘President’s
International Research Award” for Toyo staff. Second, ideas for ways to stimulate increased
engagement in internationalization of research, education and the co-curriculum are sought
through a general call to all staff and students to register their activities on a data-base and theallocation of a number of small grants (e.g. 10-50 small grants) to those identified as mostworthy. Those awarded grants could also make short videos about their project that appear on
the University website as one form of public celebration of their achievement.
It is recommended that Toyo University:•

Identifies existing examples of good practice in internationalization of research,teaching, and extra-curricular activities, celebrates them publicly and rewards faculty,
staff and students who are actively engaged in internationalization of research, as wellas internationalization of teaching and learning outcomes through the formal andinformal/extra curriculum (also known as the co-curriculum).

Recommendation 7:
As in all other areas of institutional development, developing distinctive approaches and uniqueselling points is increasingly important for universities. Student choices are made on the basisof various criteria but when choosing to study in Japan, the curiosity and desire to know more
about the country, its people and culture is most likely a motivating factor. Likewise, Japanese
students going abroad become Ambassadors for all things Japanese and increasing theirknowledge of their own culture may be useful. For this reason, the Expert Panel recommends
that Toyo University•

Integrate education in Japanese language and culture as a defining feature of its
internationalization strategy and make it more visible internationally.

For example, the engagement towards the festivals and voluntary activities in the local
community jointly by international and home students provides mutual benefit between theuniversities and local communities. This can be applied to all the campuses of Toyo University.

15

It would be advisable to involve Japanese students in organizing such kind of cultural events,
such as Japanese film festivals, theater and music performances, food fairs, short trips acrossJapan, etc. In this way such activities will benefit both international and Japanese students.
Japanese language courses could be made available to international students as part of theirformal curriculum. They could be coupled with informal language exchange programs in which
a Japanese student teaches Japanese to a foreign student and learn a foreign language from theforeign student.
Recommendation 8:
To meet the challenges of a centralized approach to internationalization in a multi-campus
university, Toyo University has appointed key liaison persons in each campus and Faculty tofocus on internationalization matters on a part time basis. In some circumstances the
additional responsibilities appear to have simply been added on to the responsibilities of staff(e.g. Academic Affairs managers) without additional time of training being provided. The basis
on which specific individuals were selected to undertake these duties was not clear. Several of
those interviewed appeared to have no international experience, the required language
proficiency or even any interest in internationalization. Furthermore, their specific role within
the overall governance of internationalization was not clear, leading to some frustration forthem and confusion for the students. In light of the fact that there are no dedicatedInternational Office representatives on the campuses other than Hakusan, the role of suchinternational liaison officers is very important. They should be appropriately supported andrewarded for the work that they undertake. This support and reward may take various forms,
such as the identification of additional career path opportunities and opportunities forexchange and sabbatical leave for non-academic staff.

It is recommended that Toyo University•

Clarify the role and responsibilities of international liaison staff such as Academic
Affairs managers, and any other staff with specific international responsibilities, andprovide them with appropriate professional training and motivational incentives toeffectively perform their roles.

Recommendation 9:
The monitoring framework for internationalization at Toyo University is primarily, if not
exclusively linked to the TGD project and responds to the reporting exigencies of MEXT as thesource of financial support for the project. The indicators used correspond to the targets
included in the project proposal submitted in 2014. The Expert Panel read about and heard theconcerns expressed by various Toyo University representatives concerning the pressure theyfelt to deliver on these numerical targets. Broadening the range of indicators to include
qualitative indicators focused on all students’ learning outcomes is a significant but very
16

important undertaking that both enhances and widens the lens through whichinternationalization is viewed.
The Panel recommends that Toyo University:•

Invest the time and resources required to identify and pilot alternative qualitative
indicators of internationalization, focusing on learning outcomes for all students andthat these be developed and agreed in consultation with faculty and students.

Recommendation 10:
Tackling the development of qualitative indicators based on learning outcomes is a major
undertaking. It is one however, that can draw on experiences from many other universities thathave already made progress in this direction. This process is also linked to a strengthened andmore deliberate process of internationalization of the curriculum. Internationalization of thecurriculum and internationalization at home are often strongly linked to goals related tograduating students who are more globally minded and better prepared to live and work in a
globalized world. These outcomes are consistent with Toyo University’s commitment toprovide enhanced employment and life opportunities to all students, a fundamental value ofthe institution. For these reasons, the Panel recommends that•

As part of the 2021 curricular redesign, Toyo University articulate clearly the value ofinternationalization of the curriculum for students, staff and the institution as a whole,and develop an integrated strategy to achieve it across all departments.

Recommendation 11:
Internationalizing the curriculum is complex as it takes on different characteristics acrossdisciplines and programs and requires distinctive approaches to teaching and learning. It does
not need to engage all faculty members but does require leadership at discipline and programlevel and some shared commitment across a teaching team. Toyo University is well placed at
this moment in time to pilot an approach to internationalizing the curriculum in a few
Departments. A good starting point would be to identify champions within a few Departments
across the institution, and assist them to create a network to support their work and encourageothers to internationalize their curriculum. Next, Champions will most likely require specifictraining and professional support from those with expertise in teaching, learning and course
design for internationalization. Such support can be provided initially by external consultants orappropriately qualified internal trainers and advisers. In summary, the Panel recommends thatthe university:•

Provide professional support to faculty members to internationalize the curriculum
and reward and recognize those who do so successfully in order to inspire andstimulate others.

17

Recommendation 12:
As noted earlier in this report, Toyo University has been strategic in identifying the geographic
priorities for recruiting international students and opening offices in related countries. The
increased visibility and prestige gained by being one of the Top Global University project
institutions is also helping to facilitate partnerships with foreign universities. Furthermore, thescholarships offered by Toyo University make it an attractive option for degree seeking students.
The current concentration of international students from a few source countries is however a
disadvantage. This is a common problem faced by universities across the world and it will
require a concerted effort to diversify the international student population of Toyo University.
Recruitment strategies will need to be tailored to different target regions and countries.
Opportunities such as using current international students and alumni networks, as well as
faculty members with overseas experience and contacts to assist the university to diversify theinternational student population should be considered. The Panel recommends that Toyo
University:•

Investigate and trial a range of strategies to diversify the national, cultural andlinguistic background of international students.

These may include, for instance, developing partnerships with specific institutions in countries
so far not source countries for Toyo University, strengthening focus on Toyo University as adestination for those wishing to learn more about Japan, hiring academic staff from nontraditional source countries to act as ‘bridges’ for student exchanges, developing virtual
collaborations with a broader range of partners.
Recommendation 13:
One of the innovative aspects of the TGD project is the program that enables all students tobecome Toyo Global Leaders. To date, the number of students that are achieving the hopedfor levels of the program remain low despite the interest and the students’ recognition of thevalue of receiving the Bronze, Silver or Gold certificate. In other universities similar programs
include extra-curricular as well as curricular engagement, and in some they are offered to staff
as well as students (albeit in a slightly different format). The UniSA+ Award, developed at the
University of South Australia, over the past decade, provides a useful model. To raise thesuccess rate and visibility of the program and ensure it achieves its full potential, the IAU Expert
Panel recommends that Toyo University:•

More actively promotes the Toyo Global Leaders Program to students, emphasizing its
benefits, that is open to all students and the possibility to incorporate extra-curricular
as well as curricular achievements; and that at some stage in the future Toyo
University considers introducing a modified version of the program for staff.

Recommendation 14:
The achievements reached by Toyo University in the relatively short time during whichinternationalization has been an institutional priority have been substantial. They have been18

due in part to the commitment of leadership to the process, to the prestige gained by Toyo
University from the Top Global University project and to the influx of additional financial
resources. Increased numbers of international students and expanded offerings of English
language taught courses as well as larger numbers of Toyo University students taking up shortterm and long-term study abroad programs all require significant additional workload for staff
and faculty. This workload is not only associated with the preparation for such programs but
also in the day-to-day management of classes and support services. There is a limit to theongoing expansion of such activities without additional human resources and training to relieve
the pressure on faculty and staff members. Should Toyo University continue on its growthtrajectory as planned and expected, the IAU Expert Panel recommends that: The University conducts a review of the human resources required to maintain a highquality education, including support services, considering most particularly therelevant balance between the need for expert international staff, generaladministrative staff and faculty.
Recommendation 15:
As Toyo University moves forward it will be important to set aspirational but achievable longterm and short-term goals that are consistent with the ethos and values of the university,
founded on a comprehensive, holistic view of internationalization and supported by theallocation of appropriate resourcing across the University, professional development for faculty
and staff, and services for students. Developing a holistic strategy will require consultation andnegotiation and the inclusion of specific goals and actions related to both theinternationalization of research and the learning outcomes of all students.
A focus on increasing the international, intercultural and global mindedness of all students
studying at Toyo University, a goal in the current strategy, requires additional effort. This canonly be achieved through changes in the curriculum and the co-curriculum designed to create aclassroom and campus environment that overtly values and rewards engagement with diverse
ideas and people. This will require a focus on internationalization of the curriculum as a processof change and innovation, more extra-curricular activities for students, different approaches toteaching and course design and more recognition of those students, staff and faculty members
who take an active part in the process of internationalization.
Strategies to internationalize research, alongside strategies to internationalize the curriculum,
teaching and learning are critical. These two activities can complement and strengthen eachother. The Panel recommends that:
The internationalization actions moving forward include a focus on one or more goals
related to increasing the international, intercultural and global mindedness of all
students studying at Toyo University which connect with other goals related to theinternationalization of research.

19

Recommendation 16:
As a final recommendation, and in line with growing practice in universities that wish to meetthe challenges of internationalization in complex and demanding times, the Panel recommends
that Toyo University:
 Establishes a small International Advisory Committee or Board to provide advice andfeedback on the development of a new, more comprehensive internationalization
strategy which will sustain and expand the progress already made with the TGD
project and related activities.
Taken together, these sixteen recommendations may seem like a daunting task. The IAU Expert
Panel encourages Toyo University to take the time required to truly embed already achieved
progress and avoid rushing into new action plans before various stakeholders are ready.
Gaining broad-based ownership, and the process to reach that, is as important as reaching thevarious objectives and targets. This is not a 100-meter dash but rather a long-distance raceover some potentially challenging terrain.

7. Conclusion
The Expert panel received outstanding information and support prior to and during the ISAS
(2.0) visit. On the basis of their review of the information received and the various
conversations they had while on campus in July 2019, the Expert panel made a number ofobservations, commendations and recommendations. They conclude that Toyo University ismaking steady progress to achieve the goals of the TGD project. International students
expressed high levels of satisfaction and those who had had an international experience werepositive about the experience, the support they received and they are ready to encourageothers. For many the campus ‘feels’ more international as they see many more international
students and hear different languages spoken around them. Some university customs and rules
have been adjusted to accommodate the specific needs of students from diverse religious andcultural backgrounds. When students have raised issues of concern the university has
responded to them in positive ways.
Internationalization changes institutions, and change is not always a comfortable process, eventhough the end result may be a more desirable state. Therefore, it is not unusual that there will
be some resistance to change requiring adjustments to strategy. Hence regular monitoring of
progress towards goals and critical analysis of assumptions and preconceptions is important.
The IAU ISAS (2.0) process was embraced by Toyo University as an opportunity to take stock of
its achievements and receive critical feedback from external experts to inform the developmentof the next stage of their internationalization strategy. Toyo University can confidently andboldly build on the excellent achievements to date to move the institution to the next, more allencompassing phase of internationalization where the university will not consider
internationalization activities as add-ons but as an integral part of its vision, mission and waysof operating. The review team has made 16 recommendations which it hopes will be valuable20

to the development and implementation of Toyo University’s future internationalization
strategy.
The IAU Expert Panel thanks Toyo University for its outstanding preparatory work for the ISAS
(2.0) service, for its logistical coordination of the process, and its warm hospitality and support
during the site visit. Particular thanks go to Vice President Kazuo Takahashi, who chaired the
ISAS (2.0) Steering Committee, to Shingo Ashizawa who initiated the idea that Toyo University
use the ISAS (2.0) service, to Kiyotaka Takahashi and to Yumi Enkaku for all her excellent workin preparing and sending all background documents, making all the logistical arrangements forour site visit and communicating with the Panel Chair and Members quickly and clearly at all
times. Through them we extend our gratitude to all others who worked hard to make the ISAS
(2.0) process a success.
The welcoming atmosphere that the Panel enjoyed during the site visit made the meetings bothinformative and enjoyable for all of us. The interest and dedication of Toyo University faculty,
staff members and students have been exemplary and the university’s achievements thus far
attest to this and deserve recognition and celebration. It is our most sincere hope that thisreport will be viewed as an accurate description of Toyo University’s current state ofdevelopment in internationalization and as constructive and helpful for the future.

21