長岡工業高等専門学校研究紀要

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第45巻

第２号（2009）

RATIONALITY OF HYPOTHESISIN COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY IN JAPANCan the fiftieth anniversary reform it to be capable of real engineering education?

Hiroki ISHIDA1
1

Dept. of Electronic Control Engineering, Nagaoka National College of Technology

From the point of view of the reformation of college of technology in Japan, the history of its
establishment, the current statuses and the background were reviewed without hesitation to findthe way out of the crucial problems included therein. Through the discussions on thereformation, some important points that the fiftieth anniversary should aim were presented; theimprovement of the environment of engineering education, and the legal guarantee andpromotion of the research work of the faculty are pressing needs for the reformation of collegeof technology in Japan. The fiftieth anniversary should be the good opportunity to abolish theold discussions on the college of technology and to promote the external evaluation.

Key Words: college of technology, reformation, faculty, fiftieth anniversary

1. INTRODUCTION
About fifty years have passed since the “College
of Technology” in Japan was established in 1962.
Today, many colleges of technology have been,
however, reformed as the colleges aiming to thereal fundamental engineering education system
which will be capable of obliging the hope of many
young students who have entered them just after
graduation from the middle school (at age only
fifteen!) aiming to become good and promising
engineers in their future.
Many colleges of technology in Japan have been
established extemporarily in mid 1960’s; the time ofhigh-growth economy of Japan after the World War
II, according to the national need to ensure many
young and able workers who were well-trained in
the engineering field to many developing industries
at the time of Japan. Consequently, the system ofcollege of technology has involved many aspects
similar to the vocational training school for youngboys.
The college of technology, thereby, has involved
many crucial problems from the point of view of

normal early engineering education system foryoung students, as discussed later in detail, justsince the beginning of its establishment; it hasneither the system satisfying standard level of highschool education nor that of university, the facilities
in education and research environment have beenvery poor and unsatisfactory for real advanced
education system of engineering, the faculty has no
duty to conduct the research work, the graduates
can never be awarded the title of bachelor inengineering.
Nowadays, due to the yearlyremarkable decrease in the number of teenagers inJapan, it has become difficult year by year to collect
the applicants up to the regular number of freshmenof college of technology.
Needless to say, today’s mainstream of theadvanced engineering education in manyindustrialized countries, including Japan, has
shifted into the master course at the graduate school.
Unless the advanced course is completed andstrengthened, there will be no other way for today’s
college of technology to survive in Japanaccordingly. How can we break these walls; many

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Hiroki ISHIDA

crucial problems in the system of college oftechnology? � What policy and stratagem should
we have to find the way out of them?
In recent over two decades, although there havebeen many discussions and arguments to find theway out of the crucial problems involved in thecollege of technology in Japan, the discussions havenever been opened widely to many people, andthereby the actual status of college of technology
has not been known enough to many people even in
the area of engineering education.
In my personal view, the policy itself of theestablishment of college of technology aiming to
supply many young workers who are well-trained inengineering area to industries; extempore five-years
school of vocational training for young boys who
have just graduated from middle school, hasprevented the people from discussing openly thereformation and reconstruction of it.
Nevertheless, it seems to me in other way too.
Namely, todays crucial problems may give somegood chances for college of technology to survive
in Japan through the dynamic reformation fifty
years after the establishment, according to the needof normal fundamental engineering education forpromising young students.
In this article, from the point of view describedabove, as a member of the faculties in college oftechnology, I would like to review the current statusof college of technology in Japan, and discuss it
without hesitation to find the way out of the crucial
problems included therein.
2. CURRENT STATUSES AND
THE BACKGROUND
It should be emphasized here again that thecollege of technology has been established as the
improvised five-years school of vocational training
for young boys who have just graduated frommiddle school, aiming to supply many young
workers, well-trained in engineering area, todeveloping industries of Japan in mid 1960s.
Many fatal defects in the current system ofcollege of technology have come from this historyof establishment. By the school education law ofJapan, although one of the important objects ofuniversity education is to develop and enhance theability of the students both in morality andapplication of their knowledge, the main object of
the education in college of technology is just only
to let the students obtain the ability of their futureoccupation.
Consequently, the policy of high-growtheconomy of Japan in mid 1960s had almost no
hope on the graduates of college of technology todevelop and enhance their abilities both in morality
and application of their knowledge. Owing to thedifference in the object of establishment between
university and college of technology, the faculties
of college of technology have no duty of researchwork, and there has been officially no system
supporting their research work accordingly. The
object and policy of the establishment of college oftechnology in Japan in mid 1960s has never beenchanged yet and continued as it is still now, which
has thereby brought about some crucial problems in
the education system as follows;�1�The course of general education, where theages of the students of the 1st~3rd years are thesame as those in high school, does Not satisfy thestandard of high school education in Japan. The
number of faculties is very small, and thereby many
part-time teachers engage in many classes offundamental important subjects; Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, Japanese
Language, etc. Consequently, although the main
object of college of technology is Education, theeducation environment is considerably poor foradvanced education system in engineering.
(2)� The credit unit for the class hour in thecollege of technology is counted as only a half ofthat in University. It leads to very congested
curriculum for students and also for teachers
accordingly. Unreasonably, on the other hand, therequired subject in college of technology does notmean the subject of which the students must get thecredit unit, but that the students should only learn itat their classroom. Consequently, there is no final
hindrance for the promotion and graduation of thestudents, even if they have failed to get the credit― 42 ―RATIONALITY OF HYPOTHESIS IN COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY IN JAPAN

units of the required subjects of the fundamental
important areas; Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
English, etc.
(3) Owing to the lack of the scholarship
satisfying the graduation level of high school in theimportant areas, many students of the 4th and 5thyears cannot keep up with their classes infundamental engineering education of the university
level; Mathematics, Physics, English, etc.
Average level of the scholarship of students of the
4th and 5th years is considerably lower than that of
the 3rd year students of high school who aim topass the entrance examination of university andstudy science and engineering. Today, althoughmany graduates of college of technology have been
widely accepted for admission as the 3rd year
students of many universities, many of them cannot
keep up with the classes in the university.
(4) Students have no aim to pass the entrance
examination of university in their daily lives, andthey have no duty to get the credit units of therequired subjects. Many students cannot feelthe necessity of studying and mastering thefundamental subjects of many classes accordingly.
From the point of view that the authentic advanced
engineering education system should aim to train
the students who will be capable of engaging injobs in many areas in their future, and of becoming
the leader in their work group, the system of collegeof technology may have fatal problems since theestablishment, because authentic engineers need tobe capable of appropriate and correct decision
making in many cases in their jobs.
�5� Faculties of college of technology have no
duty to engage in the research work, and there has
been officially no system supporting their research
work accordingly. As a matter of course, not afew faculties who have long career in college oftechnology have abandoned the research work
finally, which has led to the obvious decrease in
their education activity also.
These are the characteristic aspects that can beobserved commonly in many colleges oftechnology in Japan, but the people even in theareas of engineering and advanced education know
them little. It is due to the fact that the system ofcollege of technology has been closed on thepeculiar course far from the normal education
system of Japan. For about fifty years since theestablishment, this closed system, which is little
known to people, has prevented the reformation andreconstruction for the development of college oftechnology. From the point of view of the current
status of college of technology, the certification by
JABEE (Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering
Education) may be unreasonable, because many
parts in the current system of college of technology
are far from the standard of the accreditation by
JABEE.
It should be noted here that the future position of
the graduates of college of technology in many
working areas; companies, public offices, etc., is, infact, not good for their high competence in theirwork. It, however, has been as same as that in thetime of establishment in mid 1960s, because theeducational background still weighs greatly inJapanese society. The number of the graduates ofcollege of technology in a year is very smaller thanthat of the university and the graduate school inengineering. Todays many working areas inengineering, in particular the research anddevelopment division in many companies andpublic institutes, require the staffs who have beenwell-trained in engineering and also obtained thedegrees of bachelor and master in engineering.
Many of intellectual people in Japan including
teachers of middle and high schools have, of course,
already known this disadvantageous future of thegraduates of college of technology since theestablishment fifty years ago.
The unreasonable disadvantage in the future of
the graduates has brought about many serious
troubles for the students in many colleges oftechnology in the early 1970s, which were thereasonable protest of many students at that time.
There was, however, no other way for teaches andstaffs except to tell the students to leave the college
if they dont agree with the object of the― 43 ―

Hiroki ISHIDA

establishment of college of technology.
The hypothesis; the graduates of college oftechnology will be acceptable in their future as thepromising professional engineers in many industries,
had No rationality at all, and had been just only afantasy since the establishment. In fact, in mypersonal view, there are no teachers and staffs of
the college of technology who hope their son ordaughter to enter the college of technology, if they
had experienced the normal advanced education in
the university.
Owing to the marked decrease in the number ofteenager in Japan, and to the increase in theinterdisciplinary areas of engineering, todays
Japanese universities in engineering have faced
their reformation to become attractive andoutstanding. Reorganization and unification ofmany departments in similar engineering areas havebeen, thereby, reasonable mainstream. On thecontrary, the departments in the college oftechnology have been subdivided into manybranches according to the administrative guidanceof education of Japan government.
� College of technology has involved some crucial
inconsistencies since the establishment. If it aims
the extempore five-years school of vocational
training for young boys who have just graduatedfrom middle school, the establishments of theuniversity of technology and the graduate school in
Nagaoka and Toyohashi, which connect to thecollege of technology, would have no rationale.
The establishment of the advanced course in thecollege of technology also would have no rationale.
On the other hand, if college of technology aims theadvanced school of engineering for young boys, itcannot account for the aforementioned many fatal
defects in the current system.
In addition, there is no legal ground for thecurrent advanced course in the college oftechnology because it cannot satisfy legally thestandard accreditation level of university, and thefaculties who have no duty of research work engage
in the education of university level, although thefaculties of university have the duty of research

work by the school education law of Japan.
These many fatal defects in the current status ofcollege of technology have brought about muchdiscouragement of new (and young) teachers who
have excellent career in various areas ofengineering. As a matter of course, many of the
new teachers become eager to search and apply toanother faculty position shortly after their arrival at
the college of technology.
Whatever the current legal assignment in Japan is,today no one may have the objection to the opinion
that the college of technology has already finishedthe duty, and thereby should be reformed andreconstructed as a normal and real advanced schoolin engineering. The college of technology has
already been left behind the mainstream ofadvanced engineering education system, and it has
been very difficult year by year to collect the
freshmen up to the regular number due to the
obvious decrease in the number of teenagers inJapan.
The choice of abrogation of college oftechnology due to the finish of its social duty, ofcourse, may be one of the reasonable policies in the
future programs of the advanced engineering
education in Japan. It should be emphasized,
however, that the college of technology has greatly
contributed to the fundamental engineering
education for many young boys who have nochances to enter the university due to theeconomical status of their family since theestablishment in mid 1960s.
3. HOW SHOULD IT BE REFORMED?
In recent over a decade, almost all colleges oftechnology have invited the applicants openly for a
new position of faculty who has a Ph.D. degree inscience or engineering as the minimum requirement.
Namely, todays college of technology hasrequested all applicants to have the sufficientresearch career before their employment. Owing
to the obvious increase in the research activity of
the faculty of todays college of technology, almost
all faculties have Ph.D. degree, and they are to be― 44 ―RATIONALITY OF HYPOTHESIS IN COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY IN JAPANqualified every five years to maintain the faculty
position in the advanced course of college oftechnology.
Thus, It seems to me that todays college oftechnology has been reformed and reconstructed to
become the real advanced school of engineering,and to be capable of obliging the hope of many
young students. Todays society, fifty years since
the establishment, may give the college oftechnology a good chance to be reformed andreconstructed.
The first, it should be emphasized here that theold object and policy of the establishment ofcollege of technology of fifty years ago should be
abolished officially. The number of graduates ofcollege of technology who aim to enter theuniversity as the 3rd year students has increased
year by year, and todays almost all departments inscience and engineering of the university in Japan
accept them warmly. As the result of it, thenumber of the graduates of college of technology
who could successfully get Ph.D. degree in scienceand engineering has increased year by year.
Consequently, the old object and policy of theestablishment of the college of technology; theimprovised five-years school of vocational training
for young boys who have just graduated frommiddle school, has already lost the rationality. The
fantasy in the old object and policy of the college oftechnology; extempore vocational training schoolfor able young boys or complete education forpromising young boys as future gentle engineers
should be abandoned officially. No one has believed
them since the establishment fifty years ago.
The main and important points for the drastic
reformation and improvement of the college oftechnology are, in my personal view, as follows;(1) The education process in the division ofgeneral education for the 1st~3rd years students
should be completed to satisfy the standard of highschool education, so that the students can never be
separated from the education process of the students
in high school. The education process in collegeof technology should never be exceptional among

the usual education system for young boys of thesame age.
(2) The education of college of technology
should be divided into two steps; high school anduniversity levels. The students free choice ofvariable courses should be admitted legally after
their completion of the third year course; getting ajob, entering the university or continuing the study
in the college of technology. This has beencounseled strongly by many professionals in
education, and proved by the fact that about
20~30% of new students (freshmen) usuallydisappear at the graduation ceremony five years
later.
For obtaining the social authorization as a realadvanced school of engineering through thereformation, the college of technology shouldchange into the school of which the young
graduates have no disadvantage in many areas;
companies, public offices, universities, etc. The
college of technology should concentrate on thefundamental education, so that all young graduates
can get the scholarship satisfying the graduationlevel of high school in many important areas ofengineering; Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry,
English, etc., and all applicants can successfully
enter the university as the 3rd year students passing
the entrance examination. Todays social
background is entirely different from that of fifty
years ago, the establishment of college oftechnology.
For the faculty in college of technology, theacademic environment has been very poor tosustain their research activity still now since theestablishment. All faculties have, however, engaged
in enthusiastic engineering education and research
work even in such the disadvantageous
environment. Such the enthusiasm has been needed
for the faculty of college of technology.
Needless to say, for the original and active workin education, the principle on the researchmethodology must have been established in thefaculty itself. Consequently, in the current status― 45 ―

Hiroki ISHIDA

of the environment (education and research) of
college of technology, the very careful screening on
the employment of new faculty is needed.
I would like to emphasize again here that the old
object and policy of the establishment of college oftechnology of fifty years ago should be abolishedofficially. The improvement of the environment
for engineering education, and the legal guarantee
and promotion of the research work of the faculty
are pressing needs for the reformation of college oftechnology in Japan.
We should remember that the main principle ofengineering education for young students is to bringup them as professional for finding the
problem rather than professional for solving the
problem. Education in college of technology
should never be degraded to vocational training.
��
4. WHAT SHOULD THE 50th ANNIVERSARY
AIM?
Although the reformation and reconstruction of
the universities and the graduate schools have been
important subjects for their survival due to themarked decrease in the number of young students inJapan, in particular, in the recent two decades, thecollege of technology has been left behind themainstream of them still now since theestablishment fifty years ago. It is, however,well-known fact that the current status and the
crucial problems of the college of technology are
attributable to the administrative guidance by theformer ministry of education of Japan government
for many years since the establishment.
In my previous article, the history and the current
status of college of technology in Japan have been
described in detail without hesitation, and one of
the reformation programs for the survival has been
1)
proposed . The discussions in the article haveattracted many favorable comments from many
faculties of university and college of technology,
and the presidents also.
Consequently, many people in the area of todaysadvanced education in Japan have alreadyascertained the kernel of the problems included in
the college of technology. The fiftieth anniversary

should be the good opportunity to abolish the old
discussions on the education of college oftechnology; extempore vocational training schoolfor able young boys or complete education forpromising young boys as future gentle engineers.
Today, it has been very difficult year by year tocollect the applicants up to the regular number offreshmen of college of technology. The main
attractive points of college of technology for many
young boys and their parents may be the easy pathto enter the university as the 3rd year student, andthe complete education in the advanced course.
Needless to say, todays college of technology
needs an external evaluation on the current status
and the future program by many people in various
areas; local society, high schools, universities,
colleges, industries, etc. The fiftieth anniversary
should be the good opportunity for the promotion of
the external evaluation also.
REFERENCE
1) Ishida, H.: Todays Problems in the College ofTechnology of Japan, Engineering Education, Japan
Association of Engineering Education, Vol.43, No.3,
pp.24-28, 1995.
(Received August 24, 2009)― 46 ―