Internationalisation in Japanese Higher Education through the Lens of Women's Leadership

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Internationalisation in Japanese Higher Education through the Lens of Women's Leadership
Language: English
Authors: Akiyoshi Yonezawa, Keiko Sasaki, Ginko Kawano, Meiying Huang, Yuko Takahashi
Source: Comparative Education. 2026 62(1):166-184.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Global Approach, Higher Education, Disproportionate Representation, Women Administrators, Foreign Countries, College Presidents, Administrator Attitudes, Leadership, College Administration, Non Western Civilization, Private Colleges, Public Colleges, Sex Fairness
Geographic Terms: Japan
DOI: 10.1080/03050068.2025.2574755
ISSN: 0305-0068
1360-0486
Abstract: This study undertakes a critical examination of the intricacies of internationalisation 'beyond the West', with a particular focus on gender in and university leadership in Japan. Notwithstanding Japan's considerable academic achievements, a notable gender disparity persists with regard to university leadership. We examine career trajectories based on the publicly available profiles of university presidents, and interviews with women university presidents in Japan. The article focuses on the characteristics and impact of internationalisation on their role in higher education. The analysis reveals how women leaders strategically leverage international experiences and networks to navigate domestic gender barriers while simultaneously managing culturally authentic demands. This study demonstrates how internationalisation operates as both a resource and burden for women leaders, offering critical insights into the limitations of binary 'West versus Rest' frameworks in understanding intersectional experiences of academic leadership. It also contributes to the field of comparative education by demonstrating the complex interplay between gender, culture, and global academic mobility.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500872
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This study undertakes a critical examination of the intricacies of internationalisation 'beyond the West', with a particular focus on gender in and university leadership in Japan. Notwithstanding Japan's considerable academic achievements, a notable gender disparity persists with regard to university leadership. We examine career trajectories based on the publicly available profiles of university presidents, and interviews with women university presidents in Japan. The article focuses on the characteristics and impact of internationalisation on their role in higher education. The analysis reveals how women leaders strategically leverage international experiences and networks to navigate domestic gender barriers while simultaneously managing culturally authentic demands. This study demonstrates how internationalisation operates as both a resource and burden for women leaders, offering critical insights into the limitations of binary 'West versus Rest' frameworks in understanding intersectional experiences of academic leadership. It also contributes to the field of comparative education by demonstrating the complex interplay between gender, culture, and global academic mobility.
ISSN:0305-0068
1360-0486
DOI:10.1080/03050068.2025.2574755