Glocal Hatara-Kurasu Gunma
Project
Employment Promotion Program for International Students

“Glocal Hatara-Kurasu Gunma” Project
Promoting settlement of international students as high-level human resources in Gunma

“Glocal Hatara-Kurasu Gunma” Project
Megumi Yuki (Professor, Gunma University)

There are more than a few international students with advanced abilities in the Japanese language, who wish to work in the prefecture and can play active roles in their respective fields. If these students stay in Gunma, that could not only address the labor shortage but also enhance the sustainability of local industries and even promote their global business operations.

Gunma University was adopted for the “Employment Promotion Program for International Students” sponsored by MEXT, with a goal of 300,000 international students. We established a collaborative system among 40 local stakeholders (academic, industrial, and government and financial institutions), including 10 higher education institutions, to promote the employment of international students through an all-Gunma effort.

Developing international students as high-level human resources, living and working in Gunma

The project aims to increase the employment rate of international students in Gunma from the current 15% to about 50%. The project is being carried out with the collaboration of municipalities, local companies, and 10 higher education institutions (Gunma University, Gunma Prefectural Women’s University, Takasaki City University of Economics, Maebashi Institute of Technology, Kyoai Gakuen University, Kanto Gakuen University, Jobu University, Takasaki University of Commerce, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, and the National Institute of Technology, Gunma College). The main purpose of the project is to develop high-level human resources who can contribute to industry in Gunma.

Glocal Leadership Program (GLLP)*

We have named this development program the “Glocal Leadership Program (GLLP).” This is a special curriculum, designed for this project, to help international students to improve their basic abilities as working people. This includes Japanese language learning through various hands-on experiences in the prefecture. There are three pillars to the program. The first is Business Japanese, to help students acquire language ability equivalent to the N1 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Second is Career Education, to help them to make firm career plans and to prevent mismatching in employment, through company visits and continuing dialogues with business owners and managers. Third is the Internship Program, as developed and offered on medium-term and long-term bases (about one month). There are two types of internships: community-based, where multiple companies cooperate to accept international students on a community basis, and industry-based, where a single industry or company accepts international students.

Toward win-win activities for both international students and companies

We think that international students who have acquired expertise in local higher education institutions, and who can offer the perspective of a “stranger, youth, and foreigner,” should be able to provide new ideas and solid technical abilities to local communities and companies. With our active support of companies that have little experience in employing international students, we aim to work for a win-win relationship.