Presentation Abstract at JALT2003 Shizuoka

An American Campus in Japan; its Legacy to Society

Hajime Umeda
Suzuka International University

　　The purpose of this research is to examine in what aspects a branch American campus (Minnesota State University-Akita=MSUA) contributed to Japanese society.
　　In March 2003, MSUA concluded its 13-year history due to financial difficulty. This bi-cultural institute, however, had offered the Japanese students a very unique learning environment since 1990. Equivalent to an American junior college, MSUA conferred Associate of Arts degrees after the students completed 96 credit hours in the general education curriculum. At the same time, MSUA worked as a stepping stone for the Japanese students to transfer to one of six sister state universities. The presenter would like to investigate MSUAﾕs legacy to Japanese society.
　　In order to conduct this research, a questionnaire was given to some 100 MSUA Japanese alumni. They were asked (1) what they did immediately after finishing (or leaving) the program at MSUA, (2) if the life at MSUA was useful when they transferred to another American university and were studying toward a higher degree, (3) what degree they eventually earned after MSUA, (4) in what country they got the very first full-time jobs, and (5) if they need to use English where they currently work.
　　The results demonstrate that MSUA functioned as a bridge between the US and Japan, familiarizing the Japanese students with American higher education, thus providing them with academic skills necessary for survival in their overseas studies. It is also implied that MSUA helped the Japanese students adapt themselves to globalization in society.

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