ScholarOne - World-class Education for the Few: A Foucauldian Analysis
of Japan’s Designated National University Corporation System Policy
Discourse
Abstract
This study explores the discourse of educational excellence and
internationalisation in Japan’s Designated National University
Corporation System. It frames the policy initiative within the continuum
of longstanding goals set by the Japanese government and demonstrates
how the work of Michel Foucault can be used to help uncover intricate
power dynamics and ideological conflicts inherent in policy. The
investigation employs Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to
Be?” framework to operationalise Foucault’s theories and investigate
the policy discourse. Consequently, the research illuminates the
government’s central concern as the global competitiveness of Japanese
universities, leading to the imposition of rigorous criteria for the
designation, emphasising research quality, collaboration with society,
and international cooperation. The recommendation is that more
comprehensive reforms are needed to foster authentic global engagement
and inclusivity across a broader base of higher education institutions,
rather than focussing resources on elites and their pursuit of global
prestige.