Asia-Pacific Association for International Education at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center Bangkok, Thailand 13-17 March 2023 For the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education systems, particularly affecting international education given the restrictions in physical travel in many cases. In our session, we offer some research insights and share the personal views of international educators regarding the changes in student mobility and international education practices in Japan, Korea, the United States, and Italy as a result of the pandemic. The reports from Japan, Korea, and the United States provide important findings on international students’ experiences and enrollment during the 2021–2023 academic year, highlighting the challenges faced by students and institutions amid the pandemic. Lectures by Korean and Italian representatives also provide updates about how the COVID-19 pandemic has reformulated their international education practices by accelerating digitalization efforts and inclusive education initiatives. Higher education institutions in these four countries have exerted great effort to reenergize international student mobility. By showcasing the international education practices of the four countries, we aim to create an arena where we can broaden our understanding of international education practices and explore future potentials through discussions with participating audience members.

1. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023 1
Dr Yusuke Sakurai1 & Dr Ryoko Nakano2
 Hiroshima University1 & Tohoku University2, Japan
Mr BoKyung Kim
 Hanyang University, ERICA Campus, Korea
Dr Mirka Martel
 Institute of International Education, USA
Mrs Dora Maria Longoni
 University of Padua, Italy
5A: From lessons learned to discovering new
international education initiatives
Footer

2. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023
From lessons learned to
discovering new international
education initiatives
Yusuke SAKURAI, PhD. Hiroshima University &
Ryoko NAKANO, PhD. Graduate School of Dentistry,
Tohoku University

3. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023
Supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant
(Grant Number 20KK0052)
Project Leader:
Professor Dr Sachihiko Kondo, Osaka
University
https://newnormal-jointintlresearch.org

4. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Thousands
Graduate Undergraduate
 Overall slight drop in
number
Decrease of degree seekers
Increase of non-degree
seekers
 New Covid measures:
Individual choices -
wearing masks in/outdoors
from March 13 (c.f.,
seasonal influenza)
Japan: COVID-19 response
HEI international students
Source: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/ryugaku/1412692_00003.htm
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/01/27/national/covid-downgrade-risk-messaging/
127,032

5.  Transition of
international student
number incl. degree-
seekers & non-degree-
seekers
International students in Japanese HEIs
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
May
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
May
2,074
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000 2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Hiroshima Uni.
Tohoku Uni.
3,485

6. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023
Case 1: Hiroshima University

7.  Online language training for
Chinese partner institutions
 Enhancing the pool of potential
degree-seeking students
 Language & cultural classes (&
excursions) with Non-Chinese
partners
 Increase of program participants:
150 students/semester
 Japanese language learning
support for students of African
partners
 Online pre-sojourn training &
conversation buddy
Japanese language & culture online programs:

8. Japan-Africa Triangle Education
Program
 Online & on-site program with sub-
Saharan & Egyptian partners
International Collaborative Human
Resources Development Program
 Summer school with five Asian
universities
Outbound & bilateral exchange:
https://triangle-africa.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en
https://inclusive-asia.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en

9. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023
Case 2: Tohoku University

10. 0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
2020-01-22
2020-02-21
2020-03-22
2020-04-21
2020-05-21
2020-06-20
2020-07-20
2020-08-19
2020-09-18
2020-10-18
2020-11-17
2020-12-17
2021-01-16
2021-02-15
2021-03-17
2021-04-16
2021-05-16
2021-06-15
2021-07-15
2021-08-14
2021-09-13
2021-10-13
2021-11-12
2021-12-12
2022-01-11
2022-02-10
2022-03-12
2022-04-11
2022-05-11
2022-06-10
2022-07-10
2022-08-09
2022-09-08
2022-10-08
2022-11-07
2022-12-07
2023-01-06
2023-02-05
Japan
new_cases new_cases_smoothed
11
Survey
1, 2, 3
Survey
4
Survey
5
Survey
6
Survey
7
Survey
8
https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/tree/master/public/data/
Resuming sending outbound students (more
than 6 months) since June 15
Outbound
Inbound
Suspended acceptance Suspended acceptance
About 150,000 students are
waiting to enter Japan
Suspended sending
Resuming
acceptance
(Nov 1 –
Dec28)
Trends in the Number of Infected People in Japan, our Surveys’ Time
Period and our Programs’ Time Period
Resuming
acceptance
(Nov 8-29)
Resuming acceptance
from March 1, 2022
Online
Outbound
In-person
Outbound
Inbound
In-person
Inbound

11. Short-Term Programs at Tohoku University
Graduate School of Dentistry in FY2022
Program Period
# of
Participants
Partner Universities
1
Summer Inbound
Short-term Program
July 25 - August 5,
2022
(2 weeks)
9
Yonsei University (Korea)
The University of Hong Kong
2
Online Inbound Short-
term Program
February 6-10, 2023
(1 week) 11 China, 4 universities
3
Winter Inbound
Short-term Program
February 6-17, 2023
(2 weeks) 30
6 countries/regions, 8
universities
1
Online Outbound
Short-term Program
June 27 - July 1, 2022
(1 week) 5 Sichuan University, China
2
Spring Outbound
Short-term Program
February 17 - March
20, 2023 (32 days) 8
3 countries/regions, 4
universities
Onlien pre-orientation before coming to Japan. / Hospital observation was cancelled at Tohoku U.

12. 13

13. Towards a sustainable future for international education in the Asia Pacific
APAIE Bangkok: 13-17 March 2023 14
 New educational practices using in-person, online &
HyFlex formats
Hiroshima: Increase of participants & prospective
enrolment
Tohoku: Online orientation and exchange events before
arrival in Japan
Discovering new initiatives