Welsh universities on recruitment drive in Japan

Asian Economic News, Feb 22, 2005

LONDON, Feb. 22 Kyodo

Representatives from Welsh universities embarked on a marketing mission Monday to recruit prospective students from Japan.

The Wales International Consortium -- which represents all Welsh higher education institutions -- began its overseas assignment in China in early February before flying to Tokyo to commence a five-day planned program.

Virginia West, director of the WIC, said, ''We've always been committed to attracting international students to Wales to study.''

Referring to the campaign in Japan, she added, ''We hope to build on existing links with Japanese agents and institutions and enhance the recruitment of Japanese students to Wales.''

The WIC's itinerary in Japan includes meeting with representatives from existing exchange projects and future potential commercial partners, as well as making presentations to students at the Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages and Chuo University, both in Tokyo.

In a statement before the visit, Medwin Hughes, the principal of Trinity College Carmarthen in south Wales, said, ''Japanese students are very interested in heritage and culture which makes Wales an ideal choice.''

''We are proud of our warm and welcoming culture in Wales which never ceases to impress our international visitors,'' he said.

Japanese students make up 3 percent of all full-time international students in Wales for the 2005-2006 academic year, or 186 out of a total 6,783 foreign students.

The majority of the Japanese are studying at the University of Wales Bangor, the University of Wales Aberystwyth and Cardiff University.

Popular subjects with Japanese enrolled in Welsh universities range from degrees in international politics and psychology to musical qualifications.

Hughes said, ''Japanese students are choosing Wales to study creative courses such as art, design and media because Wales has such a superb reputation in delivering these subjects.''

The WIC marketing mission will be hoping to make a favorable impression of Wales as a reputable and exciting place for international study on prospective Japanese students before leaving Japan Saturday to tackle the two emerging international academic markets of Russia and Kazakstan.