Understanding Higher Education Dynamics from Students Experiences : A Comparative Study of Japan, China, and the United States

ガクセイ　ノ　ケイケン　カラ　トラエル　ダイガク　キョウイク　ノ　ゲンジョウ　ト　カダイ　ニッチュウベイ　ノ　コクサイ　ヒカク　ケンキュウ

Chen, Lilan

中口, 悦史

ナカグチ, エツシ

Nakaguchi, Etsushi

川嶋, 太津夫

カワシマ, タツオ

Kawashima, Tatsuo

Center For Education In Liberal Arts And Sciences, The University of Osaka

学生経験

現状

課題

国際比較

University education

Students experiences

Current status

Issues

International comparison

Original Article

University education is widely recognized at individual, societal, and national levels. Student experience is one of the key indicators for evaluating university education. This study aims to identify the characteristics and challenges of university education in Japan, China, and the United States (U.S.) by conducting a comparative analysis of student experiences. This study utilized data from an international student survey, named The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU), specifically focusing on the experiences of undergraduate students, although the broader dataset also includes graduate student responses. The analysis revealed that support and awareness-raising activities related to DEI at Japanese universities are less developed compared to those in other countries. Additionally, while Japanese university education is primarily lecture-based and shows relatively high levels of student satisfaction in terms of course quality, accessibility, and the variety of course offerings, lower evaluations were observed in items related to creative thinking and knowledge application when compared to students in China and the U.S. This educational format appears to limit opportunities for communication between students and faculty, as well as between students and their departments, with few opportunities for informal exchanges outside of class. Moreover, while students in Japan are generally considered to have fewer mental health issues, the limited interactions with faculty and departments are associated with a comparatively lower sense of belonging. In contrast, Chinese universities offer a wide range of courses, providing students with more choices. However, there are greater barriers to access in terms of the design of learning support programs, information provision, and accessibility when compared to other countries. Issues also remain in the areas of quality assurance and management of course content. Additionally, while overall satisfaction at the university level in China is high, satisfaction at the department or faculty level is relatively lower, indicating a gap between institutional and departmental experiences. Furthermore, students in China showed the highest levels of perceived educational value and institutional belonging among the three countries. However, their mental health issues were found to be significantly more serious than those of students in Japan. In the U.S., active learning is widely adopted, and students benefit from well-established learning support systems and frequent opportunities for discussion. Students also gave particularly high ratings not only to academic courses but also to extracurricular activities and academic enhancement programs. However, students in the U.S. were found to face the most severe mental health issues among the three countries. This study provides insights into the learning experiences of university students across three countries and identifies current issues and challenges within their respective higher education systems. These findings are expected to contribute to future educational improvements.

中口, 悦史

川嶋, 太津夫