I’m about to leave a position at a somewhat prominent Japanese university for greener pastures shortly. Thought I’d share my experiences. Feel free to AMA.
I had a pretty good deal. 5 year contract with opportunity to extend another 5 years. Pro – that’s a pretty safe circumstance. Con – did not want to find myself 10 years down the track having to find another job.
I got to teach courses in my specialization and have complete control over everything. Pro – total freedom, had support even if there were only two students signed up. Con – skill level and student enrollment varied a LOT meaning I had to tailor the courses a lot. Also because my uni was quite international it meant Japanese students, even very good English speakers, got scared off really quickly.
Work environment is chill af. One staff meeting once a month otherwise left alone. Con – bureaucracies exist and can be annoying but as with anything here patience politeness and clarification is met with assistance.
Work load – very chill. Most semesters I had two days off for research. Con – I usually slept in and didn’t take advantage of time off…
Research budgets are VERY generous. Big fucking pro – Japanese research grants are easy as hell to get and VERY generous. Phones computers trips to international archives all paid for. This in turn means I don’t have to pay for these things.
As part of my job I have to teach English composition and communication. Yes, even at the very top level this is irritating. Japanese students are silent do not interact. The same gripes many people in this sub have as alts at high schools, that does NOT change. Bar a few enthusiasts students are passive do not ask questions do not interact unless picked on.
Entrance exam – big but necessary con. Everyone in my department feels safe in the uni because we write and mark the exam. It’s a lot of work once a year but lets us do the fun stuff.
Big support from colleagues. Ultimately a good pro but at times they are condescending. Compensation for travel and accommodation.
All in all would recommend but it is not without its faults. Would be curious to hear others’ experiences. As mentioned above by all means AMA. Hope this little spiel is useful to someone. 🤷
by TheChaddingtonBear