At the recently held 3rd Internationalization Promotion Committee, we received many valuable insights from our external committee members. Among the discussions, two themes stood out in particular: post-graduation follow-up for international students and their long-term settlement within local communities.
During the meeting, a representative from a public interest organization raised important questions:
- How is your post-graduation tracking and follow-up system designed?
- How do you address neighborhood issues and provide guidance on daily living manners?
These are fundamental questions. Simply “accepting” international students is not the goal. What truly matters is how they settle, integrate, and coexist within Japanese society.
Our Current Support System
At our institution, we provide careful guidance from the early stages of enrollment. Students receive detailed explanations about daily life rules—such as garbage disposal procedures and insurance enrollment—to prevent problems before they arise.
We have also established a two-to-one support structure, involving a homeroom teacher and an international student counselor who conduct regular interviews. In addition, career support staff are involved to prevent stagnation in both academic progress and job hunting.
It is not uncommon for students to become overwhelmed by part-time work, leading to disrupted routines and delayed communication. Within the framework of legal working-hour regulations, we continue to provide close and attentive follow-up to maintain academic and personal stability.
Challenges After Graduation
For graduates who remain in Japan under certain visa categories where the school remains involved, we conduct follow-up checks. However, we must acknowledge that we have not yet fully established a comprehensive tracking system for all graduates employed under the Specified Skilled Worker status.
We recognize this as an important issue moving forward and sincerely accept the committee members’ constructive feedback.
