Choosing the Right University in Japan: Beyond Scholarships
When it comes to selecting a university in Japan, the criteria vary widely among international students. Some may prioritize the prefecture where the university is located, the size of the institution, the availability of student dormitories, the support system and facilities for international students, the range of scholarships offered, or even word-of-mouth recommendations from seniors from the same country.
Others may choose a university because a renowned professor in their desired field of study is affiliated with it. This perspective becomes especially important when selecting graduate schools, where academic and research specialization plays a central role.
Researchmap: A Useful Tool for Finding Professors
To make this process easier, it is helpful to know which researchers are affiliated with which universities. One particularly convenient resource is researchmap.
Researchmap is a comprehensive database designed to allow researchers to manage and share their academic achievements. Currently, more than 300,000 individuals are registered, including researchers active in Japan, Japanese researchers working abroad, research administrators (URAs), and doctoral students.
The platform allows searches not only by researcher name and affiliation, but also by research keywords, researcher ID, and other criteria. This makes it a powerful tool for identifying potential supervisors or collaborators.
Why This Matters for International Students
For students entering undergraduate programs in Japan and planning to continue on to master’s or doctoral studies, choosing a university based on the presence of leading researchers in their field can be a smart strategy. Researchmap makes this process much easier by providing a centralized, searchable database of academic professionals across Japan.
(Global University In Japan)
