JEPN regularly holds meetings for member universities, where they share updates about their initiatives and acquire information about the acceptance of refugee and displaced students.
The meetings are held every two months, with two in-person meetings each year and the rest conducted online. On January 17th, 28 participants gathered to discuss the increasing needs for job hunting support for refugee-background students after graduating from educational institutions. The following topics were discussed:
1. Updates on Job Hunting for Students with Refugee Backgrounds
Two Ukrainian students (one in her fourth year of university and the other in her second year of a master's program) shared their experiences and lessons learned.
Refugee-background students tend to start their job search late compared to Japanese students due to the lack of information about job hunting and language proficiency. These students shared how they used programs and information provided by university career centers, Pathways Japan, and partner companies to pursue their dreams.
The students shared the challenges they faced such as the time-consuming process of creating application forms, difficulties in self-promotion during interviews, the sense of loneliness due to the absence of peers in the same situation, and concerns about living in Japan in the future. They went on to suggest that host universities communicate with refugee-background students repeatedly on the difficulty of job hunting and the importance of Japanese proficiency.
Norimasa Orii of Pathways Japan gave an update on the employment situation of students in the JEP (Japan Education Pathways) (formerly known as Japan University Pathways) program and an overview of the 2025 employment support programs.
Upon summarizing the challenges, the following plans for this year were introduced: job hunting preparedness lectures for 1st and 2nd grade students during the Student Reunion Day in March to help them prepare for job hunting early, information sessions with the self-analysis support in April, mentorship programs with partner companies, “Japanese for job-hunting” classes, and joint info session of companies.
2. Report on the Results of a Mental Health Survey
Next, Aki Takada from Japan ICU Foundation (JICUF) presented the results of two surveys, one of which was conducted on students who are currently enrolled in or have graduated from the JEP or language school programs, and the other on educational institutions hosting these students.
The results showed that more than half of the students had experienced mental health issues, with relatively few using on-campus counseling services. Many students sought counseling or medical care outside the school. In some cases, due to cost concerns or difficulty in building trust with counselors, students stopped seeking care from professionals.
JICUF suggested distributing lists of mental health professionals to students, organizing webinars and symposiums to advocate the importance of mental health and to reduce the stigma around it, bolstering counseling services and in-person services in English, conducting regular checkups by universities and support organizations, and hosting regular events to help students make friends.
The survey on educational institutions revealed that while many have support systems in place, there is room for improvement. Many institutions recognized the need for external support and indicated that they should further develop systems for securing consultation services for staff, providing lists of professionals who speak English or Ukrainian, and offering interpretation services for medical visits and emergencies. Mental health support remains an important topic, and measures to address these issues will continue to be discussed in future in-person meetings.
3. Group Work: Group Discussions on Job Hunting Support and Related Topics
Finally, participants engaged in small-group discussions, sharing feedback and experiences of their own.
To conclude the meeting, each group shared a summary of their discussions in the plenary.
Upcoming Schedule
16th JEPN Meeting (In-Person): March 5, 2025 (Wednesday) at Daito Bunka Hall (Tobu Tojo Line, Tobu Nerima Station) *For JEPN member universities only.
JEPN Student Reunion Day: March 17, 2025 (Monday) at Bunkyo Gakuin University (Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, Todai Mae Station). The event will include a student exhibition, graduation celebration, and a welcome event for new students. Faculty and staff from member universities will also be invited.
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