Akira Haseyama (President of Keio University) and Yoshiaki Hagiuda (President of Sophia University) of the Japan Private University Federation visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Koichi Hagiuda, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to ease restrictions on online classes due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection. Requested.
According to the request, each private university is promoting online lessons with the spread of the new corona infection, but the university establishment standard stipulates that the maximum number of credits that can be obtained in distance learning is 60 credits.We requested that the upper limit of the number of credits be relaxed, using certain criteria such as online attendance management and confirmation assignment submission indicated in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology notification as quality assurance for classes.
Furthermore, the standards regarding the area of school sites and school buildings indicated by the university establishment standards are not suitable for the current situation where online education is widespread, and they are appealing for abolition or relaxation.
For international students, not only is the visa issuance business for new students suspended, but the situation is that it is not possible for current students who already have a status of residence to re-enter Japan. At the same time as promptly admitting the re-entry of foreign students and foreign teachers who have them, we requested that the departure requirements be relaxed so that foreign teachers who have reached the end of their term can return to Japan.
At the same time, Japanese embassies in each country are requesting that new students and newly appointed foreign faculty members resume visa application procedures.
