How and Why UK universities internationalise: Comparing Cases in the UK and Japan

Get ready for a fascinating deep dive into the world of Japanese Higher Education! AHEP’s International HE Special Interest Group is thrilled to partner with our colleagues at the Japanese Association of University Administrative Management (JUAM) for this exclusive webinar. Our expert speakers, Dr Anthony Manning, Miyako Toyoshima, and Shigetoshi Akamatsu will explore key themes by comparing the current landscapes of higher education in both the UK and Japan.

With longstanding AHEP member and International HE SIG’s Lead Coordinator Emma Marku facilitating the discussion, this is your chance to gain fresh global insights, spark new ideas, and connect with international colleagues. Don’t miss out – join us for this exciting cross-cultural exchange!

With the UK Higher Education sector facing unprecedented challenges, it has never been more crucial to look beyond our borders for fresh insights and inspiration. By learning from partner associations around the world, like JUAM, we can gain valuable perspectives on innovative practices and solutions that may be adaptable to our own context. Understanding how other countries tackle similar issues can help us refine our strategies, improve student experiences, and foster a more inclusive, global approach to campus development.

Comparing our approaches with those of other higher education systems also provides an opportunity for critical reflection. Looking at familiar challenges through a different cultural and organisational lens can help us question assumptions, reconsider established processes, and identify new ways of working. By viewing our own practices from an alternative perspective, we can uncover opportunities for improvement and innovation that may otherwise go unnoticed.

This webinar offers a unique opportunity to explore these global practices, allowing us not only to learn from Japan’s experiences and successes, but also to reflect on, enhance, and develop our own approaches in response to the ongoing challenges facing the sector.

Event at glance:

How and Why UK Universities Internationalise: Comparing Cases in the UK and Japan

Is internationalisation a strategic choice, a financial necessity, or both?

With increasing pressures on higher education, understanding internationalisation has never been more important. This webinar explores the motivations, benefits, and challenges of internationalisation by comparing experiences in the UK and Japan. Through discussions on student recruitment, funding, curriculum internationalisation, research collaboration, student support, and the student voice, participants will gain fresh perspectives on current practice.

By examining another higher education system, attendees will be encouraged to reflect on their own institutional approaches, challenge assumptions, and identify opportunities to strengthen internationalisation strategies and enhance the student experience. The session will conclude with practical takeaways, including how institutions can advance Internationalisation at Home, develop cultural intelligence across their workforce, strengthen student belonging and transition support, and build the institutional capacity needed to sustain global engagement and diverse graduate outcomes.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

This event will be recorded.

Speakers:

Dr Anthony Manning

About Dr Anthony Manning

Dr Anthony Manning is Associate Dean International at Arden University. Anthony is an experienced leader in international education, with a strong track record of strategic development and academic innovation across global learning, internationalisation of the curriculum and internationalisation at Home. He is a Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE and a National Teaching Fellow, reflecting his commitment to internationalised teaching and educational leadership. Prior to joining Arden, Anthony held senior roles at the University of Kent and the University of Reading. Anthony has lived and worked in five different countries and is also a trustee for the British Accreditation Council and a member of groups and committees for EAIE, NCUK and the British Council.

Miyako Toyoshima

About Miyako Toyoshima

Administrative Head of the Organization for Worldwide Collaboration at Kwansei Gakuin University. TOYOSHIMA Miyako assumed her current position in April 2026. She is responsible for overseeing a wide range of international operations, including study abroad programs (both inbound and outbound), faculty exchange initiatives, and partnerships with overseas academic institutions and international organizations. Since joining KGU in 1996, she has gained extensive experience across multiple administrative units – not only in international affairs – including the Public Relations Office, the General Planning Office, and the New Campus Planning Office, developing a broad foundation in university management and strategic planning. Throughout her career, internationalization has remained a central focus of her professional interests. She also serves as a committee member of the Summer Institute on International Education, Japan (SIIEJ).

Shigetoshi Akamatsu

About Shigetoshi Akamatsu

AKAMATSU Shigetoshi currently works at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University. He joined Waseda University in 2007 and has devoted his professional career to international student admissions, foreign credential evaluation, and international recruitment. With more than ten years of experience in these fields, he assumed his current position in June 2025 and continues to contribute to the advancement of international admissions practices and global engagement initiatives. In addition, he serves as a committee member of the Summer Institute on International Education, Japan (SIIEJ), where he is committed to promoting international education, institutional collaboration, and professional exchange among higher education practitioners across Japan.

Facilitator Biography

Emma Marku, International HE SIG Lead Coordinator

Global and Cultural Leadership Development Adviser

University of Kent

About Emma

Emma Marku is based within the Careers, Employability and Skills department at the University of Kent and has been involved in international education for the past 15 years.  She has worked within International Student Recruitment, Study Abroad, International Partnerships, Global Learning, and her current role focus on global and cultural skills development, with a focus on Cultural Intelligence (CQ) that supports Internationalisation at Home initiatives, employability and experiential learning.   

Emma is a certified CQ facilitator and also a staff sustainability champion at the University of Kent, and a member of UUKi’s Climate Action Task and Finish Group, she has co-chaired the UUKi’s working group for Internationalisation at Home for the past two years and been a member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals since 2014.  She has participated in AHEP’s virtual study tours on China and Greece and looks forward to bringing her passion and enthusiasm for International HE into her role as Lead Coordinator, hoping to build on existing relationships with its members and organisation around the world to contribute to the development of others.

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