Standard Presentation (25-minute) International Postgraduate Researcher Authors in Japan: Two Case Studies more

Sat, Sep 16, 14:50-15:15 Asia/Tokyo

Attracting international students for global academic collaborations and cultural exchange is a priority for many countries, including Japan. However, the Japanese system faces challenges in providing sufficient support to meet the diverse needs of its international students. Using a qualitative case study approach, including semi-structured interviews and author profiles (Lillis & Curry, 2010), we explore the contrasting experiences and reflections of two international postgraduate researchers in Japan in the medical field: KG, an Egyptian researcher and NV, a multilingual Southeast Asian researcher, concerning their academic writing and research practices. The experiences of these two international researchers provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by postgraduate researchers in Japan, through highlighting strengths and potential areas for improvement. KG's experience highlights the positive impact of a supportive environment and collaborative practices on enhancing his academic writing and research skills, while NV's disappointing and isolating experience during her doctoral studies underscores the need for improved supervision, ethics, and protection of intellectual property. By understanding the challenges these two researchers faced and evaluating current support mechanisms, we can gain valuable insights and propose solutions to enhance the overall experience for international postgraduate students studying in Japan.