Over-representation of images of white people on Japanese university websites suggests these institutions favour European and North American students — a trend that could damage the country’s attempts to attract more foreign students.

In a new study published in Innovative Higher Education, academics used AI to identify the ethnicity of people in 670,000 images scraped from roughly 1,000 Japanese university websites that advertised campus internationalisation. It found white students were disproportionately represented relative to their actual enrolment in Japan, accounting for about 8 percent of faces on the websites while their actual enrolment is less than 1 percent. The study authors also found there were a quarter the number of images of black students compared with white ones, even though enrolment levels are similar for both groups. Images of white students also outnumber  South Asians, despite the latter having a “substantially larger” presence in Japanese higher education.

The researchers concluded that, as a result, Japanese higher education “is likely to be subject to a white-centric perspective”, that could damage the country’s attempts to increase foreign student numbers, a key priority for policymakers as domestic enrolment in higher education dwindles. The government is aiming at attracting 400,000 international students by 2033, and has offered scholarships, to encourage students from Africa to enrol in Japanese universities.

“If universities, whether consciously or unconsciously, project that they favour white over black persons, African students might feel alienated and isolated on campus. They may leave Japan with little desire to stay connected, counteracting the nation’s diplomatic efforts,” write the researchers, adding that the same issues may apply to South Asian and other non-white students.

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