Today's university students are already entering a world without difficult or strict borders, an increasingly global and pluralistic society which is very different from the one their grandparents and parents know or knew. Their lives, ideas, and values will continue to be linked to and influenced by what is happening and what will happen in Asian countries, and they will find themselves working with and competing against Asian people from a wide variety of languages and cultures. Western civilization is already facing an expanding world of global knowledge, economy, technology, and politics. We have come to a crucial time when the Japanese and South Koreans are making serious efforts at exporting the best of their culture (including language, art, and customs) along with their electronics, high-tech equipment, and automobiles. The Chinese, Indians, Indonesians, and other Asians are not far behind. For this and other profound reasons, the Government of Canada designated 1997 as "Canada's Year of Asia Pacific" during which it served as chair of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
It is true that in East Asia economic success and employment opportunity depend not only on economic conditions, government policies, financial markets, and private investments, but also on higher education, self-discipline, hard work, family solidarity, social harmony, and political order. In Japan, one of the world's economic giants, as well as in the "Four Little Dragons" (Japan's competitors: South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore), the latter factors played a crucial role in achieving a globally praised "economic miracle" over the past three decades. Accordingly, more Western intellectuals, economists, politicians, and journalists are now addressing the Japanese and other East Asian paradigms of economic development and cultural prosperity. There are also some other questions about China, "the Big Dragon" of East Asia, which is determined to become another economic super-power in the 21st century. Furthermore, India, Indonesia, and other countries in South and Southeast Asia will be more influential on Western and global economies in the coming years and century.
Many academics, economists, politicians, journalists, and others generally agree that the Asia-Pacific region has already established itself as a vital centre of the world's economic activity. East Asia alone accounts for one-third of the world's population and nourishes some of the most culturally enriched, enduring, and productive civilizations on earth. China, for example, holds some 1.4 billion people, about one-quarter of the human race on earth, and about 125 million Japanese live in a country smaller than California. East Asian history alone represents one-third of global history, a rich and dynamic period of over three millennia. Together with India and other countries in South and Southeast Asia, Asian people and history represent about one-half the global population and civilization. In a rapidly interconnecting and interacting world, various relations with Asia can directly affect the lives of Westerners (including Canadians) in many ways.
Do these crucial facts not suggest that we have new curriculum needs? Western universities should help their students to prepare themselves for various global challenges in the 21st century. In this regard, Asian Studies is a significant academic discipline, one that will facilitate their educational and career opportunities and their competition against the students from the Asia Pacific region. Its courses promote knowledge and cultural skills regarding Asia, which would be beneficial to all students in various academic disciplines, whose career goals involve one or more ways of encountering Asian people, economy, business, government, or culture.
Therefore, it is in our best interest to know more about Asian languages and literatures, histories and cultures, values and traditions, religious-spiritual beliefs and practices, social traditions and changes, political ideas and systems, economic developments and situations, and so on. Isn't it imperative that we in the West do so, because our lives and the future of our children are destined to become more intertwined as we head further into this new century?
With all of these vital facts and questions in mind, many American and Canadian universities have already established core and interdisciplinary programs in Asian Studies. By studying Asia, an economically powerful and culturally rich part of the world, today's university students cannot help but be better prepared to compare Eastern and Western cultures and to understand the richness, interaction and vitality of global civilizations.
Asian Studies, a growing interdisciplinary program, is beneficial to any student who is interested in the expanding world of international economy and job opportunities. Asian Studies core and elective courses not only provide students with additional credit options for higher knowledge, but also promote many career-related skills and opportunities. Of course, international linkage and global studies would be good for the students who are already destined toward managing a more diverse and competitive world in the coming century. For this reason, Asian Studies can certainly strengthen and broaden the educational, cultural and economic links between Canada and Asia. Undoubtedly, we cannot ignore Canada's active involvement in APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation), as well as the growing impact of Japanese and other Asian technologies on Canada.
For Asian Studies scholars and students, there are many significant questions:
You can study many of these and related topics/questions in the interdisciplinary Asian Studies program at UPEI.To receive an Asian Studies minor, you have to complete two required core courses and at least one course from any three of the four groups of electives offered by Modern Languages, Religious Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, History, and Political Studies.
The internationalization of UPEI, one of the University's top priorities, would be significantly advanced by continuing to offer the Asian Studies core and language courses and by developing more new courses. This will facilitate the University's future efforts to attract more students (both full- and part-time). The Asian Studies core and language courses not only provide various students with additional credit options and rewarding learning opportunities, but also serve as a convincing way to enhance the international curriculum of the Arts Faculty and the University. All Asian Studies courses reflect UPEI's mandate and role as well as PEI's economic and cultural ties with Japan and other Asian countries.
In recent years, a significant
number of UPEI students (a total of 527 from 1992 to 1995) took
various Asia-related courses in Religious Studies, Anthropology/Sociology,
History, and Political Studies. There are definitely a few
healthy reasons for this growing trend. Besides Asian Studies,
what other interdisciplinary minor programs at UPEI would be
more empowering and beneficial in the international and
intercultural context of education, economy, job opportunities,
and exchange/internship programs?
As the Coles-Weir report, UPEI:
Educating The Next Generation, 1995, correctly pointed out,
"Once graduates leave UPEI, it is very likely that they
will relocate to a much more culturally diverse world. Exposure
to various cultures can be seen as preparation for the world in
which they will work," and "The relative isolation of
PEI from the cross currents of immigration and international
activity" require courses on other cultures (p. 61). The
same report specifically emphasized: "...closer ties to
China and India, the giants of Asia, would benefit all of Canada
[including P.E.I.] in the longer term," and "No doubt
that Island students would benefit...from studying foreign
cultures. Particularly valuable could be courses on Island's top
five trading partners [including Japan]" (p. 61).
So what about Asian Studies at UPEI? This program is certainly capable of making a valuable contribution to our provincial economy and related matters. Its courses on Eastern languages, histories, ideas, values, customs, societies, religions, and cultures are beneficial to Arts and other students whose career goals involve some form of encountering Asian people, business, government, or culture. Literary, social, and cultural skills taught in the Asian Studies core and language courses, for example, can facilitate our tourist and trade industries in PEI, two of the most active economic sectors in this small province. Moreover, the impact of Japanese, Korean, and other Asian technologies and economies on most Canadians (including Islanders) cannot be underestimated. From a similar angle, the 1992 Annual Review of Asia-Pacific Foundation in Canada reported:
...by [this] decade's end more than 70% of all world trade will be with or among the economies along the Pacific's Western shore. Canada, with an economy of 17% the size of Japan's, is the world's eighth-largest trading partner. The significance of our trade with the Asia Pacific region was recently brought home by a Statistics Canada report revealing that only British Columbians, of all Canadians, are enjoying an increase in family incomes - because of their strong investment and trade links with the Pacific Rim. (p. 2)
As we know, more students and the public are gaining a
better and wider familiarity with Asian countries in general and
Japanese people and culture in particular. In PEI this trend
is often informed by the various tourist industries that
substantially benefit from a growing number of Japanese and other
East Asian tourists. Furthermore, more UPEI students consider
working in South Korea or Japan, which offers a worthwhile career
opportunity such as ESL teaching. Of course, this implies that
some knowledge of an East Asian language would be very beneficial
to these students. Cross-cultural knowledge, values, and skills
learned from the Asian Studies core and elective courses are also
good for other employment opportunities in Asian countries, which
are becoming popular among a growing number of UPEI students.
Asian Studies attracts students with various academic interests and career goals. Here are a few relevant insights given by the students themselves who took, for example, Asian Studies 202. A third-year History major who successfully completed Asian Studies 202 said, "I wish to learn East Asian histories, cultures and politics....I hope to work in East Asia after graduating." A fourth-year double major in Business Administration and Philosophy had a similar practical reason: "I have applied to the J.E.T. program...and I wish to learn how the society of Eastern Asia works." A graduating student in Business Administration had a fine social and global rationale: "I have friends from East Asia, and I want to learn more about the people and the area." More examples? "I want to learn about different parts of the world" (first-year Psychology major), and "I want to return to Japan for travel and work" (a junior student who had travelled in several Asian countries). A junior Psychology major who successfully completed RS 251 (Japanese Religion & Culture), one of the Asian Studies electives, had an insightful self-reflection: "I became interested in the course because of the strong interest that the Japanese (tourists) have in PEI. I would like to learn more about their culture!" A first-year student whose major is undecided already has a global mind: "(I want) To become more global and aware of the world around me."
It is clear that the Asian Studies courses enhance the multilingual and cross-cultural skills of UPEI students whose career goals relate to PEI's international business and tourist industries as well. For example, UPEI's Japanese language courses can make a significant contribution. All Asian Studies courses would be beneficial to many students (both full- and part-time), whose job skills or career goals involve one or another way of dealing with Japanese (and other Asian) tourists, business, or culture in PEI or other provinces. Finally, among a growing number of Japanese tourists in PEI, university students are often visible. The L. M. Montgomery Institute at UPEI developed academic/cultural ties with Japanese and Chinese college students through a special summer ESL program. In this regard, the Asian Studies Program at UPEI (including its language courses) will definitely strengthen our side of the UPEI-Japan (or UPEI-Asia) links.
