ABSTRACT
In Japanese universities, the influence of student unions is weak; therefore, the demand for student representation or engagement at the macro-level of education governance is relatively scarce. However, there was a short period in the aftermath of the 1970s student revolts when many universities attempted to introduce student engagement at the macro-level. Student engagement at the micro-level refers to the individual student’s participation in various learning activities. The main factor that pushed universities in Japan to work towards the realisation of student engagement at the meso-level was the paradigm shift in education around 2000. The shift refers to the transition from university education that was centred on teaching staff to university education that is centred on students. In Japan, because student unions are weak, there has hardly been any movement by students to demand their right for student engagement at the macro-level in the university since the end of the student revolts.
