◇英語資格試験のTOEFLやTOEICを運営しているETSによれば、2011年の日本人のTOEFL受験者数は前年度よりも11％増加し、過去最高に上ったようです。

Princeton, N.J. (March 6, 2012) —

Educational Testing Service (ETS) announced an 11 percent increase in the number of Japanese students taking the TOEFL iBT® test for 2011 from the prior year, representing the largest number of Japanese TOEFL® test takers in history.

The number of institutions accepting TOEFL scores from Japanese students also grew to over 8,500 worldwide in more than 130 countries. The TOEFL test continues to be the most widely accepted English-language assessment used for admissions purposes internationally, with significantly more institutions recognizing the TOEFL test than any other English-language assessment.

"Taking the TOEFL test is more appealing than ever to Japanese students," commented David Hunt, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ETS’s Global Division. "Japanese students recognize the convenience of having to take only one English-language assessment that is accepted at nearly every institution around the world including those in Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the United States."　

ETS News Releases より

 

◇ETSでは、TOEFLが世界中の教育機関で通用することが理由であるかのようにコメントしていますが、留学する日本人学生が増えていないことを考えると、むしろ国内の大学が入試や単位認定などにおいてTOEFLを積極活用していることが大きいのではないかと思うのですが、どうでしょうか。