Paul Snowden studied Modern and Medieval Languages at King’s College, Cambridge. Apart from the first five years of his career, he has lived and worked in Japan as a university teacher and administrator, and author or editor of numerous dictionaries, textbooks, and other Japan- related works. He worked longest (30 years) at Waseda University, where he served two terms as Dean of the School of International Liberal Studies—the first foreign national to hold such a post at that university—and has been Emeritus Professor since 2014. His most recent post was Vice-President of Kyorin University. Having retired in 2020, he now acts as a director for the Japan campus of Lakeland University, Wisconsin.

• 1. Universities in Modern Japan: A Historical Outline, 2. From Showa to Heisei: The Formation of Japan's Contemporary Higher Education System, 3. The Heisei Period: Plus Ça Change?, 4. National Universities: Autonomy in Their Governance; Ideology and Practice, 5. Public Universities: Prefectural, Local Higher Education, 6. Private Universities: Diverse and Adaptable, 7. Foreign Universities in Japan: Opportunities Taken and Missed, 8. The Financing of Higher Education in Japan, 9. Undergraduate Admissions: Shifting Trends, 10. The Hensachi: Its Dominant Role in University Rankings, 11. Self-Assessment: How Japanese University Students Assess Their Learning Outcomes, 12. Policies for Hosting International Students: Issues for the Post-300,000 International Students Plan Era, 13. Regional Cooperation in East Asia: Shifting Realities, 14. International Students: Inbound Mobility at Elite and Mass Universities, 15. Academic Support and Advising: Historical and Contemporary Issues, 16. Women's Universities in Japan: Life Choices, 17. Junior Female Academics: Experiences and Challenges, 18. Women of Color Leading in Japanese Higher Education, 19. International Faculty: Increasing Mobility, 20. Research Universities: Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, 21. Liberal Arts Education: The Japanese Way, 22. The English Language in Japan: A Historical Overview 1809-2020, 23. Languages Other Than English: Mysterious Eclipse, 24. Critical English Curriculum Enactment: A Policy Planning Perspective, 25. The Dawn of Reiwa: Waves, Revolutions and an AI Society