Exploring success in higher education in Japan: Students perceptions of successful peers and the meaning of success

While many studies have investigated academic success, few have explored its psychological and social dimensions beyond straight forward numerical measures. Research seems to mostly focus on specific student groups within a Western context, often overlooking diverse perspectives, particularly those in STEM fields and in non-Western settings. This study explores how students in Japanese universities perceive success alongside the personality traits they associate with successful peers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Life Sciences students employing a qualitative approach incorporating both deductive and inductive thematic analysis. The findings support previous research on personality, highlighting Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience as being the key traits of successful peers. Additionally, they reveal participants prioritize self-discovery, personal growth, and fulfillment over traditional academic metrics such as GPA. Furthermore, the findings indicate significant differences in students’ perceptions of success compared to those in existing literature, suggesting that cultural context, life stages, and field of study, among other factors, shape these views. These insights support learner autonomy and academic advising through emphasizing the importance of culturally inclusive perspectives on success.