• 日本語

In Japan, universities and colleges are asked to take their continuous approaches to assuring and improving the quality of education and research while respecting the principle of independence and autonomy. One of the approaches, the School Education Law stipulates the self-assessment that all universities, junior colleges, and colleges of technology must check the progress in light of their own goals and objectives, discover areas of excellence or in need of improvement, and enhance the quality of their activities based on published assessment results.

ENLARGE

Standards for the Establishment of Universities/Colleges: The law which states the basic requirements that those who apply to establish a new university must fulfill. It also functions as a minimum quality standard which existing universities must maintain. It covers education and research structures, curricula, academic staff and facilities. The standards are stipulated by type of institutions and schools: universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, graduate schools, professional graduate schools, and distance learning programs.

Approval System of the Establishment of Universities/Colleges: The systematic process for approving the establishment of a university, a junior college or a college of technology. The Council for University Chartering and School Corporation examines applications in response to requests by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The Minister subsequently makes a final decision on approval. The Council is composed of two subcommittees, one on university chartering for examining aspects of teaching and learning and the other on school corporations for financial planning and management, which conducts the process in the light of relevant laws, including the Standards for the Establishment of Universities/Colleges.

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation: A mandatory evaluation for all universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, and professional graduate schools on overall conditions of education and research. This scheme is conducted by organizations certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (so-called 'Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Organizations'). Subject universities, colleges and schools must select from the certified organizations and be assessed in the above periods.

There are two types of the certified evaluation and accreditation:

• Institutional-level: A mandatory scheme for all universities, junior colleges and colleges of technology on their overall states of education, research and administration, They must undergo at least once in 7 years.
  
• Professional Graduate School-level: A mandatory scheme for professional graduate schools on their states of academic programs, faculties and other necessary aspects. They must undergo at least once in 5 years.

NIAD-UE was authorized as a certified evaluation and accreditation organization of universities, junior colleges, colleges of technology and graduate law schools in 2005. 

 Details of Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Organizations

 NIAD-UE's Certified Evaluation and Accreditation

Furthermore, several evaluation schemes exist in addition to the above schemes, such as the 'National University Corporation Evaluation' which is a performance-based evaluation of national university corporations and inter-university research institute corporations as to their performances against their annual plans and the attainment of each mid-term (six-year) goal. The National University Corporation Evaluation Committee set up in the MEXT assesses their attainment of mid-term objectives, mid-term plan and annual plan. The Committee delegates the evaluation of a corporation's attainment level of mid-term objectives for education and research to NIAD-UE.
 Outline of National University Corporation Evaluation

Useful Links:
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

 Quality Assurance Framework of Higher Education in Japan

 Establishment-Approval System

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