“Taking another step toward a better future for higher education”

NIAD-QE supports improvements in the quality of higher education in Japan, which contribute to the development of Japanese higher education: the evaluation of universities and colleges, the awarding of academic degrees, cooperation in quality assurance, studies and research on all of these topics, and the provision of loans and grants for facilities at national university corporations. In addition, by providing subsidies, NIAD-QE encourages the expansion of education and research activities in fields where support is deemed particularly necessary in order to cultivate personnel in the medium- to long-term, thereby contributing to the development of Japanese society as a whole.

1.Conducting evaluations with international recognition

NIAD-QE is a pioneer in the development of evaluation systems in Japan: It is a core third-party evaluation organization that evaluates the status of education and research activities at universities and colleges in Japan. NIAD-QE both develops advanced evaluations with wide international recognition, and conducts those evaluations. NIAD-QE also promotes cooperation with evaluation organizations in Japan and overseas.

2.Providing opportunities to obtain an academic degree based on diverse learning outcomes

NIAD-QE offers an increasingly diverse array of learners the opportunity to obtain an academic degree: It is Japan’s only non-university body that awards academic degrees. This contributes to the transition to a system of lifelong learning and diverse development of higher education.

3.Cooperating with universities, colleges, and quality assurance organizations

NIAD-QE, in cooperation with universities, colleges, and quality assurance organizations in Japan and overseas, engages in activities related to quality assurance in higher education with these goals: contributing to improving the quality of education and research at universities and colleges in Japan, reinforcing the management base of national university corporations, assuring the international reputation of higher education and ensuring the international recognition of qualifications related to higher education, including academic degrees.

4.Promoting studies and research

NIAD-QE promotes primary research for the projects mentioned above, and practical research to verify these projects. NIAD-QE also conducts selective studies, and through its research on policy issues related to quality assurance, it contributes to the enhancement of quality assurance in Japanese higher education.

5.Providing loans and grants for facilities at national university corporations, etc.

NIAD-QE helps to enhance the education and research environment at national university corporations, etc., aiming to improve finance and management by providing loans and grants for the development of facilities, thereby contributing to the promotion of education and research at national university corporations, etc.

6.Subsidizing for organizational changes at universities and colleges

NIAD-QE has used a government subsidy to establish a fund from which it provides universities and colleges with subsidies in accordance with basic guidelines prescribed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and NIAD-QE’s own implementation policy. By providing these subsidies, NIAD-QE encourages the expansion of education and research activities in fields where support is deemed particularly necessary in order to cultivate personnel in the medium- to long-term.