With the increase in international cooperation programs between Japanese and overseas universities, NIAD-UE has been collecting and analyzing information on pre-existing cases in foreign countries as an initial step in considering the formulation of standards and a screening process for quality assurance.

As part of these activities, Vice-President Kudo and two staff members visited the University of Reading and the University of Leicester in the UK, and the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg in Germany on December 8, 10 and 11.

At the University of Reading and the University of Leicester, they were provided with information regarding conception of quality assurance for international cooperation programs, the situation of development and maintenance of related standards and selection procedures for partner institutions based on the 'Code of Practice' formulated by the QAA.

At the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, they received explanations of the quality assurance system of higher education in Germany as a whole, the structure of the internal quality assurance system of the university and the role of the international division, when establishing an international cooperation program.

In addition, at each university, they exchanged information on such topics as the situations of higher education in Japan, the UK and Germany. As a result, they could obtain beneficial knowledge with respect to the current situation of international cooperation programs, and also the features of QA systems and the challenges associated with them.

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