I NTERNATIONALJ OINTA CCREDITATIONP ROJ E C T
Quality assurance
in university education

TAIWAN ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION ASSOCIATION（TWAEA）
https://www.twaea.org.tw［T E L ］886-2-3343-1177［Email］ijas@twaea.org.tw［ADD］5F-1, No.3, Nanhai Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 10066, Taiwan

JAPAN UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION ASSOCIATION（JUAA）
https://www.juaa.or.jp/en/［T E L ］81-3-6228-1315［Email］intl@juaa.or.jp［ADD］2-7-13 Ichigayasadohara-cho Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0842, Japan“International Joint Accreditation Project”
shows the appeal of the universities
to the international community.

OFFICE FOR NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND QUALITYASSESSMENT（ONESQA）
http://en.onesqa.or.th［T E L ］66-2-216-3955［Email］policy@onesqa.or.th［ADD］24th Floor, Phayathai Plaza Building, 128 Phayathai Road, Ratchathewi,
Bangkok 10400, Thailand

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OUR PROJECTInternational Joint Accreditation Project

Cross-border
Quality Assurance Framework
International Joint Accreditation among Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand
PROJECT BACKGROUND

As the mobility of students and faculty

The iJAS project is developing with theincreases with globalization and ICT-based

participation of ONESQA in 2021, witheducation advances worldwide, there is anuniversities in Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan aseven greater need for international recognition

its assessment targets. By collaborating withof the quality education being provided. Asoverseas QA agencies to develop and jointly

well, QA agencies are required to conduct

evaluate an internationally standardized

highly reliable accreditation activities.

evaluation criteria, this project aims to improve
the quality of higher education in each country

The iJAS ( International Joint Accreditationand provide a robust platform to furtherStandards ) project is cross-border quality

progress toward the next global era. The

assurance framework launched by JUAA anddistinctive feature of the iJAS project is that theTWAEA in 2018 to contribute to the promotion

assessment focuses on a university’s internalof internationalization of universities.

quality assurance system.

To a wider area

In addition, the iJAS project will be extended
not only to universities in Japan, Taiwan, andThailand, but also to higher education
institutions in the Asian region in the near

ABOUT USTWAEA

Taiwan Assessment and Evaluation Association

TWAEA was established in 2003 as a non-profit organization
dedicated to the development of evaluation mechanism thatmeets policy requirements and practical needs. TWAEA has
been engaged in evaluation projects and officiallyrecognized as a certified evaluation agency by the Ministryof Education in Taiwan since 2009. On the basis of unbiased
position with objective and fair perspectives, TWAEA has
acquired a solid reputation in the implementation anddevelopment of quality assurance system.
TWAEA, jointly founded by senior members of Taiwan’s
academia and business sectors, is committed to provide
external quality assurance for any concerned party. As aprofessional evaluation agency, TWAEA is dedicated to theprovision of evaluation services, as well as the development
and promotion of evaluation knowledge and techniques.

JUAA

TWAEA is always committed to exploring international
exchanges, forming partnerships, and actively creating newcollaboration opportunities for international partners. In
response to the evolving global economy, TWAEA
collaborates with other international evaluation agencies tolaunch the “International Joint Accreditation” project to help
institutions grow and connect with the international quality
assurance systems. This helps institutions to open up to theinternational community and adopt a Blue Ocean Strategyfor globalization.
TWAEA has a long-term commitment in helping to improve
the teaching quality of Taiwan’s higher education institutions
and the mission in promoting healthy growth of domestic
evaluation system. TWAEA will continue to work with otherinternational agencies to realize the vision of “Toward an
Outstanding Evaluation Agency with Credibility.”

Japan University Accreditation AssociationJUAA was established in 1947 by 46 universities, taking
several U.S. accreditation agencies as a model, and certified
as the Certified and Evaluation and Accreditation Agency foruniversities by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2004. JUAA is a voluntaryorganization of higher education institutions which mission is“to promote to qualitative improvement of higher education
institutions in Japan through the voluntary efforts and mutual
assistance of member institutions and to contribute tointernational cooperation such as educational and research
activities in higher education institutions.” JUAA conducts
certified evaluation and accreditation for institutions andprofessional graduate schools, and program accreditation forschools of veterinary medicine and dentistry.

In addition, JUAA prioritizes survey and research in order todevelop more advance projects for quality assurance andquality improvement of higher education institutions. JUAA
Research Institute for Quality Assurance of Higher
Education (RIQAHE), established in 2018, carries out several
projects and publishes their results, as well as regularlyorganizes open seminars and conferences to provide aplatform for university stakeholders to share their views andopinions. Furthermore, JUAA also works to enhance its
credibility as a quality assurance agency by collaboratingwith overseas quality assurance agencies through staff
exchange and international student surveys.

future, actively supporting quality enhancementof universities in order to improve the learning
outcomes of students studying in the Asianregion.

SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENT
Accredited by international accreditation agency
Boost international visibility
Attracting excellent international students and researchers
Promote exchange between universities in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand
Provide a reference for the making of international cooperation agreements on Joint Degree/
Dual Degree system, exchange and overseas students

1ONESQA Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment
ONESQA has been established as a public organization tooversee the External Quality Assessment (EQA) of all
education institutions in Thailand since 2000. It aims toenhance the quality of education throughout Thailand and toenable the educational institutions to provide quality
education to the Thai learners who will be endowed with
virtue, competence, and happiness.
ONESQA strives to become an academic organization thatwill harness information technology to support its EQA’soperation, as well as developing innovative prospects for theenhancement of quality assurance system that will fit thespecific needs of individual institution.

The Office also pursues to build-up its reputation andvisibility to be recognized by academic communities bothnationally and internationally by means of honoring its
commitments, as well as engaging and connecting withprominent networks and organizations so as to fulfill its goalfor internationalization.
Furthermore, ONESQA plays a part in the development of
ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF), which isdesigned to provide guidelines and to enhance capacity
building for QA in ASEAN, aiming to support theharmonization of higher education. ONESQA is the sole
national EQAA (External Quality Assurance Agency) inThailand that its establishment conforms to the ASEAN
Quality Assurance Framework (AQAF)’s principles.
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SCAN ME FOR MORE INFORMATION

ACCREDITATIONOn Handbook of International Joint Accreditation andApplication Form.

ACCREDITATION SYSTEM

ACCREDITATION PROCESSInternational Joint
Accreditation Committee

The “International Joint Accreditation
Committee” shall be set up under theThe major flow of the accreditation is shown in the figure below.
The review team will provide a “Request for Clarification List” 5 weeks before the on-site review. The institution

Project consultation,
Executive guidance

jurisdiction of JUAA, TWAEA andshould provide its response to the items in the “Request for Clarification List” 2 weeks before the on-site review.

ONESQA. Then, “Review Team” shall be

Before the finalization of the accreditation results, there is also an opportunity for the institution to submitformed for each applicant institution
based on their nationalities, features andAccreditation work
information

attributes under the Committee.

comments on the draft accreditation results.

ReviewTeamWritten review/On-site inspection

The review team is composed of 5members. Senior professors with

Administrative
serviceadministrative experience or senior

Provideinformation

administrative staff related toevaluation/quality assurance activity, or
top industry executives should inTWAEA/JUAA/ONESQA
Officeprinciple be invited to serve on the review
team. Of the five evaluators, one shall
include the applicant institution’s local

Application
Institution

evaluator, and the remaining four shall beSTEP

STEP01

STEP02

STEP0304

Application

Document Review

On-site Review

ResultAnnouncement

The institution submits
the International Joint
Accreditation
Application.

The review team evaluates
Self-Assessment Report(SAR) and supporting
documents submitted by
the institution.

The review team visits
the institution for one
full day.

The accreditation
results shall be sent tothe institution.

Liaisonselected from two other countries each.
Administrative consultation

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility to apply for the iJAS project is open to any college or university that received accreditation orevaluated by TWAEA, JUAA, or ONESQA.

ACCREDITATION RESULTSTANDARDS FOR INTERNATIONAL JOINT ACCREDITATION

ACCREDITATION RESULTDESCRIPTION

The iJAS Standards consist of the following six criteria and focus on the internal quality assurance of the HEI.
It evaluates how university performs its educational and research activities in accordance with its purposes.
Accredited
STANDARD

1

STANDARD

2

STANDARD

3

STANDARD

4

STANDARD

5

STANDARD

6Internal Quality
Assurance

Teaching &Learning

FacultySocialConnection

GovernanceFully meets with all requirements for international
joint accreditation standards, sufficient
supplementary information was provided, and cancontinue to maintain steady growth.

accordance with iJAS standards.
The accreditation certification will
be issued in 4 languages (Chinese,Japanese, Thai, and English). The
results are also published on theNot Accredited
Mission,Goals & Strategy

Valid
6 years

Accreditation results can be“accredited” or “not accredited” inDoes not achieve the educational goals in adefinite manner and does not satisfy the basic
requirements for international joint accreditation
standards.

website and in relevant public
documents.
The information can also be
disseminated on suitableoccasions.

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MESSAGE FROM ACCREDITED UNIVERSITIES

Dr. Norihiko Suzuki

Former President
Akita International University(Japan)

Despite the long-standing call for the internationalization of higher

A large number of higher education institutions around the world are faced

education, finding a common direction for developing specific strategies haswith the issue of a declining birthrate, and Taiwanese institutions are nonot been easy. That said, international collaboration among quality

exception. Many universities in Taiwan are scrutinizing their strengths andassurance agencies for university education is, at present, the mostpositions to ensure lasting development as well as tackling the importantfundamental framework for international quality assurance in higher

challenge of finding new ways to promote essential improvements, provide

education as it involves the tasks of verifying and assuring the quality ofquality education, and develop professionals capable of meeting the needs

higher education in accordance with a mutual set of standards.

of industries.

The Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA) and its Taiwanese

As part of the efforts to raise its international competitiveness, Chia Nan

counterpart, the Taiwan Assessment and Evaluation Association (TWAEA),

University of Pharmacy and Science (CNU) not only recruits international

together developed the International Joint Accreditation Standards (iJAS) as
an international collaborative framework for evaluation and accreditation ofJapanese and Taiwanese university education. The first institutions toundergo an accreditation review under this project were Akita InternationalUniversity (AIU) in Japan and Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science

Dr. Hong-chu ChenFormer President
Chia Nan University of
Pharmacy and Science (Taiwan)

students but actively offers support to help students thrive on the globalstage.
To gain global recognition, higher education institutions need to be part ofan international quality assurance program and, through this type ofcollaborative international accreditation project, be assessed based on(CNU) in Taiwan. At the review session that essentially marks the first step ofinternational standards and with an international perspective in such areas

internationalization activities by a Japanese quality assurance agency foras the university’s features and development plans, effectiveness of quality

higher education, an assessment team made up of Japanese and Taiwanese

assurance in education, research and industry-academia collaboration

evaluators performed a rigorous, day-long assessment covering six

results, and social contribution activities.

accreditation standards and concluded that the two institutions meet

Established 53 years ago, CNU has partnership agreements in place withinternational standards in both education content and levels.

over 200 institutions, providing students with various learning opportunities

As a first-of-its-kind experience even for AIU teachers and staff who arethat include study abroad and double degree programs. Between 2019 andused to international exchanges, anxiety intensified during the many hours

2021, our university has ranked among the top ten percent in the Center for

spent preparing for the review. We expect that undergoing an accreditation

World University Rankings. The latest iJAS accreditation has allowed us toprocess will be a requisite for other Japanese universities in the future. With

take a big first step forward towards our goal of increasing the internationaloverseas institutions increasingly demanding quality assurance in education

recognition of our university.

from their potential international collaboration partners, we now live in a time
when by what quality assurance agency a university is accredited has
become a serious question.

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