For Enhancing Quality
in Higher Education

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTThe Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA)
was founded in 1947 as the first accreditation agency inJapan, contributing to its member universities throughout
the country to improve the quality of higher education( H E ) . In recent years JUAA has actively focused oninternationalization projects.
In response to the internationalization of HE, JUAA is
currently implementing the following specific measures,
including accreditation, to ensure the international
comparability of its quality assurance (QA) activities:
Yuko Takahashi, Ph.D.

Activities to ensure the international acceptability of evaluation
Keeping abreast of international trends in QA
Efforts to ensure international comparability as a QA agency
Cultivation of international perspectives among the staff of QA agencies
We hope that in the future, JUAA will be able to actively interact with accreditation
organizations around the world, and through international exchanges gain deeper insight
into the more effective role that QA agencies should play in society.

OUR MISSION
We strive to enhance the qualityof higher education institutions(HEIs) in Japan and contribute tointernational cooperation in theeducation and research activitiesof HEIs through our members’

Accreditation
Researchvoluntary efforts and mutualassistance.

Our main activities areaccreditation, researchand international cooperation.

1International
Cooperation

ACCREDITATIONJUAA conducts institutional and program accreditation to ensure the quality of HEIs andsupport their continuous improvement and enhancement. We focus on internal QA andlearning outcomes at each institution for the improvement of education. To enhance theobjectivity of its evaluation, university officials as well as students, industry professionals,
and high school officials participate as stakeholders in the evaluation.

University Standards

1 Mission and Purpose
2 Internal Quality Assurance
3 Education and Research Organization
4

Educational Program and Outcome

5Student Enrollment

6 Faculty and Faculty Organization
7 Student Support
8 Education and Research Environment

Accreditation Process

1Submit Self-study Report2

Document Analysis

3Site Visit

4

Notify the Accreditation Results※Universities have the opportunity to comment on theaccreditation results (committee draft). In addition,
non-accredited universities may appeal the decision.

5Improvement & Submit ProgressReport

6Progress Report Review & Notify
the Results

9 Social Cooperation and Contribution
10 University Management and FinanceAccreditation Certificateand LogoJUAA issues an accreditationc e r t i fi c a t e a n d l o g o t o H E I s
found to be compliant with its
a c c r e di t a t i o n s t a nd a r d s.

Accreditation Logo

Accreditation Certificate

2Fields of Accreditation
Institutional
Accreditation
Accreditation forProfessional
Graduate School
ProgramAccreditation※Bachelor degree・University・Junior College・Law School・School of Global Communications
・Business School・School of Digital Contents
・Public Policy School・School of Global Legal Studies
・School of Public Health ・School of Public Relations
・School of Intellectual Property Studies
・Veterinary Medicine
・Dentistry：Certified Evaluation and Accreditation※Certified Evaluation and Accreditation (CEA), a national mandatory evaluation andaccreditation scheme for higher education in Japan, was introduced in 2004 toassure and enhance the quality of academic activities.
Universities, junior colleges, and colleges of technology in Japan must undergo CEA
at the institutional level every seven years or less. Additionally, professional andvocational universities, professional and vocational junior colleges, and professional
graduate schools must undergo CEA at the program level every five years or less.

RESEARCH
As a responsible External Quality Assurance Agency (EQAA) that supports HEIs, JUAA
engages in research activities to improve the quality of its activities.

Research Institute for Quality Assurance of Higher Education
In 2018, JUAA established the Research Institute for Quality Assurance of Higher Education(RIQAHE) to strengthen its research capacity and continuously conduct research activities onQA and other aspects of HE.

Research Projects:（2023-2024)
Survey on Student Participation in Quality Assurance
Survey on Academic Credit Systems and Learning Enhancement

Sharing Research Results
RIQAHE periodically holds symposiums
and other events to share its research
results with member universities andother HEIs.
Research conference

3Public study groupPublications
JUAA disseminates its knowledge through such publications asbooks and journals.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONWith the progress of globalization, there is a growing need for the quality of education
provided by HEIs to be internationally recognized. JUAA focuses its efforts on thefollowing activities to continue serving as an internationally reliable QA agency.

Joining QA Networks and Signing MoUs with Other QA Agencies
JUAA has joined various international QA networks, including the International Network
for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), and signed Memorandumsof Understanding (MoU) with overseas QA agencies to monitor the international trends ofHE and QA. In addition to gathering and disseminating information through thesenetworks, we have undertaken joint projects with our partners to ensure the international
comparability of our QA activities.

Partners①TWAEA

Taiwan Assessment andEvaluation Association

HEEACT⑦Higher Education
Evaluation andAccreditation Council of Taiwan⑤④Networks
INQAAHEInternational Network for
Quality Assurance Agencies
in Higher Education⑥②③①②ONESQA③MQA④KCUE & KUAI

⑤

MNCEA

⑥

CEA VNU-HCM

⑦

EFMD

APQN

Asia-Pacific Quality
Network

CHEA
CHEA International
Quality Group(CIQG)

AAPBS

Association of
Asia-Pacific Business
Schools

Office for National
Education, Standard andQuality Assessment
Malaysian Qualifications
AgencyKorean Council for University
Education & Korean University
Accreditation InstituteMongolian National
Council for Education
AccreditationCenter for Education
Accreditation, Vietnam National
University Ho Chi Minh City

European Foundationfor ManagementDevelopment

4

Initiatives with Partners
iJAS Project
The International Joint Accreditation Standards (iJAS) project is a cross-border QA
framework with the aim of contributing to the internationalization and international QA ofuniversities. In 2018, JUAA and the Taiwan Assessment and Evaluation Association (TWAEA)
launched an iJAS project to develop versatile international standards under mutual
cooperation. As of 2024, iJAS project is operated by JUAA, TWAEA, the Office for National
Education Standards and Quality Assessment(ONESQA), and the Mongolian National
Council for Education Accreditation(MNCEA).

International Survey Project
JUAA, TWAEA, ONESQA, MNCEA and the Center for Education Accreditation, Vietnam
National University Ho Chi Minh City (CEA VNU-HCM) jointly conduct surveys asking
university students about their satisfaction with their studies and compare and analyze theresults.

International Staff Exchange Program /International Internship Program
JUAA, TWAEA and ONESQA jointly organize the International Staff Exchange Program andthe International Internship Program to deepen the understanding of QA systems in different
countries and regions, and to develop and enhance the skills and abilities required for QAstaff.
The International Staff Exchange Program provides a two- or three-day training session
designed to promote exchanges among staff members by sharing their knowledge about HE
and QA systems.
The International Internship Program is a five-month long-term program aimed at developing
more advanced professional skills.

International Staff Exchange Program

5

International Internship Program

International Symposiums
JUAA organizes international symposiums toprovide an opportunity to discuss common
challenges and the status of QA around theworld, so that QA agencies can mutuallyenhance their performance.
International Webinar

International Certification
JUAA was certified as an alignment agency in 2023
through the external review by INQAAHE. It is thefirst QA agency in Japan to be certified.

Membership
JUAA is a voluntary non-profit agency operated under a membership system since its
establishment. About half of the national, public, and private universities in Japan havejoined as full or associate members.

Types of Membership
Full members
Universities and junior colleges that have undergone institutional CEA and have been
approved as full members by JUAA.

Associate members
Universities, junior colleges, or organizations that recognize JUAA’ s mission.

Access Map
Narita International
AirportNipporiShinjuku

Ichigaya
Ochanomizu

Akihabara
TokyoTokyo, Japan
Shinagawa

Hamamatsucho

Tokyo International
Airport6

c/o 2-7-13 Ichigayasadohara-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo,
162-0842 Japan
Tel:+81-3-6228-1315
E-mail: intl@juaa.or.jp
https://www.juaa.or.jp/en/