Public Provision of Information
by Higher Education Institutions
NAKAMURA Shintaro
Inspector, Higher Education Bureau,
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)Information provision systems for education and research activities of universities⚫Universities obliged to proactively provide information on status of university educationand research (1999)(On the corresponding Japanese slide page, Article 2-2 of the Standards for Establishment of Universities as of thetime of the emendateio in 1999 is quoted)⚫Obligation to provide status of education and research activities was legislated (2007)(On the corresponding Japanese slide page, Article 113 of the School Education Act as of the time of theemendateio in 2007 is quoted.)⚫Information that a university shall provide specified and successively increased (2011,2016, 2017, 2019)(On the corresponding Japanese slide page, Article 172-2 of the Regulation for Enforcement of the School Education
Act as of 2023, which consists of 5 clauses. The first paragraph defines the 9 types of information to be provided for
all kinds of higher education programs, with further requirements for specific kinds thereof. Some annotations aresupplied to indicate the time of augmented requirements.)⚫The condition of public information provision subject to evaluation in Certified Evaluationand Accreditation (2011)(On the corresponding Japanese slide page, paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 1 of the Ministerial Ordinance Providing
Details Required to Apply Standards Provided in Paragraph 2 of Article 110 of the School Education Act are quoted)1Overview of Policy for Management of Teaching and Learning
We must shift to learner-oriented education in order to raise independent learners who can thrive in an era of unpredictability.
Thus, universities must emphasize the concept of management of teaching and learning (MTL) as educational institutions.
What isMTL?

• Critical management operations are carried out by universities in to achieve educational objectives and are closely tied to theestablishment of internal quality assurance.
• Such quality assurance places special emphasis upon on-campus resources (personnel, facilities, etc.) and time that students commit toeducational activities, which are limited, and more of “learner perspective” than “supplier perspective” to establish student-oriented learning.

Policy forMTL• Demonstrate university management (= established as a system of MTL) that fulfills accountability to society while improving teachingto achieve learner-oriented education.
• This policy is not an “instruction” since each university should establish MTL based on its autonomy.
• The main aim is to help promote initiatives for which full implementation has been deemed necessary from the viewpoint of quality
assurance to universities and other institutions whose educational improvement initiatives have not been fully successful.
• It is strongly desired that university presidents, vice-presidents and deans refer to this policy. In addition, this policy has been made not
only for academic and administrative staff directly involved in education, but also for current and prospective students, and those whopay tuition, as well as relevant parties connected to universities, such as local communities and industries, to understand MTL.

The establishment of MTL for each academic program under the leadership of the president is sought. “University-wide” level

The Three Policies (“Diploma policy (DP)”, “Curriculum policy (CP)”, “Admission policy (AP)”)
Vitally important in the establishment of MTL / Deemed as the starting point for improving the quality of learner-oriented education“Academic program” level

Foundation ofsupporting managementof teaching and learning(FD/SD, Teaching andLearning IR)

IV

Proactiveaccountability

I Specify learning objectives through “The Three Policies”
II Develop and implement subjects and curriculum
Addendum: Implement university entrance examinations based on“Admission policy”
III Ascertain and visualize learning and education outcomes

V Public information provision“Subjects” level
Ensuring overall
consistency
Assessing theoutcomes ofeducation

Trust and support
from society2

Public information provision under the Certified Evaluation and Accreditation
In the "Ministerial Ordinance Providing Details Required to Apply Standards Provided in Paragraph 2 of Article 110 of the School
Education Act", Standards for Evaluation and Accreditation of Universities are regulated as one of the requirements forevaluation and accreditation organizations to be certified by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
This includes “public information provision pertaining to the condition of education and research activities”.
Name of certified evaluation
and accreditation
organizations

Evaluation standards

Examples of confirmed legalcompliance status

Japan University
Accreditation Association(JUAA)

Standard 2: Internal Quality Assurance[Evaluation items] 4. The university fulfills its accountability to society byproviding clear public statements about its education and research
activities, self-study results, finances, and the status of its various activities.

○ Article 172-2, Regulation
for Enforcement of theSchool Education Act

National Institution for
Academic Degrees andQuality Enhancement ofHigher Education (NIAD-QE)

Standard 3-6: The university publicizes information on its education andresearch activities appropriately.

Japan Institution for HigherEducation Evaluation (JIHEE)

Standard 5．Management, Administration and Finance
Scope: Management Discipline, Board of Directors, Administration,
Financial Base and Fiscal Balance, Accounting
Point Evaluated 5-1. (Management discipline and integrity)

Japan Association forCollege Accreditation(JACA)

Standard IV. Leadership and Governance > Theme C. Governance3 Universities have a high degree of public and social responsibility,actively providing and disclosing information to uphold accountability.

Japan Association for
Quality of University
Education (JAQUE)

Standard 1. Basic evaluation: Assurance of conformity of regulation(g) Matters concerning public information provision pertaining to thecondition of education and research activities.

⚫ Article 63-2, PrivateSchools Act⚫ Article 22-6 Regulation for
Enforcement of theEducation Personnel
Certification Act⚫ Paragraph 3 of Article 38,
Act on General Rules for
Incorporated
Administrative Agencies(application, mutatismutandis)⚫ Paragraph 3 of Article 34,
Act on Local Incorporated
Administrative Agencies⚫ Paragraph 2 of Article 47,
Private Schools Act
NOTE: Whether ● is subject toevaluation depends on the type ofestablishment and curriculum.

(July 2023, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology research)

3

Japanese College and University Portraits (JPCUP)
Overview/Purpose
Construct a common mechanism for utilizing and providing university and college education information employing a database.
• Communicating the condition of the various education activities of universities and colleges in a manner easily understoodby diverse parties, both foreign and domestic.
• Enabling universities and colleges to utilize education information to better understand and analyze the condition of theirown activities.
• Establishing a common mechanism for the provision of fundamental information, and help universities and collages respondto various surveys.

Understand and analyze thecondition of activities through useof education information[Universities and colleges]

Information dissemination to themin Japan and elsewhere[Prospective students]

JPCUP

Help universities and colleges
provide information[Accreditation organizations, etc.]

Main information provided by JPCUP
Started providing information on national, public and private universities and junior colleges through JPCUP in March 2015.
(https://portraits.niad.ac.jp/)[Institutional level][Faculty/graduate school-level]• Basic information on the university• Education and research objectives and the Three Policies• Education and research objectives, etc.
• Characteristics of the faculty/graduate school, etc.
• Characteristics of the university, etc.
• Curriculum (available academic degrees, academic fields, assessments of learning outcomes, etc.)• Basic organization for education and research• Qualifications• Entrance examinations (enrollment numbers, exam method, etc.）• Campus• Evaluation results• Academic staff (staff organization, number of staff, their academic degrees and achievements)• Student support (learning support, career and • Students (capacity, number of students)
academic advancement option support, etc.)• Campus• Extracurricular activities• Expenses and financial support (tuition, scholarships, tuition exemptions, etc.)• Advancement (number of students graduating/completing programs, number of students
pursuing further education or employment)4