Japan University Accreditation Association
University Accreditation Regulations

Established on June 28, 2006

Revised on September 7, 2018

Revised on March 11, 2008

Revised on January 31, 2019

Revised on April 24, 2008

Revised on September 27, 2019

Revised on January 28, 2010
Revised on May 21, 2010
Revised on January 28, 2011
Revised on March 9, 2012
Revised on May 19, 2015
Revised on January 29, 2016
Revised on September 14, 2016

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article1

Purpose

These Regulations provide for the accreditation of universities (except for junior colleges) (“University
Accreditation”) that is third-party accreditation on education and research activities, etc. in universities
carried out by the Japan University Accreditation Association (“JUAA”) pursuant to Article 4,
Paragraph 1, Item a, of the Japan University Accreditation Association Articles of Incorporation (the
“AOI”).
Article 2

Definitions

1. In these Regulations, “University Accreditation” means to accredit a university with respect towhich at least one year has passed from its completion year of the establishment plan (“Application
Eligibility Satisfaction Year”) and which desires to undergo JUAA’s University Accreditation, andto determine whether that university is accredited as meeting JUAA’s university standards.
2. A university that has received University Accreditation under these Regulations is considered tohave received certified evaluation under Article 109, Paragraph (2), of the School Education Act.
Article 3

Main Purpose of University Accreditation

The main purpose of University Accreditations is to comprehensively evaluate every aspect of
universities.
Article 4

Accreditation Period

1. The accreditation period for a university that has been awarded accreditation is seven years.
2. The accreditation commences on April 1 of the fiscal year following a University Accreditation.

Article 5

Suspension of Accreditation Decision

Deleted
Article 6

Application for Full Membership

A university that has been accredited as meeting the university standards may apply for full membershipof JUAA.

CHAPTER II

UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION COMMITTEE

Article 7

Establishment

JUAA is to establish the University Accreditation Committee under the provisions of Article 33,
Paragraph 1, of the AOI in order to perform University Accreditations.
Article 8

Organization

1. The University Accreditation Committee consists of 20 committee members.
2. Of the committee members under the preceding paragraph, ten members are to be elected by the
Board of Trustees from among the candidates each of whom is recommended by full member
universities and appointed by the President.
3. Five of the committee members under Paragraph 1 are to be appointed by the President from amongexternal experts through discussions at the Board of Trustees.
4. Five of the committee members under Paragraph 1 other than the members under the provisions ofParagraphs 2 and 3 are to be nominated by the Board of Trustees and appointed by the President.
5. The term of office of a University Accreditation Committee member is two years; provided,
however, that a committee member may be reappointed.
6. If the post of a member of a University Accreditation Committee member becomes vacant, acommittee member will be elected by the Board of Managing Trustees according to the election
category and appointed by the President.
7. The term of office of a committee member appointed to fill a vacancy is the remaining term of officeof his or her predecessor.
Article 9

Committee Chair and Vice Committee Chair

1. The University Accreditation Committee has one Committee Chair and one Vice Committee Chair.
2. The Committee Chair and the Vice Committee Chair are to be elected from among the committee
members and appointed by the President.
3. The Committee Chair is in charge of the duties of the University Accreditation Committee.
4. The Vice Committee Chair assists the Committee Chair, and will act in his or her place if theCommittee Chair is unable to perform his or her duties or the post of the Committee Chair is vacant.

Article 10

Secretary

1. The University Accreditation Committee may have a secretary as needed. The secretary is to beappointed by the President from among the candidates nominated by the University Accreditation
Committee.
2. The secretary shall administer the duties of the University Accreditation Committee at the
instruction of the Committee Chair.
Article 11

Holding of Committee Meetings

1. University Accreditation Committee meetings are to be convened by the Committee Chair; provided,
however, that the Committee Chair must convene a University Accreditation Committee meeting if
requested by one-third or more of the committee members.
2. A University Accreditation Committee meeting may not be held without the attendance of at least
one half of the committee members.
3. Decisions of the Committee are to be made by a majority of the committee members present at thatmeeting. In case of a tie, the Committee Chair is to decide the matter.
Article 12

No Proxies for University Accreditation Committee Members

A University Accreditation Committee member may not have someone else act in his or her place.

CHAPTER III

UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION SUBCOMMITTEE AND FINANCIAL

AFFAIRS REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE
Article 13

Establishment

1. The University Accreditation Committee is to establish the University Accreditation Subcommittee
and the Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee.
2. The members of the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review
Subcommittee consist of the members of the University Accreditation Committee and othermembers.
3. The members of the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review
Subcommittee are to be appointed by the President from among the candidates nominated by the
University Accreditation Committee.
4. Each of the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review
Subcommittee has one subcommittee chief.
5. The University Accreditation Committee may have panels under the Financial Affairs Review
Subcommittee as needed. In that case, the composition, appointment procedures, etc. of the panels
will be in accordance with the provisions of Paragraphs 2 through 4 of this Article.
6. The term of office of each member of the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial
Affairs Review Subcommittee (including members of panels) is one year; provided, however, thata member of the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review

Subcommittee may be reappointed.
Article 14

No Proxies for Subcommittee Members

A member of the University Accreditation Subcommittee or the Financial Affairs Review
Subcommittee (including panel members) may not have someone else act in his or her place.

CHAPTER IV

UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES

Article 15Document Analyses and Site Visits

A University Accreditation is to be carried out through an analysis of self-study reports and othermaterials prepared by the university based on the evaluation items to be separately provided and througha site visit.
Article 16

Submission of Applications for University Accreditation

1. Each university shall submit an application for the University Accreditation to the President by aspecified date and also submit to JUAA the materials under the preceding article by a specified date.
2. In addition to the materials under the preceding paragraph, the University Accreditation Committee,
the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee may
request a university to additionally submit any materials necessary for the University Accreditation.
Article 17

Withdrawal of Application

1. A university may not withdraw its application on or after a specified date except for where a special
circumstance has arisen that is considered to make it difficult to continue the accreditation.
2. The Board of Trustees is to decide on whether it approves or rejects the withdrawal of an application
for a University Accreditation under the preceding paragraph based on a written request by theuniversity.
Article 18

Discontinuation and Suspension of University Accreditation

The Board of Trustees may discontinue or temporarily suspend a University Accreditation if it finds
grounds that are reasonable enough to determine that it is difficult to continue the University
Accreditation such as the occurrence of a disaster.
Article 19

Evaluator Training

JUAA shall provide training relating to accreditation practices in an appropriate manner for themembers and the secretary of the University Accreditation Committee, and the members of the
University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee (including
panel members).
Article 20

Exclusion of Interested Parties

None of the members or the secretary of the University Accreditation Committee, or the members of
the University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee (including
panel members) may participate in accreditation of a university to which such member, etc. belongs.
Article 21

Division of Duties

1. The University Accreditation Subcommittee shall evaluate the evaluation items specified by JUAA
other than those relating to finance.
2. The Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee shall evaluate the evaluation items relating to finance.
Article 22

Preparation of Draft University Accreditation Results

1. The University Accreditation Subcommittee and the Financial Affairs Review Subcommittee are toprepare the University Accreditation results (subcommittee’s draft) based on the results of theevaluation under the preceding article.
2. The University Accreditation results (subcommittee’s draft) may include “areas of serious concern,”“suggestions for improvement” or “commendation” and “rating.”
3. The University Accreditation results (subcommittee’s draft) must include the decision on whether
the university is accredited or not accredited as meeting the university standards.
4. The accreditation or non-accreditation under the preceding paragraph is to be madecomprehensively in light of the status of the areas of serious concern.
5. The subcommittee chief of the University Accreditation Subcommittee shall submit to the
University Accreditation Committee the University Accreditation results (subcommittee’s draft) by
a specified date.
6. After receiving the University Accreditation results (subcommittee’s draft) in the preceding
paragraph, the University Accreditation Committee shall deliberate on the details thereof andprepare the University Accreditation results (final draft).
7. In preparing the University Accreditation results (final draft) in the preceding paragraph, theCommittee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall hear the opinions of theuniversity on the original draft thereof.
8. The Committee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall submit the University
Accreditation results (final draft) to the President by a specified date.
Article 23

Determination of University Accreditation Results

The Board of Trustees shall deliberate on and determine the University Accreditation Results while
respecting the University Accreditation results (final draft) in Paragraph 8 of the preceding article.
Article 24

Revocation of Accreditation

If, after the determination in the preceding article, a serious situation arises that would make it
impossible to maintain the decision that the university meets the university standards such as where it
is found that the evaluation reports or other materials were prepared based on false information, theBoard of Trustees may revoke the accreditation after soliciting opinions of the University Accreditation

Committee even during the accreditation period.
Article 25

Notices

1. After the Board of Trustees determines the University Accreditation results, the President shallpromptly notify the university of the results.
2. The President shall compile the University Accreditation results into a University Accreditation
Results Report and report to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
3. The President shall publicly disclose the University Accreditation Results Report in the preceding
paragraph in a publication, on the Internet, or in another appropriate manner.

CHAPTER V

APPEAL PROCEDURES

Article 26

Appeal Procedures

Appeal procedures are to be separately provided.

CHAPTER VI

Progress Report Review Procedures

Article 27

Progress Report

1. A university that has been accredited as meeting the university standards but with any areas ofserious concern or suggestions for improvement must submit a progress report on those areas ofserious concern or suggestions for improvement by a specified date.
2. Any university that has been accredited with limitation as a result of a University Accreditation in
FY2017 or whose accreditation decision has been suspended as a result of a University
Accreditation in FY2018 or FY2019 must submit a progress report (except for any matters subject
to rereview) by a specified date on the matters concerning the areas of serious concern andsuggestions for improvement included in the University Accreditation results.
3. Any university subject to a decision of “non-accredited” as a result of the University Accreditation
may submit a progress report for review on the matters concerning the areas of serious concern andsuggestions for improvement included in the University Accreditation results (except where that
university applies for a supplementary review).
Article 28

Progress Report Review Subcommittee

1. The University Accreditation Committee shall establish the Progress Report Review Subcommittee
in order to review progress reports.
2. The members of the Progress Report Review Subcommittee are to be appointed by the President
from among the candidates nominated by the University Accreditation Committee.
3. The Progress Report Review Subcommittee has one subcommittee chief.
4. The term of office of each member of the Progress Report Review Subcommittee is one year;

provided, however, that a member of the Progress Report Review Subcommittee may bereappointed.
5. A Progress Report Review Subcommittee member may not have someone else act in his or her place.
Article 29

Preparation of Draft Review Results on Progress Reports

1. The Progress Report Review Subcommittee is to prepare the review results (subcommittee's draft)on the progress report based on the results of its review.
2. In cases such as where no improvement is observed, the Progress Report Review Subcommittee
may submit another opinion to the university in the review results (subcommittee’s draft) under thepreceding paragraph.
3. The subcommittee chief of the Progress Report Review Subcommittee shall submit to the University
Accreditation Committee the review results (subcommittee’s draft) on the progress report by aspecified date.
4. After receiving the review results (subcommittee’s draft) in the preceding paragraph, the University
Accreditation Committee shall deliberate on the details thereof and prepare its review results (final
draft) on the progress report.
5. The Committee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall submit the review results(final draft) in the preceding paragraph to the President by a specified date.
Article 30

Decisions, Notices, and Public Disclosure

1. The Board of Trustees shall deliberate on and determine its review results on the progress reports
while respecting the review results (final draft) in Paragraph 5 of the preceding article.
2. After the Board of Trustees determines the results in the preceding paragraph, the President shallpromptly notify the university of the results.
3. The President shall publicly disclose the results in Paragraph 1 in a publication, on the Internet, orin another appropriate manner.

CHAPTER VII

REREVIEW PROCEDURES

Article 31

Application for Rereview

1. Any university that has been accredited with limitation as a result of a University Accreditation in
FY2017 or whose accreditation decision has been suspended as a result of a University
Accreditation in FY2018 or FY2019 must submit by a specified date a rereview report on the mattersof concern based on which such decision was made to the President for rereview.
2. Any university that fails to undergo a rereview under the preceding paragraph by a specified date
will be determined to be not meeting the university standards.
Article 32

Rereview Subcommittee

1. The University Accreditation Committee shall establish the Rereview Subcommittee for the purpose

of rereview; provided, however, that this does not apply where it is determined that the University
Accreditation Committee can conduct a rereview in light of the details of the matters of concern
based on which a decision of accreditation with limitation was made or the accreditation decision
has been suspended.
2. The members of the Rereview Subcommittee are to be appointed by the President from among thecandidates nominated by the University Accreditation Committee.
3. The Rereview Subcommittee has one subcommittee chief.
4. The term of office of each member of the Rereview Subcommittee is one year; provided, however,that a member of the Rereview Subcommittee may be reappointed.
5. A Rereview Subcommittee member may not have someone else act in his or her place.
Article 33

Document Analyses and Site Visits

A rereview is to be carried out through document analysis and a site visit; provided, however, that asite visit may be omitted at the discretion of the University Accreditation Committee if improvement
can be observed through document analysis.
Article 34

Preparation of Draft Rereview Results

1. The Rereview Subcommittee is to prepare the rereview results (subcommittee’s draft) based on the
results of the evaluation under the preceding article.
2. The rereview results (subcommittee’s draft) must include the decision on whether the university is
accredited or not accredited as meeting the university standards.
3. The decision under the preceding paragraph is to be made based on the status of improvement on
all of the matters reported in the rereview report.
4. The rereview results (subcommittee’s draft) may include “areas of serious concern,” “suggestions
for improvement” and “rating.”
5. The subcommittee chief of the Rereview Subcommittee shall submit to the University Accreditation
Committee the rereview results (subcommittee’s draft) by a specified date.
6. After receiving the rereview results (subcommittee’s draft) in the preceding paragraph, theUniversity Accreditation Committee shall deliberate on the details thereof and prepare the rereview
results (final draft).
7. In preparing the rereview results (final draft) in the preceding paragraph, the Committee Chair of
the University Accreditation Committee shall hear the opinions of the university on the originaldraft thereof.
8. The Committee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall submit the rereview results(final draft) to the President by a specified date.
Article 35Determination of Rereview Results
The Board of Trustees shall deliberate on and determine the rereview results while respecting therereview results (final draft) in Paragraph 8 of the preceding article.

Article 36

Accreditation Period

1. The accreditation period for a university that has been accredited as meeting the university standards
as a result of a rereview is seven years including the period of accreditation with limitation or theperiod during which an accreditation decision has been suspended.
2. The provisions on revocation of accreditation under Article 24 also apply to rereview results.
Article 37

Notices

Article 25 applies mutatis mutandis to notices on determinations, etc. under Article 35.

CHAPTER VIII

SUPPLEMENTARY REVIEW PROCEDURES

Article 38

Applications for Supplementary Review

1. Any university that has been determined to be not meeting the university standards as a result of a
University Accreditation or a rereview may apply for a supplementary review by a specified dateon the matters of concern based on which that non-accreditation decision was made.
2. An application in the preceding paragraph may only be made once from the fiscal year following
the fiscal year during which that university underwent the University Accreditation or rereview andin or before the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year of the next University Accreditation.
3. A university that applies for a supplementary review shall submit a supplementary review report on
the areas of serious concern and suggestions for improvement.
Article 39

Supplementary Review Subcommittee

1. The University Accreditation Committee shall establish the Supplementary Review Subcommittee
for the purpose of supplementary reviews; provided, however, that this does not apply where it isdetermined that the University Accreditation Committee can conduct a supplementary review inlight of the details of the matters of concern based on which accreditation has been denied.
2. The members of the Supplementary Review Subcommittee are to be appointed by the President
from among the candidates nominated by the University Accreditation Committee.
3. The Supplementary Review Subcommittee has one subcommittee chief.
4. The term of office of each member of the Supplementary Review Subcommittee is one year;
provided, however, that a member of the Supplementary Review Subcommittee may be reappointed.
5. A Supplementary Review Subcommittee member may not have someone else act in his or her place.
Article 40

Document Analyses and Site Visits

A supplementary review is to be carried out through document analysis and a site visit; provided,
however, that a site visit may be omitted at the discretion of the University Accreditation Committee if
improvement can be observed through document analysis.
Article 41

Preparation of Draft Supplementary Review Results

1. The Supplementary Review Subcommittee is to prepare the supplementary review results(subcommittee’s draft) based on the results of the evaluation under the preceding article.
2. The supplementary review results (subcommittee’s draft) may include “areas of serious concern” or“suggestions for improvement” and “rating.”
3. The supplementary review results (subcommittee’s draft) must include the decision on whether theuniversity is accredited or not accredited as meeting the university standards.
4. The decision under the preceding paragraph is to be made based on the status of improvement on
the matters reported in the supplementary review report relating to the matters of concern based on
which the non-accreditation decision was made.
5. The subcommittee chief of the Supplementary Review Subcommittee shall submit to the University
Accreditation Committee the supplementary review results (subcommittee’s draft) by a specified
date.
6. After receiving the supplementary review results (subcommittee’s draft) in the preceding paragraph,
the University Accreditation Committee shall deliberate on the details thereof and prepare thesupplementary review results (final draft).
7. In preparing the supplementary review results (final draft) in the preceding paragraph, theCommittee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall hear the opinions of theuniversity on the original draft thereof.
8. The Committee Chair of the University Accreditation Committee shall submit the supplementary
review results (final draft) under Paragraph 6 to the President by a specified date.
Article 42

Determination of Supplementary Review Results

The Board of Trustees shall deliberate on and determine the supplementary review results while
respecting the supplementary review results (final draft) in Paragraph 8 of the preceding article.
Article 43

Accreditation Period

1. The accreditation of a university that has been accredited as meeting the university standards as aresult of a supplementary review will commence on April 1 of the fiscal year following the fiscal
year during which the supplementary review was conducted; provided, however, that,
notwithstanding the provisions of Article 4, Paragraph 1, the accreditation period will end on March
31 of the fiscal year that is seven years after the fiscal year following the fiscal year during which
the university originally underwent the University Accreditation.
2. The provisions on revocation of accreditation under Article 24 also apply to supplementary review
results.
Article 44

Notices

Article 25 applies mutatis mutandis to notices on determinations, etc. under Article 42.

CHAPTER IXCERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

Article 45

Delivery of Certificate of Accreditation

JUAA is to deliver a certificate of accreditation to a university that has been accredited as meeting theuniversity standards as a result of a University Accreditation, rereview or supplementary review.

CHAPTER X

ACCREDITATION FEE

Article 46

Payment of Accreditation Fee

A university that is to undergo a University Accreditation, rereview or supplementary review shall pay
an accreditation fee to be separately provided.

CHAPTER XIMISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Article 47

Revisions to and Abolishment of these Regulations

1. Any revisions to and abolishment of these Regulations is to be made by the Board of Trustees.
2. Any detailed regulations necessary for the implementation of these Regulations are to be determinedby the Board of Managing Trustees.
Supplementary Provisions
1. These Regulations take effect on April 1, 2011.
2. The Detailed Regulations on the University Accreditation (June 28, 2006) are to be abolished upon
the implementation of these Regulations.
3. The rereview procedures under Chapter VIII also apply to the rereview of a university that
underwent a University Accreditation in or before FY2010 and whose accreditation or nonaccreditation decision was suspended. In that case, “accredited with limitation” in Article 36,
Paragraph 1, “when the accreditation period ends” in Paragraph 2 of the same article, and “sevenyears including the period under Article 4, Paragraph 2” in Article 41 will be read as “whose
accreditation decision has been suspended,” “when the accreditation suspension period ends,” and“the period starting on April 1 of the fiscal year following the fiscal year during which the rereview
was conducted and ending on March 31 of the fiscal year that is seven years after the fiscal year
from which the accreditation suspension started,” respectively.
Supplementary Provisions (March 9, 2012)
These Regulations take effect on the date of registration of incorporation of the public interest
corporation under Article 106, Paragraph 1, of the Act on Revision, etc. of Related Acts inConnection with Enforcement of the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General
Incorporated Foundations and the Act on Authorization of Public Interest Incorporated
Associations and Public Interest Incorporated Foundations.

Supplementary Provisions (May 19, 2015)
These Regulations take effect on April 1, 2015.
Supplementary Provisions (January 29, 2016)
These Regulations take effect on March, 1, 2016.
Supplementary Provisions (September 14, 2016)
1. These Regulations take effect on April 1, 2018; provided, however, that the provisions of Article
30, Paragraph 3 relating to the public disclosure of the review results on progress reports apply only
to the universities that have undergone a University Accreditation on or after April 1, 2018.
2. In connection with the application of Article 8, Paragraph 1, notwithstanding the provisions ofArticle 8, Paragraph 5, the term of office of a member of the University Accreditation Committee
under Chapter II appointed on or after April 1, 2017 is one year.
3. The rereview procedures under Chapter VII also apply to rereviews of universities that haveundergone University Accreditation in or before FY 2017 and been accredited with limitation. In
that case, “whose accreditation decision has been suspended” and “areas of serious concern andsuggestions for improvement” in Article 31, Paragraph 1 will be read as “accredited with limitation,”and “areas of serious concern and suggestions for improvement,” respectively, “that fails to undergoa rereview [under the preceding paragraph by a specified date will]” in Article 31, Paragraph 2 will
be read as “that fails to undergo a rereview [under the preceding paragraph by a specified date] will,
upon the accreditation period ends,” “the matters of concern based on which…the accreditation
decision has been suspended” in Article 34, Paragraph 4 will be read as “the matters of concern
based on which the decision of accreditation with limitation was made,” and “period during which
an accreditation decision has been suspended” in Article 36, Paragraph 1 will be read as “the periodof accreditation with limitation.”
4. The supplementary review procedures under Chapter VIII also apply to supplementary reviews ofuniversities that have undergone University Accreditation in or before FY2017 and been determined
to be not meeting the university standards. In that case, “areas of serious concern and suggestions
for improvement” in Article 38, Paragraph 3 will be read as “areas of serious concern andsuggestions for improvement.”
Supplementary Provisions (September 7, 2018)
These Regulations take effect on September 7, 2018.
Supplementary Provisions (January 31, 2019)
These Regulations take effect on April 1, 2019.
Supplementary Provisions (September 27, 2019)
1. These Regulations take effect on April 1, 2020.

2. The entirety of Article 27, Paragraph 2 and Chapter VII, and the provisions of Articles 38, 45 and46 that relate to rereviews are to be deleted when the rereviews of universities accredited withlimitation as a result of the University Accreditation in FY2017 and universities whose accreditation
decision have been suspended as a result of the University Accreditation in FY2018 and 2019 are
fully completed.