○ In the ICC Scheme, it is likely that Japanese and foreign universities would organize curricula using each other’s courses or jointly developing courses, so the scheme has introduced a new concept called “courses jointly designed” (Japanese and foreign universities jointly plan, design, implement, manage courses, as well as managing the academic records of students for quality assurance, and conferring credits) so that students can count credits of courses jointly designed in the number of credits acquired from their universities in Japan or partner universities in foreign countries. (Credits of courses jointly designed will not be included in the minimum number of credits from partner universities in foreign countries, to avoid double counting.)

Japanese universities shall determine the number of learning hours concerning credits of courses jointly designed in consultation with foreign partner universities, ensuring that they provide sufficient learning hours as set forth in all the items of paragraph (2), Article 21 of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities.

The scheme deems classrooms and other facilities of partner universities in foreign countries participating in ICC to be included in “classrooms, laboratories or their equivalents other than classrooms where universities conduct classes” as prescribed in the Public Notice No. 51 of 2001 of MEXT concerning the “stipulation on the classes that universities allow students to take,” pursuant to the provision of paragraph (2), Article 25 of the Standards for Establishment of Universities.

Thus, Japanese universities may conduct classes using various types of media in a highly advanced manner in the classrooms and other locations of their partner universities in foreign countries. (As heretofore, they may conduct classes using various types of media in a highly advanced manner in classrooms and laboratories or their equivalents where universities conduct classes.) In this regard, the provisions of paragraph (5), Article 32, of the Standards for Establishment of Universities and other laws and regulations prescribe that the number of credits earned through classes conducted in this manner will not exceed 60 credits out of the total number of credits necessary for graduation.

On the other hand, the present system already permits students in Japan to take classes that foreign universities conduct with use of various types of media in a highly advanced manner, thus this applies to the case of ICC for partner universities in foreign countries to use various media in their classes. However, the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), Article 28, of the Standards for Establishment of Universities has already stipulated that a maximum of 60 credits from classes conducted by foreign universities may be deemed as credits acquired from classes conducted by the students' Japanese universities. Thus, for ICC, special provisions are set out to permit Japanese universities to accept courses of their foreign partner universities as their own courses and distinguish classes that foreign universities conduct with use of various types of media from cases applicable to the provision of the article above (that is, no credits earned upon completion of courses under ICC will be counted in the number of credits referred to in the said article). In this case, according to the provisions of paragraph (5), Article 32, of the Standards for Establishment