Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
As for Professional Graduate Schools, however, foreign countries where partner universities are situated do not necessarily have similar systems. Thus, ICC Scheme exceptionally permits graduate schools and Professional Graduate Schools to cooperate with curricula at the equivalent levels so that they can organize JD programs under the scheme. ( $ ^{*} $ For instance, ‘master (professional)’ and ‘master of education (professional)’ in Japan are eligible for JD not only with degrees corresponding to ‘master (professional)’ and ‘master of education (professional)’, but also other equivalent master degrees in foreign countries. Similarly, ‘master’ in Japan is eligible for JD with ‘master (professional)’ at partner universities, if there are any. In any of these cases, the types of degree conferred by Japanese universities will be those which the said universities are permitted to confer (for instance, professional degrees in the former case and master degrees in the latter case), and the prior consent for this point from their partner graduate schools in foreign countries is needed.

Japanese universities shall consult with MEXT when asked by a foreign university to organize JD for a degree type which has no corresponding type of degree in Japan and when they intend to accept the offer.

## (2) Mandatory Requirement of Establishment of an IC-D/M

○ When organizing a JD program in this scheme, Japanese universities are required to establish a new IC-D/M under an existing faculty or graduate school as an internal body to operate their ICC. Junior colleges are required to establish a new such department or major under an existing department for the same purpose. The reason being that:

a: A JD is a curriculum jointly organized with foreign universities and thus different from existing curricula at faculties or graduate schools. It also requires careful consultation with partner foreign universities for the organization and implementation of the said curricula. Thus it is crucial for Japanese universities to secure an independent operating function in order to flexibly respond to this challenging initiative while gaining the cooperation of the parent faculty/school and other internal bodies; and

b: Even if a curriculum is organized with a foreign university, the academic fields of degrees under the university system of the foreign country are not necessarily consistent with those of the Japanese university system. If Japanese universities were permitted to discretionally organize ICC within existing approved departments or majors, the practice for curricula design by the universities could deviate from the authorized scope. Thus, it is appropriate to require universities to establish a new department or major when they organize ICC.

○ JD programs consist of educational and research activities in collaboration with foreign universities. It is important to take advantage of existing educational resources for the successful development of JD program and thus the ICC Scheme requires establishment of a IC-D/M (“International Cooperative Department” or “International Cooperative Major”)
the students’ universities by using the concept of credit transfer, and Japanese universities are still required to "establish necessary courses themselves" and are not permitted to organize curricula without a complete set of necessary courses, assuming that students have already received or will obtain a certain number of credits at foreign universities or elsewhere.

Exceptionally, however, paragraph (2), Article 13 of the Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools permits graduate schools to commission out research supervision of their graduate students to test laboratories and research institutes equipped with advanced research standards, facilities, equipment and human resources (the length of the commission is one year for master's degree programs and a full year for doctoral programs). (This scheme is widely used as an educational and research tool by graduate schools in cooperation with other institutes.)

○ JD programs may enable students in Japan to have access to courses that partner universities in foreign countries can offer, but which Japanese universities cannot. Such programs are also expected to enable Japanese universities to offer new academic programs that they could not create alone or in collaboration with other Japanese universities. For this purpose, a special provision has been set out to allow Japanese universities to deem in advance courses offered by foreign partner universities as courses offered by themselves. (NB: While conventional credit transfer systems are an arrangement whereby each university in Japan establishes the necessary courses first and then individually grants students the credits of the courses ex-post facto and in accordance with the academic achievements of the students made in other universities, the latest special provision is an arrangement to deem courses offered by foreign universities as those of Japanese universities in advance and systematically as an exception to the foregoing provision that “a university shall establish the courses necessary to achieve its educational purpose”.)

The special provision prescribes that credits earned at partner universities in foreign countries (31 credits or more in the case of 4-year undergraduate programs) will be converted to credits of Japanese universities by applying standard learning hours per credit at foreign universities into the Japanese standard (standard learning hours per credit).

Even in this case, as in the DCC Scheme, it is required to set the minimum number of credits that their students shall acquire from each university that jointly organizes the curricula. Specifically, the scheme prescribes that students shall acquire 50% or more of the credits necessary for graduation at Japanese universities and a minimum number of credits essentially equivalent to the minimum number of credits necessary under the DCC Scheme at partner universities in foreign countries (see Table 1).
Table 1: Minimum Required Credits and

Maximum Credits Acquirable from Courses Jointly Designed

Credits necessary for graduation	Minimum credits required for JD	Courses Jointly Designed (half of credit transfer)
Japanese university	Each Partner Foreign university
University	General	124 credits or more	62 credits or more	31 credits or more	30 credits or fewer
Medical Science and Dental Science	188 credits or more	94 credits or more	32 credits or more	30 credits or fewer
Pharmacological Sciences (those whose major purpose is to cultivate practical clinical ability)	186 credits or more	93 credits or more	31 credits or more	30 credits or fewer
Veterinary Science	182 credits or more	91 credits or more	31 credits or more	30 credits or fewer
Junior College	Two-year Program	62 credits or more	31 credits or more	10 credits or more	15 credits or fewer
3-year Program	93 credits or more	47 credits or more	20 credits or more	23 credits or fewer
3-year night Program	62 credits or more	31 credits or more	10 credits or more	15 credits or fewer
Graduate School	General	30 credits or more	15 credits or more	10 credits or more	5 credits or fewer
Professional Graduate School	General	30 credits or more	15 credits or more	10 credits or more	7 credits or fewer
Graduate school of teacher education	45 credits or more	23 credits or more	7 credits or more	25% or less of 45 credits or more
completing the program as above mentioned, and the number of credits to be earned in the Japanese graduate school or the partner graduate school in a foreign country is not set. However, it is possible for graduate schools organizing the International Cooperative Major to set the earning of credits as the requirements for completing the PhD program and, it is also possible to determine whether the credits required for the completion of the program should be earned in Japanese graduate schools or partner graduate schools in foreign countries, or, how many credits should be earned at each of the Japanese graduate schools and the foreign partner graduate schools, based on consultation between both parties.

## (5) Status of Students in JD Programs

○ In the DCC Scheme, students register in and formally belong to one university. In JD programs, on the other hand, students belonging to an IC-D/M shall register for the student record at both Japanese and foreign partner universities as in DD programs.

Students’ welfare and guidance, tuition, etc., is determined through mutual consultation of universities organizing ICC, which is one of the matters that a public notice requires universities involved to determine in their inter-university agreements.

In preparation for a case in which it becomes difficult to maintain any IC-D/M for any reason on the side of partner universities (acts of God, civil commotion, interference from the foreign government in the academic freedom of Japanese universities, etc.), Japanese universities will have to set out internal rules that, in such circumstances, the university will protect the students involved by transferring them to another department, of the parent faculty, and recognizing credits earned from the foreign partner university as those from the department to which the students have been transferred under the credit transfer system. (The scheme permits Japanese universities to regard credits of courses jointly implemented as those acquired from themselves.). It should be noted, however, that universities are not permitted to convert all credits acquired from such an IC-D/M automatically to those from the department to which the students concerned have been transferred, and thus must take necessary steps for credit conversion in line with the curricula of the department to which the students have been transferred.

## (6) Admission Policy, Requirements for Admission and Selection of Entrants

○ Students in JD programs register at both Japanese and foreign universities, and thus must satisfy both the requirements for admission to Japanese universities prescribed in the School Education Law and other relevant laws and regulations, and the requirements for admission to partner universities in foreign countries.

The scheme prescribes that Japanese and foreign universities organizing JD programs will consult with each other to determine the method of selecting entrants, including the schedule of entrance examination and its subjects. The Guidelines for Selection of University Entrants has set out a new content covering JD programs.
## (7) Academic staffs

Departments/majors having JD programs need to be organizations that (i) engage in education and research in a certain field of specialization and (ii) have a necessary faculty organization, facilities, equipment and other resources.

The Standards for the Establishment of Universities and various other standards are minimum requirements for the establishment of universities. In other words, the number of full-time academic staff prescribed in Article 13, of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities, the number of research supervisors prescribed in Article 9, of the Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools and other legal requirements are the minimum necessary to form an educational and research organization competent enough to confer degrees of the academic field concerned. In line with this, the relevant laws and regulations will require IC-D/M, as in the case with other departments/majors, to have the necessary number of full-time academic staffs.

On the other hand, because JD programs in general are likely to be designed for a small number of students with the aim of international university collaboration in reality, approval for establishing IC-D/M will be granted on the premise that the departments will take advantage of academic staff, facilities, equipment and other resources of the parent faculties, and the number of students at the departments/majors will be counted as part of the admission capacity of such parent faculties, the relevant laws and regulations prescribe that academic staff of upper faculties may concurrently serve as full-time academic staff and research supervisors of IC-D/M.

However, the scheme requires Japanese universities to have one full-time academic staff for each IC-D/M who is not permitted to work concurrently for any other faculty on the grounds that such a full-time academic staff is needed to organize and implement ICC and coordinate with foreign universities.

## (8) School Sites, School Buildings, Facilities, Equipment, etc

The relevant laws and regulations prescribe that any university shall have the necessary area of its school sites and school buildings which is calculated in accordance with the types of faculties and the admission capacity. The ICC Scheme also requires universities to have the necessary area of their sites and buildings as prescribed in the Standards for the Establishment of Universities, assuming that the parent faculties of IC-D/M have sufficient educational resources. Since the admission capacity of IC-D/M shall be included in the parent faculties and no particular change shall be made to the main types and fields of degrees in the case of JD, as a consequence, part of the school sites and buildings of such parent faculties will be used for IC-D/M. Thus, the scheme prescribes that no university organizing ICC shall be required to have special facilities or equipment unless this arrangement causes any interference or trouble for any educational and research activities.
On the other hand, students in JD programs will take courses at foreign universities for certain periods, so the scheme requires Japanese universities to not only prepare facilities and equipment of their own but also to collaborate with their partner universities in foreign countries to have them prepare facilities and equipment necessary for educational and research activities of such students.

## (9) Discussion with Foreign Universities

The Items to Consult on with Partner Universities in Foreign Countries to Organize and Implement International Cooperative Curricula (Public Notice No. 168 of 2014, MEXT) prescribes matters that Japanese universities shall discuss with foreign universities to organize and implement ICC, including matters concerning, pursuant to the DCC Scheme:

(i) Organization of curricula;

(ii) Formulation of an educational organization;

(iii) Selection of entrants and conferment of degrees;

(iv) Management of enrollment and safety of students enrolled;

(v) Financial support, welfare and guidance for students; and

(vi)Evaluation of educational and research activities

In this regard, no laws and regulations specify any particular matters that Japanese universities must discuss when introducing the DCC Scheme because quality for a university in Japan can be secured under the School Education Law and any relevant laws and regulations. For the JD scheme, however, partner universities in foreign countries are not subject to approval for establishment by the Japanese government, and so quality must be assured through discussion matters. Thus, the Items to Consult on with Partner Universities in Foreign Countries to Organize and Implement International Cooperative Curricula (Public Notice No. 168 of 2014, MEXT) particularly lists matters that Japanese universities must discuss with their partner universities in foreign countries.

## (10) Principle of Approval for Establishment of IC-D/M

To implement JD programs, Japanese universities must develop an organizational framework through which they can take responsibility for management of and response to educational programs, research supervision, degree approval, student records and other matters, as well as quality assurance that satisfies international competency. While the mechanism of quality assurance may take different forms in the school educational systems of different countries, the Japanese system assures its quality through internal check and by self-assessment of universities, examinations for approval for the establishment of universities by MEXT, and the certified evaluation and accreditation by external competent parties.

As for examinations for approval for establishment, pursuant to paragraph (4), Article 4, of the School Education Law, the Standards for Changes in Types and Fields of Academic Degrees prescribe the handling of degrees at Japanese universities. On the other hand, the
fields of degrees conferred by foreign universities may not be completely consistent with those of Japanese universities, though there is a certain commonness considering the international compatibility of academic degrees. Thus, the fields of degrees for IC-D/M may fall outside the coverage of the fields for which Japanese universities have already obtained approval even if they intend to organize ICC within the existing faculties. In light of these circumstances, the scheme in the Japanese legal sense recognizes the JD as a change in the fields of degrees and requires Japanese universities to obtain new approval for the establishment of such departments/majors rather than to submit notifications to MEXT.

What should be noted here is that, as long as no substantial changes are made to the main types and fields of degrees conferred by Japanese universities (that is, in the case that Japanese universities take advantage of part of the existing organizations, and are approved to establish departments/majors within a range of no substantial change in the educational environment), it is possible for JD programs to require students to take some courses that are outside of the field of degrees to be conferred.

☐ Examinations for approval for establishment essentially aim to see if the Japanese universities concerned have appropriate educational and research standards in line with the Standards for the Establishment of Universities and other relevant laws and regulations, and will not cover partner universities in foreign countries because they are outside the scope of the School Education Law, and other relevant laws and regulations of Japan. Even so, since they are involved in organizing curricula with Japanese universities, the scheme is designed to practically secure the quality of education and research of foreign partner universities by confirming whether inter-university agreements appropriately cover the necessary items as required by the Items to Consult on with Partner Universities in Foreign Countries to Organize and Implement International Cooperative Curricula (Public Notice No. 168 of 2014, MEXT).

○ According to consultations held in advance with Japanese universities that aim to design a JD, it is likely that JD programs are mostly designed for a relatively small number of students based on the existing curricula offered by parent faculties. For flexible approval for the establishment of IC-D/M, a special examination body will be established under the Subcommittee on University Chartering, the Council for University Chartering and School Corporation to discuss appropriate methods and other related matters.
of the ordinance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. However, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is considering excluding students that have completed the ICC from the application of the transitional measure.

○ As for graduate schools of teacher education that aim to nurture academic staff, training academic staff capable of responding to globalization is clearly and urgently needed and it is possible to coordinate the ICC with qualifications for teaching certificates. Thus, necessary provisions set out to make it possible to introduce JD programs to graduate schools of teacher education.

○ No ICC shall be implemented simultaneously with DCC since it will be a reduplication of special exceptions, which are DCC and ICC. As of May, 2013, total number of DCC launched so far is only four for undergraduates and six for graduate school. Also, the DCC Scheme itself is likely to be reviewed in the future in line with the spread of ICC in order to facilitate the introduction of the system by universities. Therefore, the latest revisions to the Standards for the Establishment of Universities and other relevant laws and regulations, do not permit any DCC to simultaneously implement ICC.

Universities established by a private company are universities established pursuant to the Act on Special Zones for Structural Reform (Act No.189 of 2002) which prescribes a special case of the School Education Law, allowing not only the national government, local governments and school corporations, but also stock corporations, to establish universities. Since this type of university is treated in exactly the same manner as national and public and private universities in other provisions of the School Education Law, as well as the Standards for the Establishment of Universities and other laws and regulations, they are permitted to introduce ICC.

○ Colleges of technology as well as special courses, diploma courses and other non-degree academic programs of universities are irrelevant to academic university degrees and are outside the coverage of the JD scheme. Collaboration between such colleges or non-degree courses of universities and foreign universities must be discussed separately from the JD scheme.
## Chapter 3 Points of Attention for the Establishment of JD Programs

International Cooperative Curricula are educational programs implemented jointly by Japanese and foreign universities. From the viewpoint of the “principle of territoriality,” however, Japanese laws and regulations can prescribe matters only in its own jurisdiction, and this suggests that they cannot regulate every aspect of JD programs. To this end, the Guidelines will present the overall picture of JD programs as well as points of attention in relation to matters that cannot be regulated by Japanese laws and regulations.

Japanese universities are legally required to establish IC-D/M prior to organizing and implementing ICC. However, it is assumed that Japanese universities rather are likely to use the term “educational programs” in reality when discussing JD programs with partner universities in foreign countries, and thus the Guidelines in this chapter will use the term “JD programs.”

### 1. Basic Matters

✓ JD programs aim to offer academic programs that cannot be offered by one single university in Japan or any foreign country through cooperation and collaboration between Japanese and foreign universities and the mutual use of shared educational resources.

✓ JD programs will be developed and implemented jointly by Japanese and foreign universities.

✓ The means of organizing JD programs will be regulated by the Japanese system to the extent possible, and may be affected by partner universities in foreign countries and the system of the countries concerned. Thus, JD programs can take various forms and must satisfy various requirements.

### 2. Basic Design of JD Programs

Degree level, academic field covered and name

To avoid misleading any party concerned, the following matters shall be clarified concerning JD programs, which are organized under mutual cooperation between Japanese and foreign universities in accordance with their educational philosophies and systems.

(i) A program shall be named in a manner clearly indicating that the program concerned is a JD program of Japanese and foreign universities. The diploma form concerned, languages used and other aspects shall be made acceptable and universal in the countries concerned and internationally.

(ii) The level of degrees (bachelor, master and PhD) to be offered shall be clearly presented. As associate degrees of junior college, master degrees at professional graduate schools and master degrees for teacher education in Japan may not