The National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (大学改革支援・学位授与機構, Daigaku Kaikaku Shien • Gakui Juyo Kikō), abbreviated NIAD-QE, is Independent Administrative Institution affiliated with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), whose objectives are:
- To evaluate education and research activities of Japanese universities and their consortia and to publish the result of the evaluation.
- To evaluate achievements of higher education-level learning outside mainstream universities and award academic degrees.
As of July 2007, the second objective consists of:
- Accrediting the courses of some daigakkō and awarding the graduates of academic degrees.
- Awarding bachelor's degrees to the graduates of Japanese junior colleges and kōsen (technical colleges) who did recognisable extra studies.
- Awarding degrees to the graduates of the Japan Coast Guard Academy.
It is headquartered in Kodaira, Tokyo.
History
- 1991: The Study Centre for Academic Degree Awarding and Committee for Study for Creation of Academic Degree Awarding Institution was established in the Graduate University for Advanced Studies [1].
- 1992: The NIAD was established.
- 1994: The NIAD was expanded to NIAD-UE.
- 2002: The first publication of the results of evaluation.
- 2003: Relocated to the current campus in Kodaira.
- 2016: The NIAD-QE was established.
See also
- List of Independent Administrative Institutions (Japan)