Universities seek to balance intake quotas

While some of the country's universities experienced difficulty trying to meet their intake quotas, others accepted more students than their enrollment quotas, according to evaluations conducted last year by three authorized university evaluation organizations.

The independent evaluation system to ensure university standards began in the 2004 academic year, with the Fundamental Law of Education stipulating that all universities be evaluated at least every seven years. The three organizations are the National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, the Japan University Accreditation Association, and the Japan Institution for Higher Education Evaluation.

In the last academic year, 73 universities were evaluated.

The Japan University Accreditation Association found that Minobusan University in Minobucho, Yamanashi Prefecture, had an average enrollment rate of 63 percent for the past five years.

The association asked the university to submit a report on its plans for improvements before the end of June 2009, without conducting an assessment, citing the need for the university to adopt drastic measures to improve its standards.

The university met its enrollment quota for this academic year with 40 new students, and said it would try to fulfill the enrollment quota to improve its finances.

In addition, at least 12 universities had enrollment rates 20 percent to 30 percent lower than their intake quotas, which could possibly affect their fiscal stability.

On the other hand, Gifu Keizai University's business and sports management department, a new department established last year, accepted 258 students, a figure much higher than its 70-student quota. The Japan Institution for Higher Education Evaluation was concerned the university's facilities and educational system might not be able to cope with so many students.

"We accepted more students for the new department because we feared we might not be able to meet our quota," said a Gifu Keizai University official.

This year, after doubling its intake quota to 150 and hiring two more lecturers, the university accepted 198 students.

The Japan University Accreditation Association demanded that 18 universities--including Waseda University in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, which had enrollment rates 1.2 times to 1.4 times higher than its intake quotas--reduce their enrollment rates, saying that large student bodies might make it difficult to provide adequate teaching.

Universities are given a free hand to implement the organizations' evaluations and suggestions.
While many universities are evaluated by just one organization, some prefer to have multiple assessments to improve their reputation.
(Apr. 18, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070418TDY03001.htm