Expert Qualifications in Japan: The Role of Higher Education

Y

14

Foreign Countries; Qualifications; Role of Education; Higher Education; Qualitative Research; Case Studies; Interviews; Public Officials; Expertise; National Standards; Educational Quality; Comparative Education; International Cooperation; Performance Factors; Relevance (Education); Conflict; Correlation; Quality Assurance; International Educational Exchange; Semi Structured Interviews

1927-6044

The goal of this paper was to explore the directions for a Japanese Qualifications Framework (JQF) through the collation of Japanese Government expert viewpoints. This study used a qualitative case study design involving interviews with 15 Japanese government officials. It was found that Japan continues to have problems with academic degrees and licensing framework and system. Many Japanese government experts believed that Japan needed a qualifications framework and system that could function both domestically and internationally, however, Japan has an insufficient qualifications framework and system which has led to weak competitiveness for Japanese experts. To resolve these issues, a Japanese qualifications system needs (1) to have pathways toward higher skill levels from work-based experience to higher education and (2) to broaden pathways allowing for the transfer of Japanese domestic qualifications to international framework qualifications. It is concluded that to build these pathways, National Qualifications Framework is needed as a common language and a basic framework to make the qualifications more transparent and to align domestic and international qualification standards. The Japanese government should enter into a discussion about JQF seriously with stakeholders in education, industry, and government with the aim of improving higher education programs for experts to ensure domestic and international competitiveness.

As Provided

32

2018

EJ1182619