Diploma Supplements in Japanese Higher Education
Findings from a Nationwide Survey of Undergraduate Edu-cation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52731/lir.v004.187Abstract
Over the last decade, the diploma supplement (DS), a document providing detailed information on degrees’ qualifications, has been introduced into Japanese higher education (HE) as part of a broader reform of its quality assurance system. Scholars argue that the Japanese DS focuses on individual student learning but not on articulation and student mobility, as observed in the European Higher Education Area. However, little is known about DS use in Japan. As such, this study aims to investigate DS implementation in Japanese HE. An online questionnaire was developed to examine the implementation rate and information type included in the DS. The survey targeted all 787 national, public, and private universities offering bachelor’s degrees in Japan. The study obtained a total of 240 responses, resulting in a response rate of 30.5%. Subsequent analysis revealed that 29.6% of the universities had implemented the DS, with higher rates in national and private universities than prefectural and municipal universities. The main reason for DS implementation was to “visualize student learning outcomes” (93.0%), and the most popular information type included in the DS was “indicators of attainment based on diploma policy learning outcomes” (73.2%). This study supports the argument that DS use in Japanese HE is related to student learning outcomes.
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