At the Internal Affairs Committee meeting held on April 28, 1998. It was determined that the University of Aizu shall have the university evaluation by the Japanese University Accreditation Association in Academic Year 1999. For becoming the joining the Association University, have the university evaluation by the Japanese University Accreditation Association. it is necessary in cooperation with all faculty members and staffs of the university, We hope that the university makes more efforts and enhances its merit in the future.
There are two types of evaluation by the Association; ``Check for judgement on joining the Association" and ``Mutual evaluation". The check (on whether a university has reached certain standards) to have carried out when a university intends to join the Association as a new regular member university is the ``Check for judgement on joining the Association". The evaluation to have done every ten years for the universities which have already held regular membership is the ``Mutual evaluation". In order for a university to have evaluated by the Association, the university is required to reach the Academic Year to complete its undergraduate school.
Internal checks and evaluations means that the University checks itself to find out whether it has made efforts for improvement and reformation so as to rectify problems as well as enhance its merit. It is indispensable to guarantee objectiveness and propriety of the internal checks and evaluations through mutual evaluation by people who are concerned with universities in Japan not only by people within the University of Aizu. In addition, it is necessary to show broadly to the society that the University has sincerely carried out the duty the society had committed to our university.
Having evaluation by the Japanese University Accreditation Association (JUAA)is one of the most effective means for that. In practice, the University should prepare a report concerning the items designated by the Association to have them evaluated. 212 universies in Japan have already been evaluated, and having evaluation is almost a duty for the universities in Japan.
In the countries like the U.S. where the system for university evaluation is established, the Regular Member Universities of the Association (the university in Japan which have membership of taking part in organizing the Association) have been positively evaluated. In those countries, the students of and graduates from the Regular Member University of the Assciatin have been handled favarably in authorization of academic credits, granting research aid, furthermore in employment by foreign-affiliated firms and obtaining permission for permanent residence, etc..
The Association was established in 1952 by 46 national, public and private universities as an independent organization consisting of the universities. At the time of starting the organization, the Association put up its objective if the establishment, that is ``the member universities shall voluntarily make efforts and support one another mutually so that the Association can serve betterment of quality of universities in Japan".
The Association has carried out Judgement on Qualifications for 45 years, which is an examination on qualifications of the universities once qualified when joining the Association as those which have membership of organizing the Association. In FY 1996, it started a new service for university evaluation of which process of check and evaluation contains internal check and evaluation of each university.
There are two types of member universities of the Association; regular Member Universtiy and Semi-regular Member University. The Regular One are those which have obtained official membership through the prescribed procedure after the final decision on their qualifications are made by the standing organization for examination and judgement within the association. The semi-regular member universities are those which have obtained membership only by financial contribution.