Institutional Research in a University Without Regular Institutional Management: The Case of Japanese National Universities

This paper examines the background of why institutional research does not function well in Japanese universities, and especially in national universities. It compares institutional research in Japan and the US by its mission, reporting line, and the services it provides, and points out that Japanese institutional research is not effectively linked to administrative decision making. It also argues that the lack of regular institutional management established at national universities makes it difficult for institutional researchers to provide effective service to the university. It concludes that although the establishment of institutional management on a regular basis is vital and has to be introduced in the long run for Japanese universities to prosper, the most effective tactic right now for institutional research offices may be to support the central administration in areas of strategic planning in the first place, and then gradually shift to supporting regular institutional management.