The Impact of US Mega-Foundations on Higher Education Policy Formation

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13175
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Education
• Research Institution: National Institute of Informatics (2016-2018); The University of Tokyo (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Funamori Miho 国立情報学研究所, 情報社会相関研究系, 准教授 (70377141)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 高等教育政策 / フィランソロピー / 民間財団 / アドボカシー / 目標管理 / 政策形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This work studied the impact of US mega-foundations on higher education policy. The US foundations are applying the so-called “strategic advocacy” approach and influence the policy at both state and federal level to scale their goal.
The US foundations became part of US policy sphere since the founding of the nation. In the age of pilgrims, where the government was almost not existing, it was necessary for people to have philanthropists and associations to help with the development of society. This led to the modern US foundations.
The US is still run by multipolar stakeholders with federal and state governments, foundations, and other entities working side by side. Although this complexity sometimes poses inefficiency, it also provides alternatives and flexibility in policy making of a country as a whole.

Free Research Field

高等教育研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

国の教育政策は、教育省など政府が担うことが一般的であり、民間財団が影響力を有するとは認識されていないため、この影響を指摘できたことは意義深い。
また、一般的には民間財団が影響を及ぼすことにより、国の政策が歪められるととられるが、実際には、政府と財団という多極的な国の運営を可能としている側面もあり、政府がなんらかの理由により十分に機能しないときの、有効な代替手段となると見いだされたことも意義深い。