Study on Teaching Profession at Universities

1988 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 62450041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Educaion
• Research Institution: NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (NIER)
• Principal Investigator: SAGARA Noriaki Deputy Di ector, Overall Planning and Co-ordinator, NIER, 企画調整官 (90170620)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): BEPPU Akio Associate Professor, Meiji University, 文学部, 助教授 (70062015) ; OOTSUKA Yutaka Senior Researcher, Research Department V, NIER, 第五研究部, 主任研究官 (00116550) ; ARAI Katuhiro Section Chief, Research Department II, NIER, 第二研究部, 室長 (90133610) ; YASUHARA Yoshihito Section Chief, Research Department I, NIER, 第一研究部, 室長 (00093823) ; YOKOO Takehide Former Deputy Director General, NIER, 名誉所員 (30033533)
• Project Period (FY): 1987 – 1988
• Keywords: University professors / aggregation / habilitation / tenure / テニュアー / 学位

Research Abstract

The purpose of this study was to review the historical development of teaching profession at universities in various countries and analyse the qualifications required to those teaching staff at universities. The countries selected for this study were Japan, UK, France, Germany, USA China and Mexico. The methods of the study were to analyse leagal documents concerning universities and their teaching staff, as well as such documents as bylaws of major universities in respective countries. In addition, efforts were made to collect as much information on customary procedures on appointment of university professors as possible. Through the study, it was found that in many countries the qualifications required for teaching profession at universities were stipulated in legal documents, i.e. master degree at the minimu, and preferably docter degree, etc. However, it was revealed that such requirements are very often to be supplemented by other requirements that are not provided by laws. AT any rate, in many countries efforts are being made to recruit university professors on the basis of not only such traditional requirements as degrees, but also of other qualifications such as professional experiences. It is understood that this finding shows the trend of popularization and more interdisciplinary nature of higher education.