Review and Outlook of Comparative Higher Education Research in Japan <Article> <Special Issue : Retrospect and Prospect of Higher Education Studies>

This article examines the progress of comparative higher education research and reveals related issues that have been previously discussed. In addition, it notes research trends found in the literature as well as papers written during the past decade. In the past ten years, there have been more than one hundred and fifty individual pieces of published literature or research papers introduced at major academic journals. The United States has remained to be the primary target area of research, but Europe and Asia attracted increasing interests of Japanese higher education scholars. Moreover, there have been some studies oriented toward the comparison of multiple countries. Research that covers the present state of education (undergraduate and graduate education, curricula, student learning outcomes, etc.) are the primary themes, while the secondary area of interest is policies and systems together with broad overviews on higher education for each country. However, subject areas and themes vary considerably depending on the academic society. Thus, this article reviews research presented in various academic journals, and outlines their research characteristics. Interest in higher education for each country can only intensify with the advance of globalization. However, since historical investigations have declined, a future issue for scholars is the renewal of interest in historical research. There is also the need to employ a research methodology that thoroughly investigates the realities in the field, i.e., fieldwork, and to formulate theories derived from new discoveries. We have every reason to believe that comparative higher education research will progress, and as specializations advance, we look forward to exchanges with researchers specializing in specific geographic areas and topics. It is hoped that this approach will lead to the emergence of an improved overall picture of this area of research