Abstract
1. Japanese College and University Portraits
Japanese College and University Portraits is a database system for providing information concerning various activities undertaken by universities and junior colleges. Operation of the system, covering national, prefectural, municipal, and private institutions, began in March 2015. The system is managed by National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education, Japan associated with Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan.
The purposes of the system are as follows:
(a) Information Dissemination: The Portrait website will be used not only by those who hope to participate in higher education as students, but also by stakeholders in various areas of society such as government and industry. The database is also expected to be an information source contributing to improve international society's understanding of higher education institutions in Japan.
(b) Monitor and Analysis of Institution Activities: The system will be used by universities and junior colleges to monitor and analyze the status of their own educational activities for internal quality assurance.
(c) Workload Reduction: Collection and publication of fundamental and standardized data in the database system will help universities when they respond to various surveys and external evaluation. Workload reduction of universities and reliability based on accurate data are accomplished by the system.
Data items provided from the system are basic information of institution, objectives of education and research, structure of education system, entrance examination, faculty, enrollment, campus, scholarship, and so on. Data registration is executed by uploading data sheets from universities.
2. Data Providing Service of Japanese College and University Portrait System
Data providing services of the system are being developed.
(a) Data providing via website: The Portrait website has search functions, (1) simple search by university name, faculty name, and location, (2) detailed search, e.g., by kind of entrance examination, student financial aid, and so on, (3) keyword search. Various data items of selected universities or faculties are shown in tables and charts.
(b) Data providing via BI tool: In case that the database is fully utilized by some structured query language and the database management system, it can be used in extensively with high flexibility. However, expert ability is required for that usage. Without such expert ability, Business Intelligence (BI) tool installed in the system makes it possible for registered users to utilize the database more conveniently with some useful functions such as filter, formula, chart, and drill-down. We can easily generate various kinds of tables and charts. This BI tool was used to generate data analysis reports in National University Corporation Evaluation in Japan.
(c) Data providing via Web API: Web API is an application programming interface for performing computer processing via Internet. This mechanism makes it possible for registered users to access datasets of provision system from outside of the system, and possible to provide more useful and valuable information combining with multiple data resources provided by other Web APIs such as portal site of official statistics Japan (e-Stat), location information web service site, and so on. Research department of NIAD-QE is developing various kinds of Web APIs and their web applications. We will show some developing Web API web applications (visual indicator comparison system) in this conference. With flexibilities of Web API mechanism, more useful and user-friendly data visualization system will be developed and utilized.
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Author Profile(s)
Masaaki Ida: Professor, Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education. Research interests: computer science, advanced database and communication technology in higher education.
Masato Takeichi: Dean, Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education. Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo. |