教育機会と学生への経済的支援制度に関する実証研究 : 効果検証と課題

Since 2007, our team, comprising approximately 20 researchers, has been dedicated to the exploration of student financial aid systems. This collaborative effort has been made possible through Grants for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and a project commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Over the years, our joint research has continued to evolve.
The primary focus of our study group lies in the comprehensive analysis of Japan's student aid system and a comparative study of student aid structures across different nations. Given the space constraints, these papers in Reviews in Higher Education focuses on recent research findings on Japan's student support system.
The included papers span a diverse range of themes, broadly categorized into the following five sections. The first theme addresses trends in student aid systems and governmental policies. The second theme explores the complex relationship between access to higher-level education of junior high and high school students and the corresponding financial support systems. The third theme involves an analysis of the interplay between student life and student financial aid. The fourth theme scrutinizes the perceptions of parents of junior high and high school students regarding student support and the associated financial burden. Finally, the fifth theme provides insights into how the media shapes its narrative around student support systems.
In this compilation, the papers collectively offer a multifaceted perspective on the student financial aid system, underscoring the expanding scope of our research. As the principal of the research group, it brings me unexpected joy to share some of the research group's achievements from the past 18 years with researchers and stakeholders in higher education.