2.5 Number of Persons Obtaining Degrees

2.5.1 Trends in the Number of Doctorates Conferred

  The number of doctorates conferred is regarded as an important indicator in assessing the quality of science and technology human resources.
  Figure 2-5-1 shows the trends in the number of degrees conferred according to major. The number of degrees conferred referred to here is the number of degrees conferred (so-called new doctorates) conferred in a particular year in accordance with degree rules. In the early 1970s the number of degrees conferred, which had stopped at between 4,000 and 5,000, consistently increased from the late 1970s, to the point where it exceeded 8,000 degrees in 1986. In the following years the increasing tendency strengthened, reaching 13,921 degrees in 1996.
  Looking at the breakdown of the degrees conferred in FY1996 according to the major majors, there were 6,800 degrees in health (medicine, dentistry, pharmacology and health studies), accounting for 48.8% of the total. Some 1,315 degrees (9.4%) were conferred in science, while 3,411 degrees (24.5%) were conferred in engineering.
  Looking at the percentage of the total accounted for science and engineering, since FY1970 these percentages seem to be decreasing somewhat. However, engineering turned around to an increase from around FY1988 and science started increasing from FY1991.

  Figure 2-5-1 Trends in the number of doctorates conferred

Notes: 1) Health include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and health
2): Others education include art and domestic science
Source: Figures for years up to 1986 are cited from "Compilation of Higher Education Statistical Data" published by the Research Center to University Education, Hiroshima University. Figures for year after 1986 are based on data from Ministry Education
See: appendix table 2-5-1

  Figure 2-5-2 shows a breakdown of the number of course doctorates and the number of dissertation doctorates for the number of degrees conferred in science and in engineering, as well trends in those figures. The number of degrees conferred in science was moving sideways in the 1980s, but from FY1991 and onwards it started increasing. Looking at the breakdown of course doctorates and dissertation doctorates, over almost the whole period, the number of course doctorates exceeded the number of dissertation doctorates. In recent times in particular, the increase in the number of degrees can be attributed almost completely to the increase in the number of course doctorates. Such doctorates account for approximately 75.7% of the total.
  In contrast, the number of degrees conferred in engineering has increased almost consistently over the whole period. From the late 1980s in particular, this increasing tendency has become much stronger. Looking at the breakdown, in contrast to science, the number of dissertation doctorates exceeded the number of course doctorates over virtually the whole period. More recently, however, the increase in the number of course doctorates has been particularly marked, as is the case with science, increasing to the extent that they increased the number of dissertation doctorates in FY1992. In 1996 some 62.8% of the total number of degrees conferred were course doctorates. In the background to these trends are the recent increases in the number of students going on to study at graduate school seen in Section 2.4.2.

2.5.2 International Comparison of the Number of Degrees Conferred

  Figure 2-5-3 shows an attempt at an international comparison of the number of doctorates conferred per 1 million head of population in FY1996. Care needs to be taken over the fact that there are differences in the nature of degrees from country to country, but according to these figures, Germany is the country with the largest number of people with doctorates, with 279 per 1 million head of population. Germany is followed by the U.K. with 174 people, the U.S. with 170 and Japan with 111, roughly one-quarter of Germany's number, and just over 60% of the levels in the U.S. and the U.K..
  Looking at the percentage of the total accounted for by major according to country, US tends to have a large number in arts, the U.K. has a large percentage in science, and Germany has a large percentage in medicine. Japan has the characteristic that the percentages of degrees in engineering and medicine are high compared to other countries.

  Figure 2-5-2 Trends in the number of doctorates coferred (course and dissertation)

Source: Figures for years up to 1986 are cited from "Compilation of Higher Education Statistical Data" published by the Research Center to University Education, Hiroshima University. Figures for year after 1986 are based on data from Ministry Education
See: appendix table 2-5-2-

  Figure 2-5-3 International comparison of the number of doctorates conferred

Note: Table show international comparison of number of doctorate conferred in each year
Source: Ministry of Education, "International Comparison of Education Indicators"
See: appendix table 2-5-3

Bibliography

[1] National Institute for Educational Research, "International Comparison of Mathematics and Science Education in Junior High Schools", March 1997
[2] Ministry of Education, "Report on Basic Survey of Schools" (annual version)
[3] Ministry of Education, "Ministry of Education Statistical Yearbook" (annual version)
[4] Ministry of Education, "Japanese Government Policies in Education, Science, Sports and Culture" (annual version)
[5] Economic Planning Agency, Survey Bureau, "Economic Handbook" (annual version)
[6] Ministry of Health and Welfare, Institute of Population Problems, "Population Projection for Japan" (Estimates as of January 1997)
[7] Hiroshima University, Research Center for University Education, "Compilation of Higher Education Statistical Data" (1989)
[8] Ministry of Education Data, "International Comparison of Education Indicators, 1999"

Chapter 2 Tetsuya Nakata