The Research Institute for Higher Education was established in 1972 as Japan's first institute for research into university and higher education.

Its main tasks include
(1) advancing research into university and higher education
(2) contributing to reforms at Hiroshima University
(3) collecting information and published materials relating to university and higher education, and providing such information
(4) offering graduate programs to educate higher education researchers and expert practitioners in the field of higher education, as well as offering various professional development initiatives
(5) building a network of higher education researchers in and beyond Japan

Obtaining education and research funds from the government and the university, and external funds such as the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI), Research Institute for Higher Education has carried out individual researches and joint researches (domestic and international) regarding the following themes. We continue to pursue the way the university and higher education should be in accordance with social demands.

・Functions, constructions, and their differentiation of universities and graduate schools in knowledge-based society
・Academic Profession (University professor)
・Function of university entrance examination
・Internationalization of universities
・Functions and roles of overseas universities
・University finance
・History of universities and their roles in societies
・Development of university curriculum
・Professional development for university staff (Faculty Development, Staff Development)
・Organization and governance of universities
・Evaluation of universities

Research Institute for Higher Education launched Japan's first graduate course (master's and doctoral) in the field of university and higher education in order to nurture higher education researchers and experts. In 2000, we set up the Program in Higher Education Development (Master's course) and the Program in Education and Human Science (Doctoral course), which brought us to have many researchers and staff members with specialized capabilities in higher education.

In 2016, in accordance with the organizational reconstruction of the graduate school (the launch of new Professional Development Program for Teachers and School Leaders), our courses (mentioned before) were renamed as the Program in Higher Education and as the Program in Education and Learning Science respectively.