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From its establishment in 1965 to the end of February 2012, JICA, under the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) program, has dispatched over 36,000 volunteers overseas. This program incorporates both Japanese youth participation and contribution at the grass-roots levels. Because of this multidimensional nature, evaluating the JOCV with a single index can be problematic and even inappropriate. To address this issue, JICA-RI is examining the JOCV program using methods and insights of various academic fields including economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science. With this interdisciplinary approach, this research project aims to grasp the significance of JOCV in terms of its international, social, and historical role, and clarify the future direction of Japan's efforts for international cooperation. JICA-RI also intends to provide policy implications for issues including effective volunteering activities, global human resources development, and social returns to the home country.