Although the role of the Kobunin described in "Nihon Koki" was the same as that of the other daigaku besso; since the Kobunin was founded a little earlier than the other daigaku besso including Monjoin and since few record on the Kobunin was left, it was unknown whether it had the same purpose as that of the other later daigaku besso from the beginning or not.
『日本後紀』に記された弘文院の役割は他の大学別曹の例と同様ではあるが、設立そのものが文章院や他の大学別曹に対して幾分か早くかつ記録がほとんど残されていないために、設立当初から後世の大学別曹と同じ目的を担っていたかについては不明である。