Re-review Results

Bunsei University of Art

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tochigi, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2020
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2021 – March.31.2025）

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Re-review Resultsfor Bunsei University of Art
Overview
With regard to Bunsei University of Art, as serious issues in the three areas of enrollment,
administration and finance, and internal quality assurance were recognized in the 2017
University Accreditation (Certified Evaluation and Accreditation) Results by the Japan
University Accreditation Association, we submitted Areas of Serious Concern, and theUniversity was temporarily found to satisfy the University Standards in consideration ofthe likelihood of improvements. Moreover, besides the aforementioned, one item under
Areas of Serious Concern and seven items under Suggestions for Improvement were added.
In response to these recommendations, the Check and Review Committee andother relevant committees at Bunsei University of Art have been cooperating in
endeavoring toward improvements. In this Re-review, from the fact that the likelihood ofimprovements in the near future was recognized (although some matters that were notsufficiently improved could also be seen) as a result of conducting an assessment inaccordance with the University Standards at the time of the previous University
Accreditation, we comprehensively evaluated the situation around improvements in thethree areas that were serious issues and find that the University satisfies the UniversityStandards.
First, regarding enrollment with respect to the Areas of Serious Concern that wedeemed serious issues, the fact that the average ratios of freshman enrollment to the
freshman enrollment cap and the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap
for the past five years in the university-wide School of Fine Arts is low has been indicated.
Although we cannot go so far as to say that both ratios as of 2020 have risen above theirstill low levels, from the fact that both ratios in 2019 and 2020 are on the rise as a result ofsuch endeavors as placing an emphasis on open campuses, guest lectures at high schools,
entrance examination consultations at affiliated high schools, sketching workshops, andthe Sketching Grand Prix, we would like to see the University continue its endeavors
toward improvements and correct its course. Note that, besides diversifying entrance
examinations at Bunsei University of Art and enrolling students who possess various
talents, we can confirm the fact that the University is putting effort into community liaison
projects and collaborative activities with other universities, endeavoring to improve its
educational programs, and is making considerable endeavors toward improvements.
Hereafter, we hope that the University endeavors toward improvements while verifying
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those results and social needs.
Second, with regard to administration and finance, although the situations of theproportion of excess expenditures carried over to the next academic year (excessconsumption expenditures carried over to the next academic year) to revenue fromoperational activities (imputed revenue) trending downward and the ratio of the financial
assets to the required reserve fund remaining flat have persisted since 2015, slight
improvements can be seen in both ratios since the time of the previous University
Accreditation.
However, it cannot be said that improvements are sufficient, as funds are still
repeatedly raised every year by short-term borrowing, only cash and deposits are recorded
as financial assets, the ratio of the financial assets to the required reserve fund is markedly
low, and the proportion of excess expenditures carried over to the next academic year
(excess consumption expenditures carried over to the next academic year) to revenue fromoperational activities (imputed revenue) is high.
The University formulated the Incorporated School of Utsunomiya Gakuen (5Year) Mid-term Plan in 2020, and set a goal to move the balance between revenue andexpenditures into the black in 2022 by reducing costs while maintaining the quality of its
education, and at the same time, reinforcing student recruitment and securing tuition andother student fees. Moreover, from the fact that it has reduced the negative balance between
revenue and expenditures for operational activities in 2018 by changing the assignment ofsome staff to attached schools and checking personnel expenses in addition to increasing
the enrollment number based on said plan, we hope that the university implements
verification and assessment of its financial situation every year and establishes a surefinancial footing along with continuing to firmly implement measures to realize its goal.
Third, with regard to internal quality assurance, it was required of the University
to make its internal quality assurance function by implementing regular checks and reviews
based on proper regulations and establishing a framework that leads to the improvementof those results. In response, besides revising its Check and Review Regulations andreformulating its Policy for Internal Quality Assurance, the University established the I.R.
Promotional Center in order to conduct investigation and analysis of teaching and learning
as well as promote quality assurance for education. However, although they have clarifiedthat it is to conduct constant check and review activities based on the assessment criteriaof the Association and to widely publish its self-study reports for the public, the University
has not clarified the frequency it implements checks and reviews, nor has it with regard torole sharing between the organizations involved in internal quality assurance. In fact, as ofOctober 2020, a self-study report has neither been prepared nor published, and we cannot
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find that internal quality assurance is functioning as per the regulations. We would like tosee the University correct its course so that it makes its internal quality assurance systemfully functional by implementing regular checks and reviews as well as endeavoring
toward improvements and progress based on those results.
Regarding Educational Programs, Methods, and Outcomes with respect to theremaining Areas of Serious Concern, the absence of a research guidance plan in thegraduate school master's course was indicated. In response to this, the University prepared
the Roadmap for Earning a Degree in the Master's Course in the Graduate School
Committee, and besides explaining it to students fully beforehand, the University also built
a framework for conducting research guidance in which individual students formulate
Master's Course Research Plans and faculty members formulate Master's Course Research
Guidance Plans, and improvements are recognized.
Concerning the seven items as Suggestions for Improvement for which werequested improvement reports, we can confirm the fact that improvements have been
made for most items. However, further improvement is desired for the areas below, as
satisfactory results have not necessarily been achieved.
First, concerning Educational Programs, Methods, and Outcomes, in response tothe indication that faculty development (referred to hereafter as FD) activities focusing on
the unique education the graduate school provides are not being conducted, the University
established a framework to include the graduate school in the University-wide FD activities,
and also devised a method to implement class assessment questionnaires in the graduateschool. However, besides organized endeavors in improving classes based on classassessment questionnaires in the graduate school having not been implemented,opportunities for FD training contributing to improvements in the educational programs
and methods of the graduate school have not been arranged, and further improvements arenecessary.
Concerning enrollment, the fact that the ratios of student enrollment to the student
enrollment cap in both the Master's and Doctor's Course of the Graduate School of Arts
were low was deemed an issue. Although some rise could be seen in the ratios for both theMaster's and Doctor's Course in 2019, they once again turned toward decline in 2020, andare even lower than the time of the University Accreditation. Hereafter, we hope that theUniversity makes further improvements, such as taking concrete measures to increase thenumbers of students advancing to the graduate school.
Concerning the educational and research environments, the fact that theUniversity did not enact regulations to prevent misconduct with regard to research ethics
other than for public research funds, framework improvements, or training was deemed an3

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issue; however, thereafter, the University established a University-wide framework forresponsibility, improving regulations such as Regulations for Preventing Misconduct inResearch Activities, Internal Audit Regulations for Public Research Funds, ResearchEthics Regulations, and On the Handling of Compliance Education at Bunsei Universityof Art. However, in On the Handling of Compliance Education at Bunsei University of Art,the faculty members and staff who are eligible for compliance and ethics education arelimited to those who were involved at the time of application for, or are otherwise involved
in, the operations of competitive funds, and there was only one participant who took
Research Ethics Education in 2019. The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science will
introduce an e-learning course during 2020, and while all students of the graduate school
and faculty members involved in guidance at the graduate school will have to take thecourse, we hope that the University makes improvements so that continual endeavors canbe made.
As previously mentioned, although some endeavors toward improvements can beseen, there are still several matters requiring attention. Hereafter, we expect the University
to endeavor so that its new framework for quality assurance is further improved andreinforced so that it can fully display its function, assure and raise the quality of its
education, and make a further leap forward toward achieving its mission and purpose.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome


As FD activities to improve educational programs and methods in the graduate school
are not conducted sufficiently, we hope that the University makes improvements.

Enrollment


Since the ratios of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap in 2020 are low at0.28 in the Graduate School of Arts Master's Course and at 0.07 in the Graduate Schoolof Arts Doctor's Course, we hope that the University makes improvements.

Education and Research Environment
In On the Handling of Compliance Education at Bunsei University of Art, as thefaculty members and staff who are eligible for taking research ethics education are4

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limited to those who were involved at the time of application for, or are otherwise
involved in, the operations of competitive funds, we hope that the University makes
improvements so that it can conduct continual Research Ethics Education for those
who are broadly involved in research.
Administration and Finance

Although improvements can been seen since the time of the previous assessment, theratio of the financial assets to the required reserve fund is markedly low and theproportion of excess expenditures carried over to the next academic year (excessconsumption expenditures carried over to the next academic year) to revenue fromoperational activities (imputed income) is high. From the fact that it sets a goal tomove the balance between revenue and expenditures into the black in 2022 in the
Incorporated School of Utsunomiya Gakuen (5-Year) Mid-term Plan that it formulated
in 2020, we hope that the University makes improvements so that it implements
verification and assessment of its financial situation every year and establishes a surefinancial footing along with firmly implementing measures to realize that goal.

Recommendations
Enrollment
In 2020, as the average ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap
and the ratios of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap for the past five years
in the (university-wide) School of Fine Arts were both low at 0.75, we would like to
see the University correct its course so that it thoroughly ensures enrollment andimplements student quotas.

Internal Quality Assurance

While the University has stipulated that it is to revise its regulations on internal quality
assurance, constantly conduct checks and reviews activities, and widely publish thoseresults for the public, the University has not clarified the frequency it implements
checks and reviews, and a self-study report following the regulations has yet to beprepared or published. Moreover, the University has not clarified matters with regard
to role sharing between the organizations involved in internal quality assurance, and5

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internal quality assurance cannot be seen as functioning. We would like to see theUniversity correct its course so that it makes its internal quality assurance system
functional by implementing regular checks and reviews as well as improvements andprogress based on those results.

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