University Accreditation Results(Results for Certified Evaluation and Accreditation for university)

Kobe Shinwa Women's University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Hyogo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2021
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2022 – March 31, 2029）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kobe Shinwa Women’s University

Overview
The educational philosophy of Kobe Shinwa Women’s University is to “inaccordance with the spirit of the University’s founding, to develop students as humanbeings through academic study, to enhance practical skills useful to society bycultivating global expertise, perspectives and sensibilities, achieve a thoroughunderstanding of human rights, and raise well-rounded, intelligent women for thefuture. On the basis of this philosophy, the University aims “to nurture individuals
with all-round decision-making skills who can engage independently with society bytaking a broad perspective on the direction of social development, cultivating a richcultural understanding through education and research in a variety of arts andsciences, and enhancing students’ specialized academic knowledge.” To realize this,a “Five-Year Plan for the Third Ten-Year Program” has been established in AY2020.
Furthermore, in AY2019, the University drew up a new educational vision, SHINWA
VISION 2030, which focuses on the next 10 years.
Regarding internal quality assurance, following the establishment of auniversity-wide system under the University Assessment Committee from AY2015,
the All-University Working Group for Internal Quality Assurance Promotion(hereinafter the “All-University Quality Assurance WG”) was set up in AY2019 as auniversity-wide body responsible for promoting internal quality assurance. The AllUniversity Quality Assurance WG is composed of the “Executive Council,” which isan existing body, and the “Academic Management Council,” which is in charge ofacademic affairs. The All-University Quality Assurance WG has developed a basic
university-wide policy for internal quality assurance, on which basis an internal
quality assurance system has been established. However, the University is stillworking on internal quality assurance under this new system, which has only been inplace for a short period of time, while identifying the benefits and drawbacks of beinga small university. While the collection and analysis of data by the “Office ofInstitutional Research” and the use of such data to provide fine-grained and careful
feedback is a strength that supports internal quality assurance, the positioning within
the system of the “Management Strategy Council” and other related bodies is unclear.
As such, the system centering on the All-University Quality Assurance WG should
be reviewed and its powers and roles should be clarified going forward. Since there

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is insufficient support for improvements and enhancement based on check and review
results at this stage, the JUAA hopes that the PDCA cycle will be used to periodicallycheck and review the appropriateness of the internal quality assurance system andcontinue to examine how the system can be operated more effectively in the future.
Regarding educational program and methods, policies have been establishedfor each type of degree in accordance with the university-wide educational objectives,and are appropriately specified with consideration for the expertise of eachdepartment and graduate school. In undergraduate education, in AY2015, a cap on
the number of credits students can register for in a year was introduced, ensuring thatstudents have the study time necessary to acquire credits, while lectures, exercises,
practical training, and other class formats have been appropriately allocated to matchthe nature of each department’s studies. A distinctive feature of the University’seducation is that many of its classes incorporate active learning methods in order toenable independent and exploratory learning among students. This educational
program is clearly summarized in the curriculum map and communicated to students.
As part of the university-wide efforts to identify learning outcomes, rubrics have beendeveloped for each faculty, department, and graduate school in accordance with theirrespective specializations. In addition, an “Survey of Student Engagement” and“Student Satisfaction Survey” are administered to students, and a separate Academic
Conduct Survey is conducted for the Distance Learning Faculty. Assessment policies
have also been drawn up as guidelines for assessing learning outcomes at three levels:
university-wide, department, and subject. It is clear that the University as a whole isworking vigorously to monitor student learning outcomes.
In accordance with the aim of “nurturing individuals who can engage
independently with society” stated in its educational objectives, the University’ssocial cooperation and contribution activities centered on the Center for Community
Service, particularly those aimed at neighboring communities and neighborhoods,
are highly commendable as traditional characteristics of the institution. In addition,
under the leadership of the “Faculty Development Committee” wide-ranging andpractical faculty development (hereinafter “FD”), such as curriculum development
and career development (including faculty research) is conducted in line with thefaculty organization and curricula. The high rate of participation by faculty membersin these activities makes this another outstanding initiative. In addition, the fact thatassessment criteria are checked and verified during faculty activity evaluations, andreviewed annually as necessary, is also highly commendable for its expected
contribution to improving educational content.

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However, there are some problems that should be noted. The lack of a positive
turnaround in the student admission situation and the resulting inability to establish
a financial base for the stable implementation of educational and research activitiesrequire immediate improvement in order to ensure the sustainability of theUniversity’s education and research. Going forward, the JUAA would like to see theUniversity steadily implement a number of policies, centering on reform of entrance
examinations and education as set forth in the medium- to long-term plan, andcorrective actions should be taken to establish a financial footing in accordance withthe “Third Fiscal Improvement Plan.”
The JUAA hopes that by resolving these issues through internal quality
assurance initiatives and further development of its distinctive approaches, theUniversity will make greater forward progress in the future.
Notable Strengths
Faculty and Faculty Organization
 Under the university-wide policy for the composition of the facultyorganization, practical FD and faculty assessment initiatives tailored to thefaculty organization and curricula, such as curriculum development and careerdevelopment (including faculty research), are being undertaken. Under theleadership of Faculty Development Committee, the University is actively
engaged in FD training sessions, open classes, and FD activities for eachdepartment, and is implementing wide-ranging and systematic FD activities,
with high rates of participation by faculty members. In addition, adjunctfaculty members are also asked to participate in FD activities, and efforts arebeing made to improve the capabilities of both full-time and adjunct faculty
members. With respect to the evaluation of faculty activities, the evaluation
criteria are checked and verified every year, and a working group has been
established to set out issues and discuss measures to address them, as well
working for improvements by providing suggestions to the “FacultyEvaluation Committee” The expected ongoing improvements in the quality ofteaching by faculty members as a result of these efforts are commendable.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
 In accordance with the University’s policy on social cooperation and socialcontribution, the Center for Community Service plays a central role innumerous social contribution activities that draw on the University’s uniqueKobe Shinwa Women’s University

characteristics. For example, the University offers numerous courses such as
the “Baby Science Course for Childcare Professionals” and “Japan
climatotherapist training workshop: basic level” as well as holding a “KidsOpen Campus” and “Monozukuri Festival.” In terms of student volunteering,
more than half of the students are registered as volunteers and participate inactivities at school gardens, public institutions, facilities, and community
events. This contributes to students studies through the “off-campus learning”
that the University advocates. Furthermore, it is commendable that theUniversity is actively returning the fruits of its education and research to thecommunity through the establishment of the “Sukusuku” Child Rearing
Support Center, the “Psychological and Educational Counseling Room” and“Shinwa Sports Net,” a specified nonprofit corporation.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance The All-University Quality Assurance WG, which is responsible forpromoting internal quality assurance, has no position in the University’s
regulations and does not have sufficient organizational legitimacy orpermanence as a body for promoting internal quality assurance. In addition,
related organizations for internal quality assurance, such as the Management
Strategy Council and Faculty Development Committee are not clearly
positioned within the internal quality assurance system, and the relationshipbetween them is not sufficiently indicated. Furthermore, although issues for
improvement have been identified by the All-University Quality Assurance
WG based on checks and reviews, the nature and progress of the WG’s support
for individual organization’s improvements are not adequately monitored, andmanagement and support for such are insufficient. Therefore, improvements
are required such that the internal quality assurance promotion bodies provide
appropriate support for improvements and enhancements based on the checkand review results.
Student Enrollment
 In AY2020, the ratios of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap at
the Faculty of Human Development and Education’s Departments of
Psychology and Social Welfare were low at 0.88 and 0.69, respectively.
Although both these departments have already stopped accepting applications,

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the newly reorganized Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Literature
has a low ratio for AY2021, and it is difficult to say that a stable intake ofstudents is being maintained. This should be corrected to ensure proper
undergraduate student quota management.
Recommendation
University Management and Finance With the ratio of personnel costs remaining high, the operational income andexpenditure balance ratio has turned negative, and the ratio of the financial
assets to the required reserve fund has remained extremely low. This indicatesthat the financial base necessary for the stable provision of educational andresearch activities has not been established. Going forward, the JUAA would
like to see the progress of the Third Fiscal Improvement Plan reviewed
annually, ongoing revisions made based on the results of these reviews, andcorrective measures taken to establish a financial footing by steadily
implementing various policies centering reform of entrance examinations andeducation as set forth in the Five-Year Plan for the Third Ten-Year Program.