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

Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Okayama, Japan

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

Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare

Overview
Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare takes “Liberal Humanity, Sound Body, andProfound Knowledge” as its philosophy of establishment, “we nurture creative
providers of a richer welfare society in pursuit of compassionate services forhumankind” as its educational philosophy and “to foster competent and talented
human resources with advanced knowledge and excellent skills across the medical
and welfare fields who can respond the demands of society, in accordance with theBasic Act on Education and the School Education Act” as its purpose. A medium-tolong-term plan has been drawn up in order to fulfil this educational philosophy andpurpose, and the University is working to enhance its educational and research
activities.
For internal quality assurance, the Self-Study Committee has been established
as a university-wide body for promoting internal quality assurance. The Self-StudyCommittee confirms the results of inspections and assessments conducted byfaculties and graduate schools, etc., and submits them for discussion by theUniversity Management Committee, the University’s highest decision-making body.
Although the university regulations stipulate that the Self-Study Committee shallevaluate problems requiring improvement and features that should be examined, as
well as discussing matters such as the University’s future direction, its function islimited to confirming the check and review results conducted by faculties andgraduate schools, etc. As such, it is difficult to say that, in conducting checks andreviews and implementing initiatives for improvement and enhancement based on
the results, the Self-Study Committee is properly managing these matters as aninternal quality assurance promotion organization. This should be improved.
In terms of education, because the University trains a wide variety ofprofessionals in the fields of medicine and welfare, each department and program
focuses on clinical practice education. In addition, the Learning Support Center(LSC) has been established to improve students’ motivation to learn and basic
academic skills. The center engages in various initiatives for enhancing the learning
support available to students, such as academic counselling and planned lectures byfaculty members in charge of basic education courses, an “LSC Study Room”
available for use during free class time, and an “LSC Meeting Room” available for1

Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare

meetings with seminar instructors, etc. An “e-portfolio system” is currently underconstruction to monitor the learning outcomes specified in the degree award policy(diploma policy), which will make it possible to visualize learning outcomes basedon GPA averages from grades in each class linked to the degree award policy.
One outstanding initiative is the TEACCH Promotion Project at the Center forSocial Cooperation. TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related
Communication Handicapped Children) is a program developed at the University ofNorth Carolina and implemented at state institutions in North Carolina to support andeducate children (and adults) with developmental disabilities as well as their parentsand educational institutions. This initiative has been underway since 2004, including
25 “Special Courses on Autism” held annually for those who support children (andadults) with developmental disabilities, and “Level Up Seminars” held for those whohave completed the courses and others. It is also highly commendable that theUniversity is linking its efforts in this project to the development of educational andother activities by offering university faculty development (hereinafter “FD”), staffdevelopment (hereinafter “SD”), and holding class courses.
However, there are several issues that should be corrected and improved. With
respect to student enrollment, there are some departments and faculties with low
ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap and student enrollment
to the student enrollment cap. This should be corrected to ensure proper student quota
management. In addition, improvements are required with regard to the fact thatsome graduate schools and programs do not indicate their basic approach tocurriculum design and implementation in their curriculum policies, and that graduate
school-specific FD for educational improvement has not been conducted.
In the future, the JUAA hopes to see further progress by resolving issues thatneed to be corrected or improved and developing its distinctive initiatives. This canbe achieved by improving the internal quality assurance promotion system andsubstantiating its efforts so that the self-study results conducted by the University as
a whole and by individual faculties and graduate schools can be steadily linked toimprovements under the management of the Self-Study Committee.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
 Since 2004, when it established a partnership with the University of North
Carolina in the U.S., the University has continued to conduct “TEACCH
Promotion Activities” to support and educate children with developmental
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disabilities, their parents, and educational institutions. Programs such as the“Special Courses on Autism” “Level Up Seminars,” and “Topic Seminars,” aredesigned to pay back research outcomes and support methods to society. These
have been held remotely since last year, and have shown growth, with an increasein the number of participants and of participants from far-off areas. In addition,
faculty members involved in the TEACCH Promotion Activities are in charge oflecturing at FD/SD training sessions on how to relate to students with
developmental disability traits, and are working with other faculty members toprovide support and follow-up. In AY2022, “Introduction to Autism” will beincorporated into basic education courses, and it is commendable that theprogram is being further enhanced and incorporated into the University’s
educational activities.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance When individual faculties and graduate schools conduct checks and reviews andimplement initiatives for improvement and enhancement based on the results,
the role of the Self-Study Committee is limited to confirming the details of such.
As such, it does not check the overall education and research activities as
stipulated in the Self-Study Committee Regulations, evaluate problems requiring
improvement and features that should be examined, or sufficiently consider
matters such as the University’s future direction. As the body responsible forpromoting internal quality assurance, it is difficult to say that it is adequately
managing these issues. This should be improved.
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes Regarding the policy for curriculum design and implementation, all programs in
the Graduate School of Health and Welfare Services Administration, with theexception of the Doctoral Program and Master’s Program in Health Informatics,
do not indicate their basic approach to curriculum design and implementation in
their curriculum design and implementation policies. This should be improved.
Student Enrollment
 The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.37 for
Master’s Program for the Graduate School of Health Science and Technology
and 0.47 for the Master’s Programs for the Graduate School of Health and3

Kawasaki University of Medical WelfareWelfare Services Administration. This should be improved to ensure proper
graduate student quota management.
Faculty and Faculty Organization
 Graduate school-specific FD for educational improvement is not conducted otherthan for the Graduate School of Health Science and Technology’s Master’s
Program in Health and Sports Science. Improvements are required so that such
FD is appropriately conducted for the Master’s and Doctoral programs as awhole or for each graduate school.
Recommendation
Student Enrollment
 The average ratio of freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap overthe last five years is low at 0.89 for the Faculty of Health and Welfare and 0.56
for the Faculty’s Health and Welfare Department; and 0.60 for the Faculty ofHealth and Welfare Services Management, and 0.57, 0.59, 0.65, and 0.56
respectively for the Faculty’s Department of Health and Welfare Services
Management, Department of Health Informatics, Department of Medical
Secretarial Arts, and Department of Design for Medical and Health Care.
Similarly, the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at0.85 for the Faculty of Health and Welfare and 0.57 for the Faculty’s Health andWelfare Department; 0.85 for the Faculty of Health Science and Technology’s
Department of Health and Sports Science; and 0.59 for the Faculty of Health andWelfare Services Management, and 0.60, 0.59, 0.65, and 0.49 respectively forthat Faculty’s Department of Health and Welfare Services Management,
Department of Health Informatics, Department of Medical Secretarial Arts, andDepartment of Design for Medical and Health Care. This should be corrected toensure proper undergraduate student quota management.

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