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

Iwate Prefectural University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: PublicLocation: Iwate, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2022
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2030）

Iwate Prefectural University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Iwate Prefectural University
Overview
Iwate Prefectural University, founded on the spirit of “In hopes of creating a new eraof harmony among men, nature and science, we provide an education that fosters
independence, knowledge and highly specialized skills which contribute to theenrichment of humanity and society,” sets forth the University’s Basic Direction
comprised of five elements that include “rich knowledge and the spirit of respect forpeople,” “distinctive education and research with an emphasis on interdisciplinary
fields,” “education and research focusing on practical studies and practices,” “socialcontribution,” and “international contribution.” In response to the administrative
goals set over a six-year period from AY2017 to AY2022 by the Iwate Prefectural
Government, which established the school, the University created the Iwate
Prefectural University Third Mid-term Plan in AY2017, and has worked to improvethe content of its educational programs and research and contribute to society inaccordance with the plan. Under the University Evaluation Committee designated as
the main body for promoting the Mid-term Plan, the University strives to undertake
improvements and enhancements by having the committee confirm and review theprogress of the plan developed by the Mid-term Plan Committee, and reflect theresults of these activities to ensure that the internal quality assurance system
functions effectively.
With respect to internal quality assurance, in AY2021 the Universitydeveloped the University-wide Internal Quality Assurance, which stipulates the sixyear Mid-term Plan as a schoolwide policy for internal quality assurance, and defines
the fundamental philosophy, framework, and procedures of internal quality assurance.
Regarding education, in light of the above described founding spirit andthe University’s Basic Direction, the University established the university-wide
diploma policy that sets out the skills to be developed by the time of graduation as
the “common pillars”, and lays out the diploma policies of the individual faculties
and graduate schools in line with the schoolwide policy. The University has alsoorganized its curricula based on the curriculum policy and undertaken various
creative measures, including a first-year course where students from different
faculties learn together. In particular, the Faculty of Software and Information
Science has introduced a unique educational program involving a problem-solving

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Iwate Prefectural University

research project support PBL (project based learning) program, where undergraduate
and graduate students team up, regardless of grade level, to tackle tasks they set forthemselves. Some extracurricular activities have students from different faculties
working together in teams to solve problems by making use of their respective
specialties. In these ways, the University is aspiring to develop students’ selfinitiative through educational activities in and out of the curricula.
One outstanding effort is active engagement in social cooperation. For
example, at the Iwate Monodukuri and Software Integration Technology Center, theUniversity offers extension courses for local elementary and secondary school
students and hosts seminars to improve the technical skills of young engineers anduniversity students, which is highly appreciated by many participants. Furthermore,
the University works with the Takizawa IPU Innovation Center to support students
in starting new businesses. It is highly commendable that through these activities theUniversity provides students and local residents with various opportunities to learnand grow. The Center for Regional Policy Studies plays the role of a “think tank forthe residents of Iwate Prefecture” by publicly soliciting local issues fromorganizations and companies in the prefecture and designating faculty members tosolve selected issues. This is a noteworthy activity that not only returns its researchoutcomes to the area, but also promotes the outcomes across the local community.
There are several issues the University needs to address, however. Withregard to education, the maximum number of credits a student can register in a year
is high in the Faculty of Social Welfare, and the actual number of credits registeredby students is high. Although the University has taken measures to address thissituation, such as requiring students to complete courses prior to taking practicaltraining to acquire qualifications, its efforts are viewed as insufficient, and theUniversity should consider measures to ensure credit substantiation, including areview of the curricula. In the Masters Course of the Graduate School of Nursing, thesame examination criteria are used for research on specific themes and for master’stheses. The Graduate School of Social Welfare has failed to implement schoolspecific faculty development (FD) in terms of educational improvements. Under thecircumstances, improvements are required by the graduate schools. Some of theseissues were also pointed out in the previous certified evaluation and accreditation
results. The University should examine the effectiveness and functionality of its
internal quality assurance system centered on the University Evaluation Committee,and develop and implement measures to improve the situation by ensuring that thesystem functions more effectively.

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Iwate Prefectural University

The University has taken various initiatives to take advantage of its
characteristics as a public university close to the local community, enhance its
education and student support services, and contribute to the local community. It isexpected to flourish as a university that contributes to solving regional problems aswell as developing the local community.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
At the Iwate Monodukuri and Software Integration Technology Center, theUniversity provides programming classes and ICT courses for local elementaryand secondary school students and hosts the Highly Technical Worker Training
Session to help young engineers and university students improve their technicalskills. These long-standing training efforts have generated outstandingachievements, including a former training participant winning a national
competition prize. Furthermore, the University works with the Takizawa IPU
Innovation Center to support students in starting new businesses. It iscommendable that through these activities the University provides its students
and local residents with various opportunities to learn and grow and nurtures
persons who will achieve successful careers in the community.

The Center for Regional Policy Studies publicly solicits local issues fromorganizations and companies in the prefecture, and starting in AY2017 the centerhas divided the issues into two groups: “Stage 1: Stage for formulating a plan forfinding solutions to issues” and “Stage 2: Research results implementation
stage.” The center seeks to enhance the visibility of the classification system inthe community and to match local issues with the University’s faculty members.
It is commendable that through these activities the University functions as a thinktank for the residents of Iwate Prefecture, returns its research outcomes to thelocal community, and promotes the outcomes across the local community byimplementing them throughout society. These activities are reflected in theUniversity’s efforts to solve local issues based on the research outcomes oncommunity formation in public housing set up after a natural disaster.

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Iwate Prefectural University

Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes

In the Faculty of Social Welfare, the maximum number of credits a student canregister in a year is high, and the actual number of credits registered by students
is high. As a measure to substantiate credits, other than capping their number, theUniversity requires students to successfully complete certain courses before
undertaking practical training to acquire qualifications. This requirement is notviewed as sufficient for substantiating credits, and improvements are necessaryin accordance with the purpose of the credit system.
In the Masters Course of the Graduate School of Nursing, the same examination
criteria are used for research on specific themes and for master’s theses. Aseparate set of standards to review research outcomes on specific themes should
be developed.

Student Enrollment
In the Graduate School of Policy Studies, the ratios of enrolled students to thestudent enrollment cap are low at 0.45 in the Masters Course and 0.22 in theDoctoral Course. These ratios should be improved with graduate school’s student
quotas thoroughly managed.

Faculty and Faculty Organization
The Graduate School of Social Welfare has not implemented school-specificfaculty development (FD) for educational improvements. This situation shouldbe improved.

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