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

Toho University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2019
Accreditation Status: Accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1.2020 – March 31.2027）

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Toho University
Overview
Toho University (hereinafter referred to as the “University”) was founded on thephilosophy of “Nature, Life, Man,” and its educational principles are “to develop andfoster distinguished professionals with rich humanistic sensibilities and wide-rangingknowledge who cherish nature and humanity based on respect for nature and a profoundawareness of the dignity of life and of the individual.” The University states its goal andpurpose as follows: “Our goal is to teach the theoretical and applicational aspects ofvarious specialized academic fields, conduct research, and provide students with a general
education, and our mission is to nurture educated and talented individuals and contributeto the development of culture.” In order to achieve this goal, the University formulated
the Re-creation in Tradition and History Toward Toho University’s Centennial—Creatinga New Grand Design— in 2010 and developed a second edition in 2014. In line with thisgrand design, the University has established the Toho University Educational Charter
which describes its vision for the coming centennial and its talent development goals. In
2019, the University formulated the Toho University Grand Design 2025 which presents
nine critical success factors and corresponding key performance indicators.
In the University’s internal quality assurance structure, the University Council isgiven the role of promoting internal quality assurance, and four committees involved inself-study and the Verification Group work together to implement the PDCA cycle.
However, the authorities and roles of the internal organizations involved in internal
quality assurance, including other faculty and graduate school divisions, are not clearly
defined in the rules. Although the results of self-study conducted by the Self-Study
Planning and Management Committee are reported to the University Council, the council
does not provide the relevant divisions with instructions for improvement based on theresults. Therefore, the University should manage the respective organizations and provide
support for improvement in an appropriate manner, and ensure the functionality of its
internal quality assurance system.
As for education, the University organizes curricula appropriately by arranging
subjects in a systematic and methodical fashion, in line with the degree award policy andcurriculum design and implementation policy. The University adopts small-groupseminars and training sessions, and actively provides active learning-style subjects suchas group work, discussions, and small-group learning. Distinctive features of the2

University include common education subjects as well as common optional subjects thatcan be taken by students in the Faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Science, and it
is recognized that the University provides subjects that reflect its founding philosophy
and educational principles.
As part of its social cooperation and contribution efforts, the University has
implemented the Medical Accommodation Support Project, a joint project with Ota Wardfor supporting family members of long-term child patients staying in hospital, and has
also established TOHO IELABO, which is used for practical education in the Faculty ofNursing and the dissemination of healthcare-related information. The University engages
in other high commendable social contribution initiatives leveraging its distinctive
strengths in healthcare and in response to local needs and demand, such as the activities
carried out at the mountain infirmary in Nishihotaka which is run by the Faculty ofMedicine.
However, there are several issues that should be addressed. The PharmaceuticalSciences (Master's Program) and Advanced Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences (DoctoralProgram) in the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Master’s andDoctoral Programs in the Graduate School of Science have not set forth researchsupervision methods and schedules in the form of a specific research supervision plan,
the Faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Science allow students to gain
credits for subjects they have failed when moving up to the next grade by simply taking
a term-end exam without actually retaking the subjects, and quota management is not
appropriately implemented in the School of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine. Theseissues should be corrected. The University has not yet developed methods to objectively
measure the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy or appropriate
benchmarks for assessing measurement results, and efforts to grasp and evaluate learning
outcomes in a diversified and appropriate manner are lacking in some faculties andgraduate schools. This should be improved.
Going forward, the University should clarify the authorities and roles of eachorganization and implement measures for improvement based on the results of self-study
in order to achieve its purpose, and thereby ensure that its internal quality assurance
centered around the University Council functions effectively.
Notable Strengths
Education and Research Environment3

 In order to enable both male and female researchers to continue engaging in research
activities at their normal pace even when time is limited due to life events, Center for
Diversity and Inclusion offers a program whereby research assistants are sent toprovide support to them. Since the number of female researchers in superior positions(professor, associate professor) has increased, and the number of successful Grant-inAid for Scientific Research applications is rising, the program is considered ascontributing to the career advancement of researchers.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
 Aiming to address healthcare-related social issues, the University carries out theMedical Accommodation Support Project, which involves providing accommodation
to family members of long-term child patients receiving treatment in hospital, incooperation with the local government of Ota Ward, where its campus is located, andthe business sector. In addition, the University has established TOHO IELABO, afacility that recreates the housing environment of elderly people. This facility is used
for practical education in the Faculty of Nursing and the dissemination of healthcarerelated information. During the summertime, the University opens a mountaininfirmary in Nishihotaka which is run by the Faculty of Medicine. It is commendable
that the University contributes to society leveraging its distinctive strengths inhealthcare and in response to local needs and demand.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance In the University’s internal quality assurance structure, the University Council isgiven the role of promoting internal quality assurance, and four committees involved
in self-study and the Verification Group work together to implement the PDCA cycle.
However, the authorities and roles of the internal organizations involved in internal
quality assurance, including other faculty and graduate school divisions, are notclearly presented in the rules. The University Council does not provide the relevant
divisions with clear instructions for improvement based on the results of self-study.
Therefore, the University should manage the respective organizations and provide
support for improvement in an appropriate manner, and ensure the functionality of its
internal quality assurance system.
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Educational Program and Outcome
 The Faculty of Health Science and the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of
Science do not present the basic ideas on curriculum organization and implementationin the curriculum design and implementation policy. This should be improved.
 Although the Departments of Biology and Environmental Science in the Faculty ofScience set a limit on the number of credits students can register for in a single year,
they allow students in their second or subsequent years to register for additional
credits according to the number of credits they have obtained by the end of eachacademic year. For this reason, there are a considerable number of students who
actually register for many subjects in excess of the limit. Other measures have notbeen implemented, and not enough is being done to give substance to credits.
Therefore, the University should improve the situation in view of the purpose of thecredit system.
 Some faculties and graduate schools have subjects for which the syllabi list
“Attendance” as a method for assessment of academic achievement, present multiple
evaluation methods but fail to describe the contribution rate of each method inquantitative terms, or lack descriptions of the feedback methods used for assessmentof academic achievement. Therefore, the University should ensure that syllabi arechecked properly and methods for assessment of academic achievement are described
appropriately.
 The Master’s Program in the Graduate School of Science does not specify theexamination criteria related to special assignment research results. Therefore, thecriteria should be clearly presented.
 The faculties and graduate schools, with the exception of the Faculty and Graduate
School of Nursing, have not yet developed methods to measure the learning outcomesindicated in the degree award policy or appropriate benchmarks for assessing
measurement results, and efforts to grasp and evaluate learning outcomes in adiversified and appropriate manner are lacking. This should be improved.

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Recommendations
Educational Program and Outcome
 The Pharmaceutical Sciences (Master's Program) and Advanced ClinicalPharmaceutical Sciences (Doctoral Program) in the Graduate School ofPharmaceutical Sciences and the Master’s and Doctoral Programs in the Graduate
School of Science have not set forth research supervision methods and schedules in
the form of a specific research supervision plan. Therefore, these should beestablished and clearly presented to students in advance.
 The Faculties of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Science allow students who
were not able to gain credits for a particular subject to take an exam in the following
or subsequent years and gain the credits by simply passing the exam without attending
any classes. This should be corrected in view of the purpose of the credit system.
Student Enrollment
 In the last five years, the average of ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshmanenrollment cap and the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap havebeen high at 1.01 and 1.05, respectively, in the School of Medicine in the Faculty ofMedicine. The University should make significant improvement in faculty quotamanagement.

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