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

Kokugakuin University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

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

Kokugakuin University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kokugakuin University
Overview
Kokugakuin University sets forth the purpose of contributing to the development ofJapanese society and world peace through academic research and education, bycreatively enhancing its research based on the founding spirit of “ethos of Shinto”
and by establishing an international collaboration and coexistence framework while
maintaining its identity and uniqueness. Based on this purpose, the University
positions “harmony between tradition and creativity, between individuality andcoexistence, and between regional characteristics and globalism” as the basis of its
education and research policy, with the goal of “fostering individuals withconsciousness and cultivation as Japanese people with independent personalities andthe intention and capacity to devote themselves to the enhancement of Japanesesociety and the world.” To achieve both purpose and goal, the University formulated
the medium-term 21st Century Research and Education Plan in AY2002 to mark the120th anniversary of its founding, and its ongoing activities are now based on Phase
4 of 21st Century Research and Education Plan formulated in April 2017. To enhance
its education and research, the University established the Faculty of Tourism andCommunity Development in AY2022.
Regarding internal quality assurance, the Internal Quality Assurance
Policy stipulates that the University is constantly accountable to verify that its
research and education meet appropriate standards, and positions the SelfAssessment/Accreditation Committee as a university-wide organization for the task.
The faculties, institutes, graduate schools, administrative offices, and other bodies
conduct self-studies of their activities, and the committee summarizes the findings
and makes arrangements among departments to provide advice from a universitywide perspective while carrying out its own self-study. In addition, the University
introduced the Planning Progress Management System in 2018 to support the processby ensuring that the progress status of the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle isshared, and that inspections and assessments are continued, allowing self-study
activities to be conducted based on supporting evidence. The University is expected
to utilize this system to improve and enhance its education, and achieve better student
learning outcomes.
As for the University’s education, each faculty and graduate school has

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established diploma and curriculum policies in line with the University’s goals. The
undergraduate program organizes university-wide general cultural education subjects
and specialized education subjects designed for specialized fields of study. The
curriculum of general cultural education subjects is clearly laid out in a sequential
way with subjects organized for students to acquire the necessary academic literacy
and other skills from the first year, along with language studies from introductory tobasic, intermediate, upper-intermediate, and advanced proficiency levels. Moreover,the curriculum policy has been updated under a new university-wide policy since
AY2017 to further clarify the systematic and sequential process by introducing course
numbering systems and curriculum lists. The graduate schools strive to help students
become socially and professionally independent after course completion by requiring
research projects and enhancing coursework for each program, as well as offeringteacher training and enabling students to obtain qualifications for positions such assenior curator. To upgrade its education the University actively engages in various
activities, with the Study Support Center playing a central role in developing a peer
support system centered around the Volunteer Station.
The University is also working to advance its staff members’ skills througha variety of training sessions and self-development support programs, with staff
members serving as instructors to help boost the participants’ morale while
improving their own communication skills. In addition, staff members are involvedin the student recruitment process as admissions advisors to acquire the knowledge
and skills necessary for the position and to deepen their understanding of theUniversity’s distinctive characteristics. It is highly commendable that these efforts
contribute to the professional development of the University’s staff members.
There are several issues the University needs to address, however. In termsof education, some faculties and programs have not established diploma policies forthe degrees to be awarded, and the content of the curriculum policy is inadequate insome faculties. The graduate schools have failed to appropriately establish screening
criteria for the learning outcomes required for degrees, and their own faculty
development (FD) has not been implemented sufficiently. Moreover, some graduate
schools fall short of fulfilling their student quotas. These issues should be addressed.
In the coming years, the University is expected to resolve these issues
through internal quality assurance efforts and advance its outstanding initiatives,
thereby progressing further as a university capable of meeting new social challenges
and needs while preserving its own traditions.

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Notable Strengths
University Management and FinanceIn accordance with the Faculty and Staff SD Policy), the University provides
problem-based training and self-development support for its faculty and staff torespond to globalization and improve their IT skills, in addition to training for
all employees and separate workshops by rank and division. These sessions led
by staff members as instructors help boost the participants’ morale while
improving the instructors’ own presentation and communication skills. Moreover,almost all staff members become involved in student recruitment activities after
attending the Admissions Advisor Briefing Session. It is commendable that thesesystematic SD activities and experiences as advisors serve to increase the staff
members’ sense of belonging to the University and deepen their understandingof its distinctive features, leading to their professional growth.

Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning OutcomesThe diploma policies established for each department and degree program by theFaculty of Human Development and the Master’s Degree and Doctoral Programsin the Graduate School of Letters are identical despite multiple types of degrees
being awarded. This issue should be addressed.

The basic concepts of curriculum implementation in the curriculum policies havenot been specified by the Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Shinto Studies, Facultyof Law, Faculty of Economics, and Faculty of Human Development. TheGraduate School of Letters has established separate curriculum policies fordegree courses in three majors, but the contents are identical. The Shinto Studies
and Religious Studies Major and Japanese Literature Major courses stipulate twotypes of degrees to be awarded in both the master’s degree and doctoralprograms, but their curriculum policies do not correspond to the different
degrees. These issues should be addressed.

The screening criteria for master’s theses and project papers are identical in the3Kokugakuin University

Master’s Degree in the Graduate School of Law. This situation should becorrected.
All graduate schools measure student learning outcomes based on credit statusand grades, but this method is inadequate for monitoring and evaluating thelearning outcomes stated in their diploma policies. This issue should beaddressed with appropriate monitoring and evaluation methods adopted tomeasure learning outcomes in a multifaceted way.

Student Enrollment
The ratios of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap are low at 0.13 in
the Doctoral Programs in the Graduate School of Law and 0.13 in the Doctoral
Programs in the Graduate School of Economics. These ratios should be improved
with the graduate schools’ student quotas thoroughly managed.

Faculty and Faculty Organization
The graduate schools’ own faculty development (FD) activities for educational
improvements have not been implemented. This issue should be addressed withactivities conducted appropriately by all master’s and doctoral programs as wellas each graduate school.

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