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

International Christian University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2017
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.01.2018 – March.31.2025）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor International Christian University
Overview
International Christian University (hereafter, the University) was established in 1953 inTokyo’s Mitaka city as Japan’s first College of Liberal Arts

with the philosophy ofserving God and humankind. Based on Christian philosophy and abiding by theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, the University strives to establish an academic
tradition of freedom and reverence and develop human resources capable ofcontributing to peace and coexistence at the world level. Under its mission and purpose,
the University pursues three commitments: International commitment (I), Christiancommitment (C) and Academic commitment (U). With a basis in liberal arts education,
it is organized into the College of Liberal Arts and the Graduate School of Arts andSciences, providing holistic education through its educational and research activities.
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2010, the University has been taking appropriate actions on the suggestions
made in the review.
With regard to the initiatives implemented by the University, the English for Liberal
Arts Program (ELA) and Japanese Language Programs (JLP) that serve as thefoundation for its bilingual education, the advising system to help students develop andimplement their independent and autonomous learning plans, and the various
initiatives led mainly by the Center for Teaching and Learning are all highlycommendable. Moreover, the University introduced the original Aptitude Test for
Liberal ArtS (ATLAS) as a subject in its entrance exams to measure the students’
aptitude for Liberal Arts. This unique entrance exam is aimed at selecting students who
can deal with various issues with intellectual curiosity on a broad range of topics.
There are many other unique characteristics as well, such as peer advising by students,
writing support and advancing Liberal Arts education through extracurricular
educational activities, including management of student dormitories.
However, several areas for improvement are found in the University’s
graduate programs, including the lack of coursework in the Doctoral Course and theunclear criteria for examination of dissertations or theses.
It is expected that the University will develop its educational and research
activities further as a unique Liberal Arts University by strengthening the function of2

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its PDCA cycle using the mobility characteristic of small scale organizations, under theguidance of the “Senate” and “Faculty Council” responsible for internal quality
assurance.
Notable Strengths
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome
The University conducts English for Liberal Arts Program (ELA) and Japanese
Language Programs (JLP), which serve as the foundation for its bilingualeducation. In each program, students are meticulously divided into courses basedon placement test results to ensure optimum educational effect. The ELA programis aimed not only at acquiring academic linguistic skills but also thorough criticalthinking skills that form the bedrock of Liberal Arts education. JLP, too, helps
students acquire academic and critical thinking skills in addition to the language. It
is commendable that the University is striving to embody its philosophy by
fostering basic language skills that enable students to participate in Japanese andinternational society after they graduate and to make a social contribution.

In its effort to encourage independent learning among students, the University has
introduced the advising system in which a full-time faculty member is assigned toeach student as advisor. An advising syllabus is set up to promote active
interaction between the students and faculty members and, each term,
consultation/advice is provided for planning a course schedule and for checking
the status of courses the student takes. It is also commendable that the University
supports students to make long-term independent learning plans and execute themby sharing Academic Planning Essays, which help with periodic self-evaluation of
the learning plan, GPA and other information using the icuMAP.

Enrollment
The University introduced the original Aptitude Test for Liberal ArtS (ATLAS) asa subject in its entrance exams to measure the students’ aptitude for Liberal Arts in
the College of Liberal Arts. In this examination, test-takers listen to a short lecture
and answer questions regarding the lecture from various contexts. It is aimed at3

4evaluating the candidate’s ability to flexibly apply logical thinking and existingknowledge to solve problems. The entrance examination is intended to serve as an“invitation to Liberal Arts” and provide a “taste of learning experience at ICU.”This test is commendable as a unique effort by the University to select students
who can deal with various issues with intellectual curiosity on a broad range oftopics and with a spirit of taking on challenges.
Student Support
Under the Center for Teaching and Learning that acts as a comprehensive system
for learning support, units such as the Academic Planning Center, student peer
advising group, and the Writing Support Desk offer support for students

inacademic planning or writing their theses or reports in English and Japanese. Apartfrom continuously strengthening its support system and content, the University
also conducts training for faculty members and students who provide support. The
high rate of use of the systems indicates their usefulness. Furthermore, a wide
variety of interaction is fostered in the student dormitories, which are managed bya student body. This helps students learn about respect for human rights anddiversity and sharing and delegation of responsibilities through dialog that takes
place in communal life. These student support activities are commendable asefforts in line with the University’s philosophies.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

The curriculum for the Doctoral Course in the Graduate School of Arts andSciences lacks an appropriate combination of course work in research work. TheUniversity should provide an appropriate educational program for this course byreviewing it in light of the Program-Based Graduate School System.

The criteria for examination of doctoral dissertations or master’s theses in theGraduate School of Arts and Sciences have not been clarified. This should beaddressed and the criteria for each course should be stated clearly in the Graduate
School Bulletin or other media.

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