Results for Certified Evaluation and Accreditation for Junior College

Kurashiki City College

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

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

2

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kurashiki City College
Overview
Kurashiki City College (hereafter, the College) originated as Kurashiki City Technical
School for Early Childhood and Care (night course only), which was established as aschool for working students in 1968. Through the establishment of the Department ofApparel Arts in 1994 at the request of local industry and the establishment andreorganization of other departments, the College has become a junior college
comprised of two departments (the Department of Early Childhood Education and Careand the Department of Apparel Arts) and two advanced courses (the Advanced Courseof Early Childhood Education and Care and the Advanced Course of Apparel Arts).
Following its accreditation review by the National Institution for AcademicDegrees and University Evaluation (now National Institution for Academic Degreesand Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE)) in 2010, with responses toissues related to “University Information Disclosure” as its major goal, the College
established a new system for improvements such as establishing the External Advisors
Committee, which includes outside experts, and the Self-Study Committee, chaired bythe President. It has worked on improvements by sharing and transmitting within andoutside the College extensive information on a variety of matters such as education andresearch, student life, social activities, and the institution’s operations at the College
through the media such as the “(Annual) Academic Bulletin” and the “Kurashiki City
College Self-Study Report.”
This latest accreditation review confirmed that the College is carrying out anumber of initiatives representing its philosophy. In particular, it is commendable that
initiatives such as various programs conducted in various forms (such as the Kurashiki
City College public programs and the Kurashiki City College Child-Rearing College
Specialized Training Programs), industry-university collaboration research withtextile-related companies in Kurashiki City, on-site classes for high-school students,
denim week and other events have become college-wide activities involving many
faculty members and students based on cooperation with local residents. The Collegealso has conducted “Kurashiki City College Child-Rearing College” activities since2011 based on its missions and purposes, and it holds and provides various programs
including “Kuratan Square ‘Kurarakko’ at Parent-child Interaction Square,”3“Kurarakko Counseling” which are child-rearing-related counselling sessions bynursery teachers, department teachers and other staff, “Mother Time” and “MotherVolunteer” by parents, “Parent-child Interaction Park” and “Kurashiki City College
Children’s Theater Performance” hosted by students, and “Kuranchi,” “On-site Square‘Kurarakko’” organized by students, and “Kurarakko Programs” which are specialized
training programs organized jointly with Kurashiki City. These programs attract more
and more participants every year and are highly acclaimed, and are producing steadyresults. These continuous initiatives in cooperation and collaboration with thecommunity through parenting support are in line with the College’s missions andpurposes from the perspective of practical student education, and they are expected to
be enhanced and developed even more.
However, there are several issues that need to be addressed. Syllabuses do notclarify the “Class Achievement Targets” and “Academic Assessment Criteria” formany subjects, school buildings are not yet earthquake resistant, and student
recruitment and public relations need to be enhanced. In order to solve these issues, theCollege is expected to create an internal quality assurance system in light of the size
and actual conditions at the College by, for example, clarifying and integrating theroles and positions of the Planning and Operation Council, the Self-Study Committee,
and the Faculty Council (including each subordinate committee) and continuing towork on improvements aimed at the further development of the College.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution


Initiatives that represent the College’s mission (to contribute to the development ofthe community) include various programs (Kurashiki City College Public
Programs, Kurashiki City College Child-rearing College Specialized Training
Programs, etc.), as well as Parent-child Interaction Square “Kurarakko” and“Kuranchi” planned and operated by students of the Department of Early
Childhood Education and Care and Advanced Cause of Early Childhood and joint
product development using local resources with aid by the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications’, events conveying “Denim Town Kojima,” andparticipation in contests related to fashion design at the Development of ApparelArts and the Advanced Course of Apparel Arts. Through these initiatives, the4

College is cooperating with and contributing to society with many of its faculty
members and students involved based on cooperation with local residents, which
can be highly acclaimed.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome
Syllabuses do not clarify the “Class Achievement Targets” and “AcademicAssessment Criteria” in many subjects. This should be rectified.

Education and Research Environment
With respect to the earthquake resistance of the school buildings, which wasindicated in the previous accreditation review, the College need to work to makethose buildings earthquake resistant as soon as possible to secure the safety ofstudents and other university members.

Administration and Finance Staff organization should be strengthened to enhance cooperation with society,entrance exams, and public relations.
Internal Quality Assurance

An internal quality assurance system needs to be developed in light of the size andactual situation at the College by, for example, clarifying and integrating the rolesand positions of the Planning and Operation Council, the Self-Study Committee,
and the Faculty Council (including each subordinate committee).