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

Japan Women's 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 Japan Women's UniversityOverview
Japan Women's University (hereinafter referred to as the “University”) was founded on
the following philosophy: “Women should be educated first and foremost as humanbeings, second as wives, and third as citizens.” Aiming to develop the founder’s Three
Education Principles, namely “True Conviction,” “Creativity,” and “Cooperation andService,” the University upholds the educational policies of “learn and act independently”
and “believe in yourself and act independently,” and conducts educational and research
activity in order to fulfill its role as a higher education institution for women living in themodern world. In preparation for its 120th anniversary in 2021, the University formulated
and announced a future plan, Vision 120: Toward Our 120th Anniversary (hereinafterreferred to as “Vision120”), in 2011, and is currently implementing the Japan Women'sUniversity Mid- to Long-term Plan (AY2014 to AY2023) that was drawn up for thepurpose of achieving Vision120. The University has consistently worked on improvingand enhancing educational and research activity. For example, it established the JWU
Research Center for Higher Education of Women and started planning for theestablishment of the JWU Education Center for Social Collaboration in AY2019, and has
been making preparations for the campus reorganization project scheduled for AY2021,
which will involve moving the Faculty of Integrated Arts and Social Sciences to theMejiro Campus.
The University Reform Steering Committee was established in 2018 as theorganization responsible for promoting university-wide internal quality assurance.
Building on the existing framework in which the Self-Study Committee played a central
role in self-study activities, the University has developed a system whereby the University
Reform Steering Committee manages the PDCA cycles implemented by each faculty andgraduate school from a university-wide perspective. The relationship between theUniversity Reform Steering Committee and the other divisions under the internal quality
assurance system is schematized in the Organizational Chart on Internal Quality
Assurance in Japan Women's University. Going forward, we hope the University Reform
Steering Committee provides effective support for improvement based on the results ofself-study conducted by individual divisions and thereby contributes to the improvementof the educational and research activities carried out by the University’s faculties andgraduate schools.

2Regarding education, all faculties and graduate schools have established andannounced a degree award policy (diploma policy) and curriculum design andimplementation policy (curriculum policy) for each degree to be awarded. The
educational program provided in the distance learning curriculum is designed leveraging
the characteristics of distance learning. Undergraduate program (non-distance learning)
curricula are systematically organized, each culminating in a graduation thesis, , which is
set as a compulsory subjects. The curriculum trees provided for each department and thesubject numbering system introduced in AY2019 are notable in that they help students
earn a degree by encouraging systematic course registration and step-by-step learning.
In Special Seminar and Lectures in Pracical Ethics 1, a compulsory subject for
first-year students in all faculties, and Special Seminar and Lectures in Practial Ethics 2,a compulsory subject for second- and third-year students, students develop their skills forliving in society as women through lectures and seminars. This is a distinctive and highly
commendable endeavor. Since 2007, the Recurrent Education Program provided by theLifelong Learning Center has consistently offered a one-year systematic education
program to support women seeking re-employment. The Lifelong Learning Center has
worked on improving the program, by revising the curriculum in response to changes inparticipant composition and participant needs, for example. Applicants to the program arecurrently increasing, and a high employment success rate among job-seeking participants
has been maintained. This is a remarkable achievement.
However, there are some issues that should be addressed. Regarding
management of student body size, some faculties, departments, and graduate schools havea high or low ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap. As for themeasurement of learning outcomes, the relationship between individual initiatives andthe learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy is unclear. Some departments
are not doing enough to give substance to credits. Therefore, the University should
improve the situation in view of the purpose of the credit system.
Going forward, we hope the University solves these issues through internal
quality assurance efforts, and accelerates its remarkable initiatives for further
development of its program.
Notable Strengths
Educational Program and Outcome3 The University sets Special Seminar and Lectures in Practical Ethics 1 and Special
Seminar and Lectures in Practical Ethics 2 as compulsory subjects in order toencourage students to deepen their understanding of the meaning of studying atuniversity, promote self-development, and develop their skills for living in society as
women, and holds the subjects in a methodical order. More specifically, after learning
the University’s mission and purpose in their first year, students build personal
relationships and reflect on themselves through participating in an off-campus
seminar involving an overnight stay. Second- and third-year students participate indiscussions with internal and external lecturers who are invited to give talks on topics
such as “Women’s Body and Mind,” “Women and Work,” and “Women and theWorld,” and develop a broader perspective and improve their general education. It iscommendable that these initiatives have led to the enhancement of students’ ability toindependently develop a future image of themselves as women thriving in modernsociety.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
 Leveraging its distinctive characteristics, the University offers a The Recurrent
Education Program as a program for supporting women seeking re-employment. The
Lifelong Learning Center has long played a central role in the program’s management,
making improvements to it in response to social needs, etc. In 2016, the program’scurriculum was revised based on the opinions gathered from lecturers, partnercompanies, program participants, graduates, and other stakeholders. Furthermore, theLifelong Learning Center has worked on improving the program in response tochanges in participant composition and participant needs. For example, it divides
participants into classes according to their working experience, has enhanced
participant convenience by providing on-demand content, and offers career
counseling. Thanks to these efforts, applicants to the program are increasing, and ahigh employment success rate among job-seeking participants has been maintained.
The program represents the University’s fulfillment of its social role as a higher
education institution for women, and is thus a commendable endeavor.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Outcome4 All faculties set a limit on the number of credits students can register for in a single
year. However, the limit does not apply to subjects related to obtaining qualifications,and thus a considerable number of students actually register for many credits in excessof the limit in some departments. Although some departments set conditions on
registration for subjects related to obtaining qualifications, no other satisfactorymeasures have been taken to give substance to credits. Therefore, the University
should improve the situation in view of the purpose of the credit system.
 The faculties measure learning outcomes using various methods, but, with theexception of the questionnaire survey conducted at the time of graduation, therelationship between the methods and the learning outcomes indicated in the degree
award policy is unclear. In the graduate schools, the correlation between the thesis
examination criteria, which are indicators for measuring learning outcomes, and thelearning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy is unclear. Faculties andgraduate schools should use diversified methods to appropriately grasp and evaluate
the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy.
Student Enrollment
 The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is high at 1.25 in theDepartment of Studies on Contemporary Society, Faculty of Integrated Arts andSocial Sciences. Therefore, the University should significantly improveundergraduate quota management.
 The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.45 in theMaster’s Program in the Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Social Sciences and0.11 in the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Science. Therefore, theUniversity should significantly improve graduate school quota management.

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