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

Meiji University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2021
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2022 – March 31, 2029）

Meiji University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Meiji University

Overview
In line with its founding philosophy of “Rights and Liberty, Independence, and SelfGovernment,” Meiji University has as its philosophy “Individual Empowerment” andits mission to “realize a free, peaceful, and prosperous society through thedevelopment of knowledge and human resources.” The University has formulated
the Meiji University Grand Design 2020 (hereinafter “Grand Design 2020”), theMeiji University Grand Design 2030 (hereinafter “Grand Design 2030”), and theMeiji University Long-term Vision that confirm its founding spirit, philosophy, andmission, define the goals to be achieved in the next decade, and present the priority
measures to realize those goals, using these as guiding principles for the formulationof the Meiji University Medium-term Plan, etc. In order to realize these visions, theUniversity formulates long- and medium-term plans, annual plans, and other
implementation plans on the basis of the Formulation and Promotion of the Annual
Education and Research Plan (President’s Policy) (hereinafter “President’s Policy”)
that is formulated each year. Therefore, the University is making efforts to improve
its educational and research activities.
As for internal quality assurance, the University adopts the following three-tierstructure in the quality assurance process that is overseen by the All-University SelfStudy and Review Committee (hereinafter “All-University Committee”): theUniversity Level based on the President’s Principle, the Middle Level based on thethree policies for the education programs of individual schools, and the Micro Level
based on the lesson plans (syllabuses) of individual teachers. In addition, theUniversity conducts peer reviews in the check and review process of education
programs in the Middle Level to make the initiatives more effective, and has astructure for the IR Steering Committee to provide data to the All-University
Committee and other organizations to enable checks and reviews to be conducted on
the basis of figures, graphs, and other kinds of objective data and improvements to
be made accordingly. Furthermore, the University has developed a multi-tiered
internal quality assurance system that includes, for example, external evaluations by
the Self-Study and Review Committee (hereinafter “Review Committee”) andadopted various other structures to improve and enhance educational activities,
which is commendable.
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Meiji University

Regarding education, all faculties and graduate schools have organized theircurricula appropriately in accordance with the degree award policy (diploma policy)
and curriculum design and implementation policy (curriculum policy). In addition,
the University enables students to take subjects in a systematic and organized mannerby curriculum maps that are created in all schools and departments as well as anumbering system that covers all subjects. In both undergraduate and graduate
divisions, learning outcomes are measured in the University Learning Questionnaire(hereinafter “Learning Questionnaire”) or in accordance with other education
program-specific measuring methods. In particular, the Department of MechanicalEngineering of the School of Science and Technology has a system in place wherestudents check their own level of learning outcome achievement, which is consideredan effective way to enable students to steadily achieve learning outcomes. Otherexcellent initiatives include the M-Navi Program for students to actively acquirecompetencies for working persons, the UNHCR Refugee Higher Education Program(RHEP) for accepting refugee students, and a variety of other activities throughwhich the University is working to achieve its mission and purpose. The JUAA hopes
the University accelerates these initiatives going forward. The staff play an importantrole in supporting these activities, and the University conducts staff training in asystematic fashion, introducing the Recruit Supporter Program and identifying staff
needs concerning career development. Furthermore, it is commendable that theUniversity has put in place a system to enable staff members to attend undergraduate
and graduate lectures and obtain qualifications.
However, there are several issues that should be improved. Some graduate
schools do not present the basic ideas on curriculum organization in the curriculum
design and implementation policy. In addition, the details of the schedules as part of
the research supervision plan are insufficient in several graduate schools. This shouldbe improved. In the Graduate School of Professional Accountancy, the correlation
between the learning outcome measurement methods and the learning outcomesindicated in the degree award policy is unclear. Also, the ratio of student enrollment
to the student enrollment cap is low in some undergraduate and graduate divisions.
This should be improved to ensure proper student quota management.
Going forward, the JUAA hopes the University solves these issues by investing
efforts in internal quality assurance, and accelerates its numerous distinctive
initiatives for further development of its program.
Notable Strengths2

Meiji UniversityInternal Quality Assurance
The University adopts the following three-tier structure in the quality assurance
process that is overseen by the All-University Committee: the University Level
based on the President’s Principle, the Middle Level based on the three policies
for the education programs of individual schools, and the Micro Level based on
the lesson plans (syllabuses) of individual teachers. In addition, the AllUniversity Committee conducts interdepartmental peer reviews in the check andreview process of education programs in the Middle Level to make the initiatives
more effective, and the University has a structure for the IR Steering Committee
to provide data to the All- University Committee and other organizations thatenables the School Committee to conduct checks and reviews on the basis offigures, graphs, and other kinds of objective data, thereby making improvements
such as curriculum revision. Furthermore, the University has developed a multitiered internal quality assurance system that includes, for example, externalevaluations by the Review Committee and adopted various other structures toimprove and enhance educational activities, which is commendable.

Educational Program and Learning Outcomes
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of the School of Science andTechnology has created a flowchart explaining the order to take important
subjects to achieve the learning and educational objectives, indicating thecorrelation between each of the nine learning outcomes indicated in the degree
award policy and the subjects to make the acquisition period for each of themclear. Students develop a course registration plan according to the flowchart andengage in their studies accordingly, as well as inputting their grades in theLearning and Educational Goal Achievement Check Sheet on the basis of theAchievement Level Report Card issued by their homeroom teacher eachsemester that shows the level of achievement of individual students. This sheet
allows students to check their own level of achievement of learning outcomes,
thereby providing a way to identify areas of improvement for future learning. As
for students who are unable to achieve a specific item, the department gives theman essay assignment on the item in question. This is expected to ensure that thestudents achieve the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy bygraduation, which is commendable.

Student Support3Meiji UniversityIn response to COVID-19, the University designed an inquiry forum andlaunched it on its website in April 2020. The responsible division analyzes andresponds to the inquiries. The University has used this to make prompt
improvements on a university-wide level, such as systematically improving
online classes in June 2021 on the basis of the analysis results. Furthermore, thisinitiative has led to new initiatives such as the introduction of chatbots across anumber of faculty websites. It is commendable that the University has created asystem that allows organizational information gathering and improvement
measures to be implemented in response to issues requiring immediate action,and that new initiatives have been developed upon these activities.

The M-Navi Program, in which students serve as navigators to acquirecompetencies for working persons, offers a range of opportunities to acquire
broad-based knowledge through actual practice and gain social experience. With
the support of the student support office, the M-Navi Committee consisting
primarily of student members plays a major role in planning, preparing,managing, and organizing specific programs, revising program contents, andconsidering new programs, among other tasks. Therefore, students run the PDCA
cycle themselves. It is commendable that the University has a functioning systemthat allows not only students participating in the program but also students
managing the program to independently engage in activities that help them
improve competencies for working persons.

Social Cooperation and Contribution
The Liberty Academy, a lifelong learning hub established for the purpose ofusing the University’s intellectual property to benefit society, offers a variety ofcourses on general knowledge, business, qualifications, language, and othertopics, which are attended by many people. For instance, the short-term intensive
business program for supporting women who want to return to work and improvetheir career offers participants the opportunity to learn basic and practicalbusiness skills, and also provides career support in career consultation events bycompanies. The University is greatly contributing to the promotion of lifelong
learning in society by offering a wide range of learning opportunities and holding
courses tailored to current needs, which is commendable.

The Meiji University Museum has a broad collection of ancient artifacts,4Meiji University

historical documents, and other items, which are displayed in a permanentexhibition. In addition, the museum holds special exhibitions such as thosefeaturing items from the British Museum and items related to the Great East
Japan Earthquake. The museum has made efforts to disseminate and publish
knowledge for a wider audience. For example, in 2020, the museum launched
the Mn Online Museum service that allows people to participate in a virtual tourof the permanent exhibition, as well as offering a guidebook in various languages.
The museum has many visitors and a high rate of satisfaction. Thus, it iscommendable that the University is leveraging its education and researchachievements to benefit society through a variety of exhibitions and tools, aswell as providing opportunities for lifelong learning.
The University engages in collaborative international contribution activities witha range of organizations, including the UNHCR Refugee Higher Education
Program (RHEP) that is conducted as part of the UN Academic Impact (UNAI)
initiative. For instance, every year the University accepts refugee students asregular undergraduate students; the support program was expanded in 2021,
allowing students who meet certain conditions to enroll in graduate schools.
Japanese students have developed a deeper awareness and interest through acting
as volunteers to offer dishes from the regions where the refugees come from inthe school cafeteria, organizing film festivals featuring films about refugee
issues, etc. It is commendable that awareness and interest for refugee issues,exchange with international organizations, and international contribution
activities has spread among the faculty and staff members of schools anddivisions that have accepted refugee students, and that international contributionactivities are conducted as part of a university-wide initiative to achieve theSDGs.

University Management and Finance
The University has established the Support System for Recruitment in an effort
to recruit staff aspiring to become professionals. After recruitment, theUniversity provides a range of training programs in accordance with a training
plan that reflects the needs of full-time staff members. In addition, the University
has created a list of administrative duties describing the experience,
qualifications, and knowledge necessary to perform the administrative duties in
the respective divisions, which is distributed to all full-time staff members.
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Furthermore, to help staff attain the career of their choice, the University allows
them to attend undergraduate and graduate school lectures and obtain
qualifications, thereby helping them acquire the necessary knowledge. Thus, theUniversity values the career development of its full-time staff and provides
consistent human resources development programs from the recruitment stage.
These are commendable initiatives as they contribute to the founding philosophy
of “Individual Empowerment.”
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning OutcomesThe Graduate School of Science and Technology Doctoral Program does not
appropriately present the basic ideas on curriculum organization in thecurriculum design and implementation policy. This should be improved.

The schedules for research supervision are insufficient as part of the researchsupervision plan in the Graduate School of Law Master's Program, Graduate
School of Business Administration Master's Program, Graduate School of Artsand Letters Master's Program, and Graduate School of Advanced Mathematical
Sciences Master's Program. This should be improved.

In the Graduate School of Professional Accountancy, the learning outcomesindicated in the degree award policy are identified by tracking the careers ofstudents who have passed qualification examinations such as the Certified Public
Accountant Examination and students who have completed the graduate school
program, as well as by providing rewards to those who have passed qualification
examinations. However, the correlation between these learning outcome
measurement methods and the learning outcomes is unclear. This should beimproved.

Student Enrollment
The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap in the Departmentof Accounting of the School of Business Administration is low at 0.89. Thisshould be improved to ensure proper undergraduate student quota management.

The ratios of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap are low at 0.34 for
the Graduate School of Law Master's Program and 0.26 for the Graduate School6

Meiji Universityof Advanced Mathematical Sciences Doctoral Program. This should be
improved to ensure proper graduate student quota management.

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