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

Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Fukuoka, Japan

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

Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University

Overview
Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University embraces the school founder’s desire to create aschool where women can find a new way of life. It has made efforts to educate womenwith a global perspective, in keeping with the founding spirit that is based onChristianity. Since the school’s establishment, the educational mission and purpose
are expressed with the academy’s verse “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you
remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can donothing.” The vision of the University was formed based on this verse, valuing“connections” as its mission and purpose. The University created a medium-termplan in 2015 with “becoming a university that is chosen” as the theme, and VISION150/2035 as its long-term plan in 2017 toward the 150th anniversary of the school’sfounding. It laid out a policy aiming for stable management, and the University isundergoing initiatives toward improving education and research activities.
Concerning internal quality assurance, the Self-Study and FD Committee hascommenced a review of university-wide education activities, but the organic
relationship between this committee and various divisions has not been developed,
and concluding that functions necessary for educational management are working
properly is difficult. Further, to enable the PDCA cycle to function university-wide,
fundamental reform is necessary.
Regarding education, based on the degree award policy (diploma policy) andthe curriculum design and implementation policy (curriculum policy), curricula havebeen appropriately organized. A distinctive feature of education is the strengthening
in basic education by making certain courses in the information and career subjects
compulsory for all students of the University, such as Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University,
Bible Overview, and History and Culture of Christianity, which reflect the founding
spirit. Nevertheless, the issue of substantiating credits must be improved, such as thefact that the maximum number of credits that a student can register for is not set fortransfer students. Issues regarding recognizing and utilizing learning outcomes arealso insufficient and must be further improved.
In terms of student support, initiatives worth noting are being conducted, witha psychological counseling room available for students and cooperation acrossdivisions for thorough support of students. Students are also actively encouraged to1

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support each other in the form of peer support activities. As career support, theoriginal text is used for career education starting in the first year, providing an
opportunity for students to contemplate their future early on, which is commendable.
Meanwhile, for student enrollment in a portion of faculties, the average ratioof freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap in the last five years has beenhigh, which is a point that must be improved, and measures to ensure proper quota
management should be taken. Moving on, a structure should be set immediately sothat the Self-Study and FD Committee can function sufficiently as the organization
promoting internal quality assurance. The JUAA hopes problems are solved smoothly
throughout the University for quality enhancement of education and that uniqueinitiatives are expanded further.
Notable Strengths
Student Support
 The student psychological counseling room has a counselor to supervise while
volunteer students provide peer support activities and create a comfortableenvironment for students, and several students come to visit. With the peer
support activities, volunteer students are called upon to conduct peer support
study groups and discussion groups for students facing the same issues. Studentscan interact among themselves, including those who seek support, which proves
to be an opportunity, particularly for the growth of participating students. Faculty
member training has also been conducted for over ten years to support students
with disabilities, which largely contributed to fostering awareness within theUniversity. It is commendable that the University takes various initiatives toprovide an environment where students can feel safe from a physical and mental
well-being perspective to concentrate on their studies.
The Career Development Education Center offers systematic career education
uniformly throughout the University. The original text is used in the first year,and students are provided an opportunity to contemplate their future and their
university life leading to it. In the second and third years, students learn about
specific job categories and industries. These courses are taught by guest lecturers
invited to the University who will serve as role models for students and areadjusted each year to match changes in society and the needs of students. By
raising awareness among students from the first year, many students participate
each year in internships conducted both as part of and outside standard classes,
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Fukuoka Jo Gakuin Universityand career education combining class sessions and practical learning can becommended given the mission and purpose of the University.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes A limit on the number of credits that a student can register for is not set fortransfer students. Although guidance for taking courses is offered individually, it
does not ensure substantiation of credits. This should be improved.
In the Graduate School of Human Science, learning outcomes are measured bythesis examination, but there is no correlation identified between the thesis
examination criteria and the degree award policy. Improvements should be madeso that learning outcomes can be recognized using appropriate benchmarks.

Student Enrollment
 In the Department of Literary Arts in the Faculty of Humanities, the admission
policy does not indicate the ideal student profile, which must be improved.
Recommendation
Internal Quality Assurance The division of roles among and correlation between the Self-Study and FDCommittee, the entity promoting internal quality assurance university-wide, andthe IR Committee, an organization related to internal quality assurance
university-wide are unclear, and discrepancies exist between regulations andactual conditions. Checks and reviews on an undergraduate and graduate schoollevel and the resulting feedback, as well as formulation of a reform plan for thefollowing year, are not being provided appropriately, and concluding that thePDCA cycle is functioning appropriately is difficult. Moreover, it is unclear
which organization is responsible for the promotion of internal quality assurance
that should be deliberating improvements in the curriculum based on the resultsof checks and reviews of the undergraduate and graduate divisions. Corrections
should therefore be performed so that organizations involved in internal quality
assurance promotion overall including educational management are restructured,
relevant regulations and policies reviewed, and the PDCA cycle made to function
appropriately for university-wide, undergraduate and graduate division,
department and major, and relevant member level.
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Student Enrollment
 In the last five years, the average ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshmanenrollment cap have been high at 1.29 for the Faculty of International CareerDevelopment, 1.27 for the Department of English as a Global Language, and1.30 for the Department of International Career Development. The University
should make significant improvements in undergraduate student quotamanagement.

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