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

Konan University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Hyogo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2020
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2021 – March.31.2028）

Konan University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Konan University
Overview
Konan University was founded under the missions of “valuing individual growth andimproved health, nurturing students’ innate talents by respecting their individuality, andspearheading human-centric education that develops individuals capable of making
important decisions” and creating “world-class men and women”. In 2016, the University
created KONAN-U. Vision 2020 to describe the University’s goals for 2020 andestablished the Konan Premier Project, which contains action plans for achieving thisvision alongside 9 projects and 68 sub-projects geared toward fulfilling educational andresearch activities.
For internal quality assurance, based on the university-wide policy of the “Konan
University Internal Quality Assurance Regulations,” the “Konan University Internal
Quality Assurance Committee” chaired by the President (hereinafter referred to as the“University Internal Quality Assurance Committee”) shall play a central role ineffectively managing the PDCA cycle during terms and by academic year through the“Activity Objectives and Policies (PDCA Cycle Sheet)” in cooperation with the“Individual Internal Quality Assurance Committee” of each department. However, whenviewed in relation to the KONAN-U. Vision 2025 currently being developed, processes,etc. have not been established that reflect assessments of the current mid-term plan andtheir results in the next term. Improvements must be made to inadequate structures, etc.
that connect the Internal Quality Assurance PDCA cycle to the University’s mid-term
plan.
Educational activities are based on the degree award policy created in each unit
(diploma policy) and curriculum design and implementation policy (curriculum policy).
Notably, the Learning Assistant System, where students inside the program provide
tutoring and answer questions under the guidance of either the course’s teacher or theorganization offering said course in order to support learning in the introductory courses
offered by the University and each division, is extremely valuable as it not only improves
the educational effects for both tutor and student, but also entails mechanisms that assess
and identify the tutor’s work. The system within undergraduate programs that integrates
the student affairs system and learning portfolios so that information is managed centrally
on the curriculum map and in the syllabus as well as the “Degree of Learning” that shows
the understanding of learning outcomes is valuable and highly efficient systems capable
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Konan Universityof processing all necessary data in one location because students can check their learning
outcomes to date on their own and use that information to select courses. Some graduate
schools also employ rubrics and work to multilaterally ascertain learning outcomes andincrease educational effects.
The KONAN Certificate System series with its “KONAN Learning Support
Certificate,” “KONAN Library Certificate,” etc. conducted as one part of the student
support network to assess capabilities that cannot be gauged by academic achievement
and the “Kakogawa Knowledge Connection Project” and the “Kansai Bay Area SDGs
Challenge Project” for social cooperation and community service where students learn toaddress issues facing local businesses and governments are all achieving some degree ofresults and those systems are regarded as superb mechanisms offered by the University
toward the development of human resources.
On the other hand, additional improvements are required for the previously
mentioned inadequate internal quality assurance mechanisms that connect the internalquality assurance PDCA cycle with the University's mid-term plan and the relatively low
ratio of student enrollment to admission capacity since multiple undergraduate andgraduate divisions have not admitted enough students.
Going forward, we hope the University will address the above issues by creating
a functioning internal quality assurance system and further accelerating numerous
distinctive initiatives.
Notable Strengths
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes
The University has introduced a Learning Assistant System to create active learning
style classes and is proactively maintaining its support system to improve educational
effects for tutors and increase understanding and motivation in students using thesystem. In 2019, the University also added a Learning Support Certificate field to theKONAN Certificate System to assess and certify student activities and works to both
improve quality and increase motivation for students working as Learning Assistants.
These actions are valued for not only increasing educational effects through theLearning Assistant System, but also for recognizing the actions of Learning
Assistants as a University and establishing mechanisms to enhance student quality.

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By integrating the student affairs system and learning portfolios, educational results
and the achievement of “Goals” of each course corresponding with the “Graduation
Certification and Laureation Policies” are displayed in radar charts as “Degree ofLearning” so that learning outcomes can be verified by students themselves andcurriculum maps, syllabus, and information on each student’s results can be centrally
managed. The system is effective for students to improve their learning outcomes
because when students select the learning outcomes (Goals) they want to achievefrom their learning portfolio, they are shown available courses that correspond with
their learning outcomes and can do everything up to course registration all in one
place.

Student Support
 Introduced in 2015 and based on the founding mission of “spearheading humancentric education,” the KONAN Certificate System assess and verifies grades
according to the results of activities in five fields: the “KONAN Library Certificate(an assessment of skills acquired through a wide range of publication-relatedactivities),” the “KONAN Global Certificate (an assessment of global humanresources skills developed through international exchange),” the “KONAN
Volunteer Certificate (an assessment of self-motivated skills related to volunteeringand activities in the local area),” the “KONAN Sports Certificate (an assessment ofskills acquired through sports activities),” and the “KONAN Learning Support
Certificate (an assessment of skills cultivated through leadership attitudes towardsupporting learning in other students and other support activities).” This system isvalued as numerous students engage in activities for the purpose of certification andthey function as initiatives that stimulate students to expand on the skills they possess.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
The “Kakogawa Knowledge Connection Project,” a cooperative project between
Kakogawa City and news outlets, enables students to acquire debate skills andbroaden their worldview by having them present research aimed at solving local
issues. The “Kansai Bay Area SDGs Challenge Project,” another cooperative projectwith news outlets, helps students acquire the skills to uncover issues, conduct
research, manage teams, and more by having them present research that addresses
local concerns. These programs are valued for the way they link regional cooperation
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with University education and research activities, prepare educational environments
for students to study in the region, and promote local cooperation and volunteer
education aimed at cultivating citizens that contribute to the local area.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance
 Due to inadequacies in the checks and reviews for policies, strategies, etc. based on
the vision and the cycle flow that connects the internal quality assurance PDCA cycle
to the University’s mid-term plan, improvements must be made for reforms based on
the mid-term plan that will function as internal quality assurance.
Student Enrollment
 The ratio of student enrollment in the admission capacity is low at 0.40 in theMaster’s Program in the Graduate School of Humanities and 0.28 in the Master’s
Program in the Graduate School of Social Science. Therefore, the University should
significantly improve graduate school quota management.

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