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

Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Osaka, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2022
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2030）

Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences
Overview
Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, founded on the spirit of “cultivatingmind, virtue, and body through ceaseless effort in order to serve society,” defines its
mission as “To educate and encourage students to devote themselves to peace and thehappiness of human society by striving both to acquire profound and extensive
knowledge and develop physical strength.” Based on its founding spirit and mission,
the University sets forth its purpose as “teaching and conducting research on
scientific theories and technologies related to physical education, sports and school
education, cultivating practical and creative individuals with rich knowledge andbroad views, and contributing to the improvement of Japanese people’s health, sports
culture, and school education.” To pursue its mission and purpose, the University has
developed the Midterm Goal and Plan for Osaka University for Health and Sport
Sciences and the Osaka University for Health and Sport Sciences Vision for 2031 as
its long-term plan. It can be said that the University is committed to improving its
educational and research activities.
With respect to the internal quality assurance policy, the University
developed the Basic Policy on Internal Quality Assurance in AY2021. In accordancewith this policy, a system was put in place to promote internal quality assurance, withthe president assuming overall responsibility for internal quality assurance and theInternal Quality Assurance Promotion Committee, a university-wide organization,
responsible for promoting internal quality assurance, linked to the departments,sections, and other committees. In this system, the individual departments andsections are expected to use the Improvement Planning Sheet to make improvements
as instructed by the committee. However, the University has conducted a universitywide self-study only once in AY2018 after the last certified evaluation andaccreditation in AY2015, and the University as a whole has not undertaken any
improvements based on the self-study results. For these reasons, it cannot be said that
the University’s internal quality assurance system is functioning effectively and thus
improvements are required.
Regarding education, all of the University’s undergraduate schools andgraduate school design their own curricula appropriately based on the diploma andcurriculum policies. The University seeks to enhance its learning support mechanism

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Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

for students who miss classes due to extracurricular and other activities. As adistinctive feature, the University has advanced efforts to encourage more active
student learning by introducing academic guidance and teaching assistant (TA)systems to create an appropriate learning environment. Although the learning
outcomes stipulated in the diploma policy are measured by the undergraduate schools
and graduate school through the DP Achievement Survey, it is desirable that thelearning outcomes be measured by several other methods described in the assessment
plan.
One notable effort is setting up the Strength & Conditioning Room andAthletic Training Room in the Sports Science Center, along with the Sports
Counseling Room in the Student Counseling Room, as facilities to enhance itssupport for students aspiring to become athletes. It is also highly commendable thatas part of its social cooperation and contribution activities, the University operates
the Good Coach Training Seminar, a project to dispatch students training to becoaches to high school athletic clubs.
In addition to the internal quality assurance issues described above, theschool corporation that established and manages the University has long sufferedfinancial difficulties at its affiliated school. The University itself faces no financial
challenges, but the school corporation should review the situation and implement thenecessary measures to establish a stable financial base.
Going forward, JUAA expects the University to promote internal quality
assurance by supporting the new internal quality assurance system and organically
applying the results of the university-wide self-study, and the checks and reviews of
the undergraduate schools, graduate school, and committees, to undertake
improvements and enhancements. It is also expected that the University will examine
whether the improved internal quality assurance system is functioning effectively tofurther enhance the mechanism that promotes a number of activities based on thefounding spirit.
Notable Strengths
Student Support


The University has set up the necessary facilities in the Sports Science Center toprovide multifaceted guidance and advice for students to improve their athleticabilities by aligning the five fields of athletic training, strength and conditioning,2

Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

psychology, nutrition, and measurement evaluation. It also established the Sports
Counseling Room and the Student Counseling Room to provide careful support
for maintaining students’ mental health while improving their athletic abilities.
This support is provided through the student support policy, and it iscommendable that these efforts are functioning effectively and contributing to
the development of students aspiring to become athletes.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
To support the coaching of athletic club activities of secondary schools inOsaka Prefecture, the University holds the Good Coach Training Seminar,
dispatching students as club instructors and external coaches who receive
comprehensive training on the basics of coaching, sport ethics, and how to
respond to accidents in a uniquely developed education program. It iscommendable that this effort is leading to students’ practical learning as they
study to become sport instructors as well as contributes to reducing the burden
on secondary school teachers and to establishing a sustainable operating
structure for club activities in the local school education system.

Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance

The University conducted self-study only once in AY2018 after the last certified
evaluation and accreditation in AY2015, and has failed to conduct activities for
improvements and enhancements based on the results of the regular self-study
initiatives made by individual sections. Accordingly, it cannot be said that theUniversity’s internal quality assurance system is functioning effectively. Goingforward, the University should undertake improvements for the new internal
quality assurance system established in AY2021 to work more effectively byconducting internal quality assurance self-studies on a regular basis andimplementing improvement and enhancement measures based on the self-study
results.

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Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

University Management and FinanceIn addition to the continued financial imbalance of its affiliated school, the ratioof financial assets to the required reserve fund is low due to the relocation of theaffiliated school, although the University has maintained the favorable positionin the balance sheet for its operating activities. The University is required to set
specific numerical targets and measures to establish and maintain a strong
financial base for the entire school corporation.

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