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

Kyoto Koka Women's University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Kyoto, Japan

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

Kyoto Koka Women's University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kyoto Koka Women’s University
Overview
Kyoto Koka Women’s University was founded on the spirit of women's education
based on the Buddhist spirit. As a university stipulated in the School Education Law,its purpose is to research and teach academics, to contribute to the advancement ofculture, and to cultivate a full character in the Buddhist spirit, thereby fostering thedevelopment of capable women. To achieve its founding spirit and purpose, theUniversity has strived to enhance its educational and research activities, developing“Koka Vision 2030” as a medium- to long-term plan based on the management goalof nurturing“Koka Glocal (both global and local) Persons” with compassionate anddistinctive characters.
With respect to internal quality assurance, the University has established asystem where the Self-Evaluation Committee as a university-wide internal quality
assurance promotion body reviews the self-study results of the individual sections,and the University Administrative Council responsible for the University’s
administrative policy deliberates and evaluates the results of the Self-Evaluation
Committee’s review. In reality, however, it is the University Administrative Council
that reviews the self-study results, and the division of responsibilities in internal
quality assurance is unclear between the two organizations. With the University
making improvement and enhancement efforts by compiling the self-study
assessment results into data for effective use, the University should review and revise
the internal quality assurance system and adopt improvements for more effective
operation.
As to the University’s education, all faculties and graduate schools haveorganized their curricula properly in accordance with the diploma and curriculum
policies. All faculties use curriculum maps and class numbering for students to takecourses systematically and sequentially. In terms of class formats, the University has
introduced active learning with small-group instruction and question-driven lessons
based on the “Koka Method” to foster deeper independent learning. Furthermore, theUniversity seeks to appropriately assesses student learning outcomes using suchmethods as the DP Rubric, to measure learning outcomes, and compiles theassessment results in the EM and IR Section directly under the president.
The University’s notable efforts include the “Learning Station that1

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supports students’ independent learning. In the Learning Station, students as peer
supporters help other students with faculty and administrative staff who share student
information through the information exchange “Kizuna Network,” and provide
prompt and detailed assistance to students in collaboration with the Learning Station.
These efforts are connected to Enrollment Management (hereafter, “EM”) includedin the student support policy, and are considered meaningful because they effectively
prevent dropouts by providing the necessary student support at an early stage.
There are several issues the University needs to address, however.
Insufficient student enrollment pointed out in the previous certified evaluation andaccreditation results continues to be a pressing issue in some departments. The
University has worked to strengthen its recruitment and public relations activities,
with the Department of Career Development creating the Action Plan to Attract
Students and revising its curriculum; the Department of Psychology reducing its
freshman enrollment cap; and the Department of Nursing increasing its cap to better
manage its student quota. But these efforts have not necessarily led to improvements
and further actions are required, and the internal quality assurance system should bereviewed to deal with the issues described above. With respect to the school
corporation’s overall finances, the financial foundation is not sufficiently sound tocarry out the University’s educational and research activities in a stable manner. Theschool corporation should steadily implement measures to achieve its goals andstrengthen its financial base.
Going forward, JUAA expects the University to enhance its education andprogress further by upgrading and ensuring more effective functioning of its internal
quality assurance system.
Notable Strengths
Student Support


The Learning Station uses peer supporters to provide out-of-class support
coupled with certain compulsory subjects. Support activities organized bystudents help the students both providing and receiving support to grow. In recentyears, the University has initiated collaborative activities between the Learning
Station and other organizations, such as the Women's Career Development
Research Center as well as the established “Manabooo” for students to cometogether across faculties, departments, and grade levels to independently study

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themes of mutual interest in small groups, and created the Kizuna Network foracademic and administrative staff to share the progress of student learning. It iscommendable that the University has developed these activities in accordancewith the EM policy to reduce the dropout rate by offering the necessary student
support at an early stage.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance
The University has put in place the Self-Evaluation Committee as anorganization responsible for promoting internal quality assurance. In reality,
however, it is the University Administrative Council, which deliberates andexecutes basic administrative affairs, reviews the results of the self-studies
conducted by the individual departments and sections, and issues instructions onimprovements. Although the Self-Evaluation Committee may occasionally give
instructions for improvement in certain areas, the responsibilities of the twoorganizations are unclear. The University should improve its internal quality
assurance system by reviewing and clarifying the responsibilities of theseorganizations.

University Management and Finance
The balance of business activity income and expenditures of the school
corporation has been negative since AY2020. The ratio of financial assets to therequired reserve fund is also low and trending downward. With the rate of carriedover expenditures to income for the next year increasing, it cannot be said thatthe sound financial base necessary for conducting stable academic and research
activities has been secured. The school corporation should steadily implement
measures to achieve its goals with efforts made to build a stronger financial
foundation.

Recommendation
Student Enrollment

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The average ratio of enrolled freshmen to the freshman enrollment cap over thepast five years is low at 0.71 in the Department of Medical and Social, Facultyof Health Science. The ratios of enrolled students to the student enrollment cap
are low at 0.69 in the Department of Medical and Social, Faculty of Health
Science, and at 0.84 in the Department of Child Education, Faculty of Child
Education. These numbers should be improved with the faculties’ student quotas
thoroughly managed.

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