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

Kobe Shoin Women's University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Hyogo, Japan

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

Kobe Shoin Women’s University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kobe Shoin Women’s University
Overview
Kobe Shoin Women’s University sets forth the educational principle of “OpenYourself, Open Your Future,” and defines its purpose as “providing students with ahigh level of education to fully develop character based on Anglican tradition,
nurturing students to be physically and mentally healthy members of society, andresearching and teaching specialized arts and sciences in depth as an academic
research university.” To achieve this purpose, the University formulated the Mediumterm Vision for the 130th Anniversary of the Foundation of Shoin Joshi Gakuin forthe period through AY2022, and established the five educational policies of “startingby accepting and trusting others,” “building a foundation for continued growth,”“developing the ability to open up the future independently,” “learning and growing
together,” and “contributing to society with compassion.”
Regarding internal quality assurance, the University has formulated theUniversity-wide Policy and Procedures for Internal Quality Assurance andestablished an internal quality assurance system with the Academic and Student
Affairs Committee as a promotion organization. However, the Academic
Management Meeting inspects and assesses the appropriateness of the diploma,curriculum, and admissions policies (hereafter, the “three policies”) as well as
reviews the curriculum design. This situation indicates that the coordination and rolesof the committee and the meeting are unclear in operating the internal quality
assurance system. Moreover, the University’s annual self-study confirms theachievement of goals based on the medium-term plan and summarizes them in anactivity report, but self-study is conducted primarily to manage the progress of theannual plan, and is inadequate for systematically inspecting and assessing theappropriateness of educational and research activities. These issues should beaddressed by establishing a mechanism for effective self-study of the University’sactivities, and clarifying the coordination and roles of the meeting bodies involved ininternal quality assurance to improve the system.
As for the University’s education, the curricula are designed based on thediploma and curriculum policies established by each faculty and department and theUniversity as a whole, and the connection between each subject and the diploma
policy is clarified through curriculum maps and course charts. In addition, the1

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curricula are designed in a systematic and sequential way by adopting course
numbering systems and making the mechanism known to students through course
guides and the University website. Active learning is also encouraged with subject
lessons describing its elements in syllabuses. The Academic Affairs Committee
inspects and assesses each subject based on grade distributions, numbers of registeredstudents, and other factors, and encourages faculty members to undertake
improvements, while ensuring students take courses and subjects that include those
designed for acquiring qualifications within the maximum number of registeredcredits allowed in a year.
To improve the teaching quality of the faculty, the University presents theOutstanding Teaching Award by class size on the basis of class evaluation surveys
carried out for all subjects and supervisors’ self-study based on the survey results.
The Innovative Teaching Award has also been created to recognize the efforts topromote educational innovation using information and communications technology(ICT), active learning, and other means, with awardees’ distinguished approaches
shared in faculty development (FD) sessions attended by almost all faculty members.
This distinctive initiative is expected to enhance teaching for students’ self-directed
learning. Moreover, the Meeting to Hear the Educational Improvement Committee
Members’ Opinions on Lessons is held with its members selected from students ineach department, and the University’s improvement measures in response to theiropinions are publicized on campus.
The University strives to assure the quality of its education and otheractivities, but there are issues that need to be addressed. First, as mentioned earlier,the University should improve the internal quality assurance system and themechanism for appropriately inspecting and assessing its activities, and review thecommittees with many overlapping members from the perspective of ensuring
objectivity. Next, to monitor student learning outcomes, the University hasestablished an assessment policy to visualize the quality of its education, withassessment tests conducted by private companies, information internally sharedthrough briefing sessions, rubric evaluations introduced in some subjects, and student
feedback surveys carried out at the time of graduation. However, the connection
between the diploma and assessment policies is unclear, and the connection of theabove-mentioned approaches to the learning outcomes stated in the diploma policy
is vague as well. This situation should be addressed, as these activities are unlikely
to help visualize the quality of the University’s education. Moreover, to manage
student quotas the University has launched various projects under the president’s2

Kobe Shoin Women’s Universityleadership. The Faculty of Letters reduced its freshman enrollment quotas whenreorganized in AY2017, and has since shown improvement. However, quota
fulfillment remains insufficient in the Department of Food Science and Human
Nutrition, Faculty of Human Sciences, and the Master’s Course of the Graduate
School of Letters. This issue should be addressed.
In the years ahead, the University is expected to progress further byexamining the appropriateness of its current internal quality assurance system as wellas enhancing its distinctive initiatives and inherited culture.
Notable Strengths
Faculty and Faculty Organization
The University presents the Outstanding Teaching Award by class size on thebasis of class evaluation surveys carried out for all subjects and supervisors’ selfstudy based on the survey results. The University has also created the Innovative
Teaching Award to recognize the efforts to promote educational innovation
using ICT, active learning, and other means, with awardees’ distinguishedapproaches shared in FD sessions attended by almost all faculty members. It iscommendable that this initiative is expected to enhance teaching for students’
self-directed learning.

Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee, positioned as a body promotinginternal quality assurance, reviews the reports of the Self-Evaluation Steering
Committee and issues instructions for improvement to each department.
However, the Academic Management Meeting inspects and assesses theappropriateness of the three policies and reviews the curriculum design. Thissituation indicates that the coordination and roles of the committee and themeeting are unclear in operating the internal quality assurance system. Moreover,
the University’s annual self-study confirms the achievement of its medium-term
and annual plans based on the medium-term plan, but self-study is conductedprimarily to manage the progress of the annual plan, and is inadequate for3

Kobe Shoin Women’s University

assessing the appropriateness of the University’s educational and research
activities. These issues should be addressed by establishing a mechanism forappropriately inspecting and assessing the University’s activities, and reviewingthe coordination and roles of the meeting bodies involved in internal quality
assurance to ensure the development of a more systematic internal quality
assurance system.
Educational Program and Learning OutcomesAn assessment policy has been established to visualize the quality of theUniversity’s education, and student learning outcomes are monitored in line withthe policy. However, the connection between the diploma and assessment
policies is unclear, and the connection of the monitoring activities to the learning
outcomes stated in the diploma policy is vague. These issues should be addressedby both faculties and graduate schools.

Student Enrollment
The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Faculty of HumanSciences, has a low ratio of 0.88 in student enrollment to the student enrollment
cap. This ratio should be improved with the faculty’s student quotas thoroughlymanaged.

The Master’s Course of the Graduate School of Letters has a low ratio of 0.45 instudent enrollment to the student enrollment cap. This ratio should be improved
with the graduate school’s student quotas thoroughly managed.

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