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

Kyoto Seika 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 Seika University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kyoto Seika University
Overview
Kyoto Seika University conducts educational and research activities based on its
founding spirit of “freedom and autonomy” and philosophy comprised of the“Foundational Principles of Kyoto Seika University,” “Educational Responsibility ofKyoto Seika University,” and “Management Responsibility of Kyoto SeikaUniversity.” To achieve its principles and purpose, and the objectives of its faculties
and graduate schools, the University formulated Vision 2024 Seika in 2018 with thetarget academic year of 2024, and is undertaking reforms centered on five visions,
including a “university of expression” and “liberal arts university.”
Regarding the University’s education, all faculties and graduate schools
appropriately design their curricula based on the diploma and curriculum policies.
Graduation theses and projects required of all undergraduate students are screenedby multiple faculty members using a rubric as indicated in the diploma policy. To
award degrees, the graduate schools adopt various approaches to evaluate graduation
projects objectively and fairly. For example, students are encouraged to present theirgraduation work at presentations or exhibitions as opportunities for socialengagement while their work is reviewed by multiple faculty members. Master’stheses are examined through peer reviews and public final report sessions. The
syllabuses are checked by department officials responsible for course planning, withadjustments made to ensure the educational content is appropriate for the student
learning process.
In addition, the University offers the Faculty of Manga and the Graduate
School of Manga, and has established the International Manga Research Center toconduct surveys and research on manga in Japan and abroad while collaborating withinternational projects. These efforts to enhance international networks are notable.
The Center for Africa-Asia Contemporary Culture Studies also actively promotes
research in cooperation with overseas universities. It is highly commendable that theUniversity takes advantage of its distinctive research approaches to produce positive
outcomes. Moreover, the Consortium of Universities in Kyoto, of which theUniversity is a member, offers the Kyoto Museum PBL (Project-Based Learning)
Course at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. The course is designed to foster
students’ communication skills and generate ideas through the problem-solving

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process and interactions with students from other universities. It is commendable that
the University willingly utilizes its educational resources for purposes other thanresearch. Furthermore, the University has newly built “Aichi-kan” and “Meiso-kan”
facilities to help students actively engage in creative activities, and is improving theeducational and research environment with the aim of expanding the opportunities
for students to present the outcomes of their studies.
There are several issues the University needs to address, however.
Research guidance methods and schedules as research guidance plans are notspecified for the graduate schools’ master’s and Ph.D. programs, and the student
enrollment quota has not been fulfilled in some departments. These situations should
be corrected. Moreover, with the University’s internal quality assurance regulations
and system in place, repeated revisions do not necessarily lead to the implementationof self-study, and there are no records of improvements made based on the results ofinspections and assessments led by the Self-Study Implementation Committee(hereafter, the “Implementation Committee”). It is therefore difficult to describe
university-wide teaching and learning management as functioning properly. Inaddition, there are multiple organizations responsible for internal quality assurance,
and the functions of the Self-Study Steering Committee (hereafter, the “SteeringCommittee”), Implementation Committee, Board of Executive Trustees, andTeaching and Learning Management Meeting are unclear. The University is working
to identify the problems to be addressed and undertake improvements, but thedevelopment of an effective internal quality assurance system is an urgent task. TheUniversity must organize the roles of each organization and make the university-widecommittees aware of the importance of the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle inproperly operating and implementing the system.
In the coming years, the University should swiftly address these issues toeffectively operate the internal quality assurance system, and organically incorporate
the results of student surveys, faculty development (FD) activities, the External
Evaluation Committee, and other aspects to conduct more in-depth assessments,
thereby further enhancing its ongoing distinctive initiatives.
Notable Strengths
Education and Research Environment
The Faculty of Manga and the Graduate School of Manga carry out surveys and2

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studies related to manga in Japan and abroad at the International Manga ResearchCenter, and widely disseminate the outcomes through the Kyoto International
Manga Museum while collaborating with overseas academic organizations. TheCenter for Africa-Asia Contemporary Culture Studies conducts joint research onAfrica’s manga culture with the International Manga Research Center, andpublishes the outcomes through exhibitions and other events. The center is also
actively working to expand its international networks through exchanges withoverseas universities. It is commendable that these efforts are contributing toprogressive research outcomes as the University utilizes its distinctive features
based on the strategy of “Becoming a Center to Disseminate Knowledge andExpressions Worldwide.”
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes
The graduate schools monitor and evaluate student learning outcomes based onthe screening of dissertations in the Ph.D. programs, and master’s theses andprojects in the master’s programs. However, the connections between thelearning outcomes stated in the diploma policies and the measurement methods
are unclear in the Ph.D. Program in Art, Master’s Program in Design, Master’s
Program in Manga, Ph.D. Program in Manga, and Master’s Program in
Humanities. This issue should be addressed.

Student Enrollment
In AY2022, the Department of Fine Arts, Faculty of Art, recorded a low average
ratio of 0.81 in freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap over the past
five years, and a low ratio of 0.84 in student enrollment to the student enrollment
cap. These ratios should be improved with the faculty’s student quotas
thoroughly managed.

Recommendation
Internal Quality Assurance

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The University inspects and assesses its faculties, graduate schools, and otherprograms through an internal quality assurance system led by theImplementation Committee and the Steering Committee. However, there are norecords kept on the responses based on the results, such as instructions forimprovement issued by the president and support from the Implementation
Committee. The Teaching and Learning Management Meeting and the Board of
Executive Trustees are effectively in charge of the University’s quality assurance
efforts, and the roles of the organizations involved in internal quality assurance
are not sufficiently structured, with the Board of Executive Trustees sometimes
taking on the role of the Steering Committee due to overlapping members. Thissituation indicates that the University’s internal quality assurance system isseriously flawed. The roles of each organization involved in internal quality
assurance should be laid out to ensure the system functions effectively.

Educational Program and Learning OutcomesThe research guidance methods and schedules as research guidance plans are notspecified for the Master’s Program in Art, Master’s Program in Design, Master’sProgram in Manga, and Master’s Program in Humanities. This situation should
be corrected with the items defined and clarified for students beforehand throughthe University’s publications, website, and other means.

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