Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results forProfessional Graduate Business School

Management of Technology Program,
Graduate School of Management of Technology,
Nippon Institute of Technology

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Saitama, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2019
Accreditation Status: Accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1.2020 – March 31.2025）

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results
for the Management of Technology Program,
Graduate School of Management of Technology,
Nippon Institute of Technology

Based on the idea that the “fostering and active participation of managers, successors,and leading employees of midsize and small-to-medium-sized businesses as technology
management human resources is essential for enhancing the vitality of not only midsize
and small-to-medium-sized businesses themselves but also that of Japan and regional
economies,” the Management of Technology Program, Graduate School of Managementof Technology, Nippon Institute of Technology (hereinafter referred to as the“Program”), fosters technology management human resources with a focus on
small-to-medium-sized businesses. Incorporating this idea into its unique purpose, theProgram aims to develop “advanced professionals capable of identifying and solvingproblems in technology-related midsize and small-to-medium-sized businesses” andclearly presents the scope of the individuals it intends to develop.
In order to satisfy the needs of working students, the Program’s curriculum isstructured in way that enables completion in one year. It is highly commendable that theProgram has designed a systematic and elaborate curriculum with four courses, namely
the existing courses of Technology Management for Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises, Business Startup & Evolution, and Project Management, as well as theSmall and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant Course established in AY2018.
Another notable feature is the ties between graduates and the Program as well
as between graduates themselves. The graduate-run NIT MOT Club holds seminars,factory visits, lectures on the management of technology given by instructors from otheruniversities, and other events. The Program supports the club’s activities, thereby
offering graduates with more opportunities for self-improvement. The Program hasestablished the NIT MOT Grand Prize, which is awarded to graduates who have applied
the results of their study in the Program to actual practice, after screening andevaluation. The Program invites graduates as guest speakers and offers practical classes.
Through such opportunities for exchange, the Program studies and keeps track ofgraduate trends and uses the information and opinions it obtains for assessing
educational effects and improving educational activities. Such endeavors should serve
as a model for other professional graduate business schools.
However, there are some issues that should be addressed. First to be pointed2

out is the problem concerning examination of the eligibility of non-graduates ofuniversities. This problem was raised in the previous certified evaluation andaccreditation, but there still remains room for improvement. In view of the fact that 40
percent of the Program’s students are non-graduates of universities, the Program must
maintain accountability externally. To this end, the Program should heighten theobjectivity of the eligibility of relevant persons, further clarify how the documentationnecessary for preliminary examination of eligibility is handled, and ensure transparency
through further enhancing the objectivity and rationality of actual evaluation methods
and disclosing such methods as much as possible.
With regard to the enrollment period, every year there are a few students who
have to repeat a year. Therefore, the Program should consider adopting a long-term
completion system so that such students can plan for completion over a period
exceeding one year. As regards faculty composition, the age distribution of full-time
faculty members is uneven, and there are no female faculty members. The Program
should improve its faculty composition with consideration given to age and gender
distribution. As for administrative structure, the Program should train full-time office
staff with expertise in academic affairs in order to handle the increase in administrative
tasks due to the establishment of the Small and Medium Enterprise Management
Consultant Course.
The Program has made active efforts toward improvement that reflect theresults of the previous certified evaluation and accreditation. We strongly hope that theProgram, based on the results of the present certified evaluation and accreditation, keeps
on developing as a professional graduate school for fostering “advanced professionals intechnology-related midsize and small-to-medium-sized businesses” by continuing
conducting self-check and self-assessment, and working on reform and improvement.

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