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

Kobe Kaisei College

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Hyogo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2014
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April.01.2015 – March.31.2022）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kobe Kaisei CollegeOverview
Kobe Kaisei College (the College, hereafter) is rooted in the spirit of the nuns of Japan’s“Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Japan,” who were active in the Meiji period. In 1951,
Kaisei Women’s School was legally authorized by the Japanese government and wasfollowed by the establishment of a junior college. In 1965, the College was established
as a university with a single department, the Department of Humanities. Since then, thedepartment and its specializations have been renamed and reorganized, and today it is
known as the Faculty of Contemporary Humanities. The campus is located in Kobe City,
Hyogo Prefecture, and the College engages in education and research based on its
founding spirit of “cultivating women who serve society and support the humanities,
following the Christian value of living with truth and love.”
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2009, the College has continued to develop its unique character. In particular,
the College has educated students with very specific instructions to respect each andevery student’s individuality, clarified the idea of “KAISEI Personality” to define theexpected character and knowledge traits, and allowed the idea to be reflected throughthe education and social contributions. However, there has been a shortage of student
enrollment, which has been the serious concern since the previous accreditation review.
In addition, there is a concern with the College’s financial situation. JUAA hopes that
the College will make further improvements to address these issues, assuring the qualityof its education.
Notable Strengths
Mission and Purpose
It is commendable that the College has instituted the idea of “KAISEI Personality”
to clarify the character and knowledge traits it expects students to attain by theirgraduation. It is also noteworthy that the College has provided opportunities forstudents to reflect on the idea from different perspectives, and that it has undertaken
various initiatives to spread the idea among students. Such initiatives have helped
students consider their own personal growth as they become conscious of their own
abilities. For example, the College has implemented an instructional approachcalled “Person-to-Person Instruction Record,” through which students set specificgoals for themselves based on the idea of developing KAISEI Personality. TheCollege also offers subjects such as “KAISEI Learning I & II” to help students
deepen their understanding of the idea of KAISEI Personality. It also offers asubject “Humanity 2,” in which students develop and utilize the knowledge theyacquire and in which teachers examine and conduct analysis on shifts of students’
self-evaluations from the beginning to the end of the class. Moreover, the syllabi
clarify the relations among all of these subjects.

Social Cooperation and Contribution
It is commendable that the College and the Faculty of Contemporary Humanities,
along with its departments and their distinctive features, have taken initiatives toallow students to acquire direct experience through social cooperation andcontribution. For example, the College runs a yearly program called “Kids’ English”
to offer English language classes to elementary school students at public halls andelementary schools. Since English became a required subject for elementary school

3students, this program has also become a clinical site for the “Kaisei Kids English
Program,” a program to educate specialists who can play active parts inkindergarten, elementary schools, and English conversation classes for children.
Moreover, the Department of Psychology and Child Studies runs a program called“Communication Space for Mothers and Children.” Under faculty supervision, theprogram has students propose, prepare, and hold various events such as physicalactivities, plays, craft-making, and book readings, which have become a part ofeducation for students through child-rearing support at the level of the localcommunity.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and OutcomeWhile the College defines the standards of credit calculation in the school
regulations, it does not state that one credit requires forty-five hours of study. Thisshould be improved.

Education and Research Environment
The library does not have any certified librarian or any other staff with professional
knowledge on its staff. This should be improved.

Administration and FinanceIn the “Management Improvement Plan,” the College does not plan to balance theimputed income with expenditures. It is urgent that the College formulates specificpolicies that aim to balance the income and expenditures as soon as possible, tospecify an agreement for the entire institution, and to make sure that the policies areimplemented.

Area of Serious Concern
Enrollment
In the last five years, the average of the ratios of enrolled freshmen to the freshmen
admission cap is low at 0.60 at the College as a whole, at 0.45 in the Department ofEnglish and Tourism, and at 0.70 in the Department of Psychology and ChildStudies. In addition, the ratio of enrolled students to the student enrollment cap islow at 0.56 in the College as a whole, at 0.42 in the Department of English andTourism, and at 0.71 in the Department of Psychology and Child Studies. The
College must correct this situation.