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

Prefectural University of Kumamoto

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: PublicLocation: Kumamoto, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2016
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.01.2017 – March.31.2024）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Prefectural University of Kumamoto
Overview
Prefectural University of Kumamoto (hereafter, the University), whose predecessor
was Prefectural Women’s College of Kumamoto (formed in 1947), established theFaculty of Letters and the Faculty of Human Life Sciences in 1980. After creating theGraduate School of Language and Literature in 1993, the University became aco-educational university and, in 1994, established the Faculty of AdministrativeStudies and was renamed Prefectural University of Kumamoto. After a series ofreorganizations and reforms, including the formation of the Graduate School ofAdministrative Studies in 1998, the Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic Sciencesin 1999, and the Graduate School of Environmental and Symbiotic Sciences in 2003,
the University currently has three faculties and three graduate schools. The University,
whose campus is located in the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, wasincorporated as a public university in 2006. The University has engaged in educationaland research activities through its focus on regionalism and has adopted “ThinkGlobally, Act Locally” as its slogan.
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2010, the University stipulated the “Second Term of the Midterm Plan” (for2012 to 2017) in 2012. The University has held “improvements in the quality of its
education,” “promotion of characteristic research,” and “further promotion of local
contribution activities” as slogans and has reviewed its missions and introduced avariety of policies. The University also launched the Education Promotion Center in2014 to enhance common courses across the University, and has worked foruniversity-wide information collection and analysis by incorporating the Institutional
Research Office for Education into the center.
In this accreditation, JUAA has noted that the University has redesigned auniversity-wide education curriculum with the “Moyaist Nurturing System” and has
worked to foster individuals who will be instrumental in revitalizing the region. To
accomplish this, the University has integrated social contribution programs into thecurriculum and has added “local understanding and leadership” in common subjects
across the University. In addition, considering the fact that many students obtain
employment within the region, the University has directed practical support forjob-hunting by establishing the Student Adviser System, where students can consult
with peers regarding job searches.
However, the University has several issues to address. The maximum numberof credits a student is allowed to register for per year has not been set in some faculties.
Also, in the Graduate School of Administrative Studies, the coursework has not been
provided in the doctoral program. JUAA hopes that the University will work forquality assurance in education, and that the results of quality assurance will contributeto the University’s further development.
Notable Strengths
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

It is commendable that by encouraging students to learn independently throughintegration activities for the community and by working across faculties, theUniversity has created a curriculum that develops individuals who contribute to
the local community. For example, the University established “Moyaist JuniorTraining: Community” and “Moyaist Junior Training: Disaster Prevention” ascommon subjects across the University. In these subjects, first-year students learn
about problems in Kumamoto Prefecture from the viewpoints of regionalism and3

disaster prevention. The University also established “New Studies of Kumamoto”
as a selected requirement for first- to fourth-year students. In addition to thesesubjects, the University has emboldened students to solve problems incooperation with the local community through a “regional-oriented subject”(which is a specialized course in each faculty), as well as through participation inregion-oriented research. Lastly, the University has encouraged student
participation in volunteer activities and has established the “Moyaist Nurturing
System,” which produces graduation research involving local collaboration for
fourth year students.
Student Support

It is commendable that the University has established a system where third-yearstudents can obtain advice from fourth-year students regarding job-hunting
experience. The University conducts consultations on employment searches, andfourth-year students who have received employment offers are appointed asadvisers (Campus Career Angels) for third-year students. These advisers areselected indiscriminately. The University trains these advisers as consultants
through the initiative of the Career Center, and gives them opportunities to reflect
on their activities and share these reflections. The Student Adviser System, which
focuses on job-hunting support, reflects the University’s assumption that there are
significant numbers of students who intend to secure employment in Kumamoto
Prefecture.

Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and OutcomeIn the doctoral program in the Graduate School of Administrative Studies, thecurriculum does not appropriately combine research work with coursework. The
program should provide proper educational content considering the purpose of acourse-based graduate school.

In the Faculty of Administrative Studies, the Faculty of Environmental andSymbiotic Sciences, and in the fourth year of the Faculty of Letters, the maximum
number of credits students are allowed to register for per year has not been set.
This should be improved considering the purpose of a credit system.

Area of Serious Concern
Faculty and Faculty Organization
The Department of Human Habitat, Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic
Science must hire an additional full-time faculty member, and an additional
professor to satisfy the Standards for Establishment of Universities.