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

Osaka Dental University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Osaka, 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 Osaka Dental University
Overview
Osaka Dental University (hereafter, the University) was founded as Osaka Dental
School in 1911, became Osaka Dental College in 1917, Osaka Dental University under
the prewar educational system, and finally became Osaka Dental University under thecurrent education system in 1952. In 1961, it added a doctoral program in the Graduate
School of Dentistry, and currently it includes the Faculty of Dentistry (six-yearprogram) and a doctoral program in the Graduate School of Dentistry. The University
engages in education and research activities and has in three campuses. In addition tothe Kuzuha campus, located in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture and the Makino campus(which offers athletic facilities), also located in Hirakata city, the Temmabashi campus,
located in Chuo Ward, Osaka City has an affiliate hospital.
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(hereafter, JUAA) in 2007, the University has focused its efforts around the Objectivesof Five Abilities and the Three Additional Abilities as basic policies for reform. In thesecond accreditation, it is commendable that activities such as the long-running open
lecture series, cooperation with other universities and the local community, and active
educational exchanges with universities overseas have produced measurable results.
The Objectives of Five Abilities emphasize educational activities, and theUniversity has established the Department of Innovation in Dental Education to achieve
the objectives and appointed an affiliated faculty member as an educational adviser.
Each class is assigned a special adviser and advisory faculty, who actively work withstudents to understand where they stand academically and to offer guidance to motivate
their learning. However, the cooperation of the educational organization andadministrative organization is not sufficient. In order to further promote educational
development, a system committed to this objective needs be established.
In addition, after introducing a new curriculum to the Faculty of Dentistry,
serious flaws have been found in the school regulations, which form the basis ofeducation and research activities. The regulations should be improved immediately. Inaddition, although the Three Additional Abilities are listed as the promotion ofinternational exchange, improvement of graduate-school specific competencies, andimprovement of research skills, the curriculum, educational contents, and methods thatenable the development of these abilities are not sufficiently or systematicallydeveloped. These should be improved for the future. In order to respond to these issues,
it is expected that the University will make the system of regular and continuous selfstudy clear, and work toward improvement and reform.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
The open lecture series which rooted in the local community have produced fruitfulresults . Among them, it is commendable that in the open lecture series,
improvements are made from the standpoint of the citizens who participate in thelectures by reflecting on their suggestions. For example, the Glossary of Dental
Terms for the Patient is edited and distributed to participants. It is alsocommendable that the University has engaged in various activities in cooperation
with the other universities. In particular, by signing academic exchange agreementswith 14 universities overseas, the University continuously carries out mutual
exchanges of students, academic research exchanges of the faculty, and joint
research efforts. The results of these initiatives have been reflected in the medical

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Suggestions for Improvement
Mission and Purpose
The purpose of the University, as written in the University Regulations, differs incontent from the Education Policy of the Faculty of Dentistry, which is widelypublicized to the general public including the faculty and staff, students, andapplicants to the University. These should be consistent.

Educational Content, Methods, and OutcomeIn regards to the curriculum design policies in the Faculty of Dentistry and theGraduate School of Dentistry, the basic principles of the curriculum andeducational methods have not been clarified. This should be improved.

In the Graduate School of Dentistry, the content of the curriculum is mostly
research-based, and does not consist of appropriate coursework. Considering thepurpose of the credit-based degree granting system, the doctoral program shouldoffer appropriate coursework.

In regards to the syllabus of the Faculty of Dentistry, the contents vary and it is notclear who is responsible for ensuring its clarity and consistency. It is expected that asystem to check the syllabus methodically should be developed.

In regards to research guidance in the Graduate School of Dentistry, individual
guidance by the research supervisor plays a dominant role. Records concerning
research guidance should be kept, and a systematic effort to develop a researchguidance system with multiple faculty members should be made. Also, the numberof required credits should be assigned for each year in the regulations, andsystematic education should be carried out by creating an integrated syllabus andtimetable for major subjects.

In the Graduate School of Dentistry, the research supervisor of the degree candidate
serves as the main examiner of the dissertation. From the perspective of objectivity
and fairness, this should be improved.

In the Graduate School of Dentistry, criteria for examining degree-seeking
dissertations have not been clearly stated for the students. This should be improvedby clearly stating them in the Graduate School of Dentistry Handbook.

Enrollment
In the Faculty of Dentistry, based on the recruitment quota, the ratio of enrolled
students to the student enrollment cap is high at 1.07. This number should beimproved.

Administration and FinanceWhile the student support system offered by the Dentistry Education Development
Division has made some active efforts, it is unclear what the relationship is between
the educational organizations and the supporting administrative organization.
Furthermore, it is also unclear who is responsible for various programs. More4

cooperative relations should be established among educational organizations andbetween the educational organizations and administrative organization.
Area of Serious Concern
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

Since the introduction of new curriculum, the school regulations have not beenchanged, and new courses of study and the number of required credits for degreecompletion have not been stipulated. Also, the methods by which credits arecalculated have not been defined in the regulations of the Faculty of Dentistry andthe Graduate School of Dentistry. The school regulations are the basis of education
and research activities, and the flaws in them must be improved immediately.