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

Surugadai University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Saitama, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2021
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2022 – March 31, 2029）

Surugadai University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Surugadai UniversityOverview
Surugadai University upholds “caring education” as its founding spirit, and theUniversity’s purpose is defined in the Surugadai University Regulations (hereinafterthe “University Regulations” as “to cultivate talented individuals with a richintellectual culture and international outlook thorough character education, and tocontribute to the advancement of humanity and society through the improvement anddiffusion of academics and culture.” Meanwhile, the purpose of the graduate school
is defined in the Surugadai University Graduate School Regulations (hereinafter the“Graduate School Regulations” as “to teach and research academic theories andapplications, to study them in depth, to cultivate advanced academic knowledge andoutstanding abilities for occupations that require high levels of expertise, and tocontribute to the advancement of culture.” In order to achieve the founding spirit andeach objective, the “Surugadai University Grand Design 2021” (hereinafter “GrandDesign 2021”) was drawn up as a medium-term plan. As such, the University may
be acknowledged as working to enhance its educational and research activities.
In terms of internal quality assurance, the “Surugadai University Internal
Quality Assurance Promotion Committee” (hereinafter the “Internal Quality
Assurance Promotion Committee”) has been established as an oversight body with
university-wide responsibility to promote internal quality assurance, and to promoteinitiatives regarding self-study and accreditation evaluation. However, the Internal
Quality Assurance Promotion Committee was just established in AY2020, and atpresent its achievements are insufficient, so the JUAA hopes that further efforts will
be made.
Regarding education, all faculties and graduate schools have organized theircurricula appropriately in accordance with their degree award policies (diplomapolicies) and curriculum design and implementation policies (curriculum policies).
The undergraduate school aims for students to acquire the “Surugadai Competencies
for Working Persons” (consisting of five abilities (basic skills, ability to think, ability
to take action, ability to collaborate, and comprehensive ability)) and 16 skillelements) as stated in the university-wide degree award policy, as well as the ability
to apply specialized knowledge and skills specific to each faculty. In addition tocreating curriculum maps, numbering of courses is also implemented to show these1

Surugadai University

skills to students. Although each faculty and graduate school conducts evaluations
from various perspectives on the status of students’ attainment of the goals stated intheir respective degree award policies, they have yet to apply the results of theirmonitoring and evaluation of learning outcomes to improve educational content andmethods, so it is hoped that university-wide efforts to this end will be stepped up.
In order to further the “cooperation with the local community” stipulated in theSurugadai University Charter, the University exchanges one member of personnel
with each of its local municipalities every year. Although this represents a significant
burden for a private university, it is a policy that can form seeds of regional
cooperation looking 10 or 20 years into the future, and is expected to bring aboutsignificant benefits for the local community going forward.
However, at the graduate school level, there are issues such as the lack of an
appropriately developed curriculum design and implementation policy and the low
ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap, both of which requireimprovement.
Going forward, the JUAA would like to see the University make greater
progress by resolving these issues through internal quality assurance efforts andfurther developing its existing distinctive initiatives.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
 In cooperation with Hanno City, where the University is located, a personnel
exchange program has been established in which a University staff experiences
work at the local government for a year and vice versa, leading to new initiatives
to solve regional issues and revitalize local industries, such as student
participation in local tourism policies promoted by the city. This is commendable
as a policy that can form seeds of regional cooperation looking 10 or 20 years
into the future, and is expected to bring about significant benefits for the localcommunity going forward.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes With respect to curriculum design and implementation policies, the Graduate
School of Integral Policy’s Course of Legal Studies, Course of Economics andManagement, Course of Media and Information Resources; and the Graduate
School of Psychology’s Course of Clinical Psychology indicate their basic2

Surugadai University

approaches to curriculum design and implementation, but these descriptions areinsufficiently detailed compared with those of the undergraduate faculties. In
addition, the Graduate School of Integral Policy’s Course of Economics andManagement has not produced separate curriculum design and implementation
policies for each degree conferred. This should be improved.
Student Enrollment
 The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.23 forthe Master’s Program in the Graduate School of Psychology and 0.40 for theMaster’s Program in the Graduate School of Integral Policy. As such, theUniversity should make improvements to ensure proper graduate student quotamanagement.

3