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

Yokohama University of Art and Design

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Kanagawa, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2022
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2030）

Yokohama University of Art and Design

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Yokohama University of Art and Design
Overview
Yokohama University of Art and Design, founded on the spirit of “Art education thatcultivates the roots of creative activity is education in its most essential form,” defines
its purpose as “cultivating human resources with a broad education and advanced,
specialized knowledge and expressive skills and techniques” related to Art andDesign. Based on this purpose, the University sets forth three educational goals that
include “obtaining expressive skills and techniques specialized in Art and Design”
with the aim of “fostering human resources who can contribute to society in a creativeway.” Established by the Tokiwamatsu Gakuen educational corporation, theUniversity conducts educational and research activities based on the Medium-term
Plan 2020 Yokohama University of Art and Design, formulated together with theTokiwamatsu Gakuen Medium-term Plan.
In terms of education, the University has established a diploma policy inline with its three educational goals and designed its curricula based on thecurriculum policy corresponding to the diploma policy. It is notable that the curricula
are designed to provide basic classes for first-year students and classes for secondyear and higher students to acquire more advanced professional skills and expressive
skills . To monitor student learning outcomes, the University adopted an assessment
policy in AY2021 using radar charts to show each item and levels of competency
students are expected to acquire as well as diploma supplements (degree certificatesupplementary materials) that include this information. The University is expected toutilize the accumulated data on monitored student learning outcomes to effecteducational improvements.
As distinctive student support initiatives, the University offers a wide
range of specifically designed support. Faculty members provide students withguidance and advice with respect to their wishes and other factors, while teachingassistants not only give additional lesson support but also help students with job
searches, and some courses utilize learning portfolios. In terms of career support, fourCareer Design subjects have been introduced to facilitate incremental learning fromthe first year through the fourth year. The subjects feature lectures on understanding
and supporting people with disabilities, with the aim of providing universal access toeducation and student support to encourage social independence, mutual1

Yokohama University of Art and Design

understanding, and working together regardless of disability. It is highly
commendable that these efforts are contributing to the realization of the University’s
principles and purpose.
There are issues regarding the University’s internal quality assurance
structure and functions, however. The Future Planning and Management Strategy
Committee chaired by the president and comprised of deans, the president’s advisor,
heads of each organization, and administrative office representatives has been
positioned as an organization responsible for promoting university-wide internal
quality assurance. The committees and divisions conduct self-studies based on theUniversity Standards with the support of the IR Office, and the results are confirmedby the Self-Study Committee. The Future Planning and Management Strategy
Committee is tasked with formulating improvement plans to address the issues
identified from the self-study results, confirming the improvement reports submitted
by the committees and other organizations, and writing up their findings. In reality,
curriculum improvement measures are taken up by the Faculty Council and theSteering Committee under the University’s medium-term plan and activity plan, andare discussed by the Curriculum Revision Working Group set up under thecommittee. This issue should be addressed by clarifying the roles of the FacultyCouncil and Steering Committee in internal quality assurance to operate the system
in line with the University’s policies and procedures. The University is also expected
to conduct evidence-based self-studies by developing a mechanism for constantly
storing and accumulating materials and information on on-campus education,
research, and other activities to carry out empirical inspections and assessments. The
Self-Study Committee engages primarily in compiling reports, and should examine
the appropriateness and effectiveness of the University’s teaching and learning
management from a university-wide perspective based on reports from thecommittees and other organizations.
In addition, the University has failed to implement initiatives to improve
its faculty members’ quality in terms of research, social contribution, and otheractivities. This issue should be addressed. Moreover, the University should articulate
its decision-making process in rules and regulations, appropriately record the process
in minutes and other documents, and formulate and implement a financial plan tosolidify its financial base with improvement efforts still a work in progress.
Further efforts to update the diploma policy and ensure credit validity arealso expected. The University plans to review its diploma policy starting in AY2023,
but has decided to continue listing the competencies students are expected to acquire2

Yokohama University of Art and Designby achieving the educational goals. The content of the diploma policy is expected tobe reviewed to create such learning outcomes as knowledge, skills, and mindsets
students should develop for the degrees to be awarded. The University specifies themaximum number of credits students can register for in a year, and the cap is eased
for high achievers, but this limit does not apply to the teacher training course thatsees a steady number of fourth-year students who are not high achievers register for
credits far exceeding the upper limit. Appropriate measures are expected to be put inplace to ensure credit validity for these students.
In the coming years, the University is expected to examine and upgrade its
internal quality assurance structure and functions, including ensuring consistency
between its policies and actual conditions, and to address various issues while
enhancing its distinctive initiatives.
Notable Strengths
Student Support

In accordance with the Basic Policy on Supporting Students with Disabilities,
the University has established a system allowing various types of students tostudy worry-free by providing lectures on understanding people with disabilities
and compensating student volunteers who assist the hearing impaired withinformation access. In the curricula, the career education subject Career Design
I features Understanding Diversity – Understanding People with Disabilities. It
is commendable that the University is promoting greater understanding andsupport among students through lectures on people with disabilities and ways toassist them in the pursuit of universality, namely, respecting and enhancing theindividuality of all students.

Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality AssuranceSince AY2019, the Future Planning and Management Strategy Committee has
played a central role as an organization responsible for promoting internal quality
assurance in deliberating and reporting on the items to be addressed andimprovement plans to the president. However, it is the Faculty Council and the3Yokohama University of Art and DesignSteering Committee that undertake internal quality assurance for some items.
This issue should be addressed with the roles of the council and committee in theinternal quality assurance system clarified for more effective system operation
led by the Future Planning and Management Strategy Committee in accordancewith the policies.
Faculty and Faculty Organization
The University conducts faculty development (FD) activities for education in asystematic and multifaceted way to improve and enhance the quality of its faculty
members and organization, but there are no systematic FD activities to enhance
its faculty members’ research, social contribution, and other activities. This issue
should be addressed.

University Management and Finance
The school rules and the Faculty Council Regulations stipulate that the president
and the Faculty Council play a role in the University’s decision-making, but therelationship and decision-making process of the council and committees are notclarified in the regulations. In addition, the roles and connection of the president,
Faculty Council, and committees to university management are unclear as theminutes and other documents fail to articulate the deliberation process. Theseissues should be addressed.

The University’s balance sheet has improved due to higher student enrollment
since AY2017, but the ratio of financial assets to the required reserve fund is low.
The ratio of next fiscal year’s excess of carry-over expenditures to operating
income is trending downward but remains high, indicating that the University is
far from establishing a solid financial base to achieve its educational goals. The
University should formulate and implement a medium- to long-term financial
plan that includes specific numerical targets to establish a sound financial base.

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