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

Kansai Medical 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）

2

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kansai Medical University
Overview
Founded as the Osaka Women’s Medical College in 1928, the Osaka Women’s Medical
University was established in 1949. In 1954, the university became coeducational andchanged its name to Kansai Medical University (hereafter, the University). Itestablished the Graduate School of Medicine in 1961. Currently it is an institution with
one faculty, the Medical School, and one graduate school, the Graduate School ofMedicine. In April of 2013, the University integrated its functions in Hirakata city,
Osaka Prefecture, and since then and has deployed education, research, and medicalcare activities according to the founding idea of “Jijin Shinkyo” (“Training doctors witha spiritual norm of love”).
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2007, the University has made notable efforts to improve its learning
environment by promoting convenient ways for students to study and by better
facilitating communication between students and the faculty and staff. It is alsocommendable that the University has widened the opportunities for women faculty to be
actively involved, introduced a personnel system to develop the talent of administrative
staff and human resources, and has made social contributions and engaged in social
collaboration by providing knowledge collected by the University to the community.
However, some issues remain. The written qualification criteria for certain
faculty should be developed, and the library environment and the enrollment numbers
should be improved. The internal quality assurance system should also be improved.
Notable Strengths
Education and Research Organization
The University created a system to support women faculty aiming to promote
working conditions in which female faculty can cope with both work and childrearing, and has offered a training program after returning to work as well as aflexible working style. It is commendable that as a result of system, the number ofwomen faculty using this system is increasing.

Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome
The learning support system, Moodle, is used mainly for the fifth-year clinicalclerkship examination following the practicums in each clinical department.
Students have access to this system inside and outside of the campus. With thissystem, they can prepare for the national examination from an early stage, and they
can self-assess their weaknesses by trying problems used in past examinations. Thisis a very convenient system for self-study in that it responds the needs of eachstudent. It is commendable that with the use of this system, students’ study time
has increased, and students are more actively engaged in learning.

Student Support

It is commendable that the presentation of students’ requests to the University,
which takes place at the annual Educational Affairs Meeting, provides a valuable
opportunity to improve students’ communication skills and facilitatescommunication between students and the faculty and staff. At the meeting, which isattended by influential persons such as the University’s president, vice president,

3and head of educational affairs, a student representative presents requests fromstudents based on the results of a survey conducted in advance. The University
responds to these requests, and takes actions, for example, to repair facilities,
improve the instruction of medical English, and improve the examination process.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
It is commendable that the following efforts are considered as community-basedsocial collaboration and social contribution. In the medical equipment development
project called the Healthy Areas Along the Train Line (aptly named because theUniversity and the affiliated hospital are located along the Keihan line), theUniversity works together with local corporations and has developed medicalproducts such as a low-cost bone conduction hearing aid.

Administration and FinanceIt is commendable that the motivation and talent of the staff has improved throughestablishing a human resource development department. The department is a part of
the newly organized personnel-specific section which was formerly a part of thegeneral affairs section. It promotes staff development through the new Challenging
the Objective system, and conducts the Work Knowledge Examinations that require
certain knowledge for each rank. Staff may retake the exams until they pass.

Suggestions for Improvement
Faculty and Faculty Organization
The criteria for the appointment and promotion of the assistant professor and thefaculty of general education have not been defined. This should be improved.

Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome
The policy on degree award of the Graduate School of Medicine only defines therequirements for graduation, but does not define the required learning outcomessuch as the knowledge and skills expected at program completion. This should beimproved.

In the doctoral program of Graduate School of Medicine, there are students whocomplete all the requirements except dissertation, and leave the university before
completing their dissertation requirement within the time limit. Later, when thesestudents submit their dissertations, even though they do not have the enrollment
states, they are granted doctoral degrees in the same manner as those students
continuously enrolled. This is an inappropriate use of the system that should becorrected. In accordance with the purpose of having doctoral programs, theuniversity should create measure to enhance the degree completion within therequired time frame.

Enrollment
In the Medical School, the average of the ratios of last five years of enrolled
freshmen to the freshmen admission cap and the ratio of enrolled students to thestudent enrollment cap are high at 1.03 and 1.04 respectively. These numbers
should be improved.

4Education and Research EnvironmentIn regards to the library collection, the volume of books and electronic journals arelimited, and the electronic server of the library often experiences glitches. Measures
should be taken to ensure sufficient volume of books and electronic journals as well
as stable operation of the server system.

Internal Quality Assurance
While the system for review and improvement of university activities take place ineach section or institute as required, the process for the University as a whole has
not been working sufficiently. The authority of the Self-study Committee, whichhandles the review and improvement process, has not been stipulated. The
University should clarify the system to reflect the results of review for
improvement so that the internal quality assurance system is fully functional.