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

Aichi University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Aichi, 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 Aichi University
Overview
Aichi University (hereafter, the University) was originally Toa-Dobunshoin (founded in1901) and was established in 1946 in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, as the only
university in Central Japan specializing in the fields of law and literature. Thereafter,
the University established new departments, faculties, and graduate schools and hasgone through reorganization. Currently, the University contains seven faculties: theFaculty of Letters, the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of International
Communication, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Business Administration, theFaculty of Modern Chinese Studies, and the Faculty of Regional Policy; six graduate
departments: the Graduate Department of Law, the Graduate Department of Economics,
the Graduate Department of Business Administration, the Graduate Department ofChinese Studies, the Graduate Department of Humanities, and the Graduate Departmentof International Communication; and two professional schools: the Law School and theAccounting School. Since 2012, the University has engaged in education and research
activities on the three campuses. The Kurumamichi Campus, where the headquarters
and many of the graduate departments are based, is located in Nagoya City, Aichi
Prefecture. The Faculty of Letters, the Graduate Department of Humanities, and theFaculty of Regional Policy use the Toyohashi Campus, and the Nagoya Campus houses
the other five faculties.
Prior to this accreditation review, the Law School had already undergone
professional graduate school accreditation review by the National Institute for
Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (NIAD-UE) in 2012 and was accredited,and also the Accounting School had already undergone the review by Japan University
Accreditation Association (JUAA) in 2010, and was accredited. Thus, JUAA reviewed
both Schools this time by examining the improvements made after that time from thestandpoint of University Accreditation (institutional certified evaluation andaccreditation).
After its accreditation review by JUAA in 2007, the University has made efforts
to internationalize its education by enriching students’ education with overseas studyexperiences and actively encouraging social contribution activities by providing
students with volunteer opportunities in the local community. Through these activities,
the University achieves its educational purpose. Another notable feature includes
enrichment of career education through construction of a consistent student support
system from admission to graduation. However, in addition to shortages in the numberof required faculty in the graduate school and enrollment management at admission,changes that affect the quality of education are necessary in other areas as well, such as
improvement of syllabi. To improve these issues, the University should review therelated policies and connect them to improvement and reform. Through this process,further development of the University is expected.
Notable Strengths
Educational Content, Methods, and OutcomeIn the Faculty of Modern Chinese Studies, all students study Chinese from the firstyear, and all students attend Nankai University, People’s Republic of China, where
they receive four months of Chinese-language class in the spring of the second year(the third semester). The intensive learning that students experience by participatingin the foreign program represents educational content that fits into the doctrine andpurpose of the Faculty. After completing the program in Nankai University, most of

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the students pass Level IV of HSK (the Chinese proficiency test), the proficiency
level necessary to pursue studies in the science fields in Chinese universities. It iscommendable that this curriculum not only contributes to improving students’language skills, but also improves students’ intercultural understanding and fosters
their spirit of independence.
In the Graduate Department of Chinese Studies, diverse coursework, including
fieldwork in China, is offered in the curriculum and this educational content fits
into the mission and purpose of the Graduate Department. During their study inChina, graduate students come to know the situation of the region where they are
studying directly by collecting historical materials. Furthermore, they continue tocollect historical material and often visit archives in various regions even after they
complete their studies in China. It is commendable that these experiences in Chinaenrich the academic value of the graduate students’ doctoral dissertations.

In the Faculty of Law’s Public Administration Course, the faculty set up a working
group to review the contents of the curriculum in order to formulate a curriculum
appropriate for students’ career paths and began to offer courses including “Studyof Local Government Officer,” “Political Science Special Lecture 3” (a sponsoredcourse), and “Basic Seminar II N.” As a result, the number of students who passed
the civil service examination increased by twenty percent in 2013 as compared tothe previous year. It is commendable that with the addition of these courses, theFaculty achieved the purpose of developing students’ capabilities to apply legal
standards and political concepts to the actual situations.

Student Support
To establish an enrollment management, various organizations within theUniversity concerned with education, from admission to graduation and student
support, worked together to form the Career Formation Examination Committee.
This committee examines various issues related to undergraduate education byasking graduating students to review their learning experience throughout the entire
University. The committee uses the survey results to specifically analyze thelearning outcomes and the correlations of GPA to the entrance examination systemand employment. It is commendable that this information is used to provide
detailed study guidance and support to students.

The Student Affairs Division took the initiative of installing a volunteer center andestablishing a volunteer bank system in order to promote and support of volunteer
activities as a policy. As a result, many students participate in volunteer activities
and make contributions to the local community. For example, the Nagoya Campus
has seven volunteer teams, and the Student Local Contribution Project of theToyohashi Campus also performs volunteer activities. Moreover, the University
developed a peer support system that helps students learn from each other. It iscommendable that these are systematic efforts to cultivate independence and selfpropelling power in students, and demonstrate the founding spirit of contributions
to the local community.

Suggestions for Improvement
Faculty and Faculty Organization
While the criteria for hiring and promotion of the faculty are defined generally inthe university-wide regulation: “Regulation for Hiring and Promotion of the Faculty

4and Staff of Aichi University,” in the Faculty of Letters, the Faculty of Economics,
the Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Regional Policy, specific criteria for each of theFaculties have not been clearly defined. This should be improved.
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

The curriculum of the doctoral programs in the Graduate Department of Humanities
and the Graduate Department of Business Administration do not include
appropriate coursework. Considering the purpose of the course-based graduate
school system, the doctoral programs should offer appropriate coursework.

The category of assessment criteria is missing in the syllabus of all faculties andgraduate departments, and the assessment criteria of each class are not stated clearly.
The descriptions of class content and class schedule in the syllabus vary. The
descriptions in the syllabus should be improved, and constant review of classprogression is expected so as to deliver education based on the syllabus.

In each of the graduate departments except the professional schools, the Graduate
Department Faculty Development Committee is supposed to take the initiative tocarry out faculty development activities, but the committee is inactive. To respondto the particular educational issues of the graduate department, the committee
should function well and engage in faculty development activities.

Enrollment
In the admission policies of the Department of English Studies and the Departmentof Comparative Culture in the Faculty of International Communication, and in theGraduate Department of Economics, images of desirable students are not presentedclearly. This should be improved.

In the master’s program in the Graduate Department of Chinese Studies, therequired language skills for the specialty field in the department are not clearlystated. This should be indicated in the admission policy, and the department should
be expected to admit students according to the policy. In addition, in the dualdegree option implemented in the Graduate Department of Chinese Studies as a partof the doctoral program, the admission policy and the policy for research instruction
should be developed.

The ratio of enrolled students to the student enrollment cap is high at 1.25 in theFaculty of Law, at 1.27 in the Faculty of Modern Chinese Studies, and at 1.27 in theDepartment of English Studies in the Faculty of International Communication. In
regards to the insufficiency in enrollment quota, the ratio of enrolled students to thestudent enrollment cap is low at 0.10 in the master’s program and at 0.33 in thedoctoral program in the Graduate Department of Humanities, at 0.08 in the master’s
program and at 0.00 in the doctoral program in the Graduate Department ofEconomics, at 0.20 in the master’s program in the Graduate School of Business
Administration, at 0.00 in the doctoral program in the Graduate Department of Law,
and at 0.33 in the master’s program in the Graduate Department of International
Communication. These numbers should be improved.

Administration and Finance
The University reconsidered its financial plan and postponed a new construction
plan because most of its debt-related ratios are higher than the averages of private

5universities with the faculty of literature and other faculties. Given that fact, it isnecessary to consider formulation of a fiscal plan that includes the period after theend of the current investment in facilities (in 2018), and effective use of thecampuses including Toyohashi and Kurumamichi. The University should
formulate a financial plan that enables future investment in facilities withoutcausing problems in education and research activities.
Area of Serious Concern
Faculty and Faculty Organization
For the doctoral program of the Business Administration major in the Graduate
Department of Business Administration, the University must hire two more fulltime faculties who have research supervisor status in order to satisfy the legal
requirements. It is urgent that this be corrected immediately.

Enrollment
The ratio of enrolled students to the student enrollment cap is high at 1.30 in theDepartment of Business Administration in the Faculty of Business Administration,
and at 1.27 in the entire Faculty of Business Administration. These numbers must
be rectified.