Results for Certified Evaluation and Accreditation for Junior CollegeShigakkan University Junior College

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: PrivateLocation: Aichi, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2015
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April.01.2016– March.31.2023）

2

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Shigakkan University Junior CollegeOverview
Shigakkan University Junior College (hereafter, the College) started as Chukyo Women’sSewing School, which was founded in 1905. Chukyo Women’s Junior College, whichcontained a Department of Physical Education and a Department of Home Economics,was established in 1950 and later became a junior college division of the four-year
Chukyo Women’s University in 1965. The College changed the name of the Departmentof Home Economics to the Department of Human Life and Science, and added theDepartment of Physical Education in 1988. The College reorganized its departments byclosing the Department of Human Life and Science in 2007 and adding the Department ofAthletic Trainer Advanced Course in 2009.
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2008 the College has set two major goals: “stable management foundation”
and “Pursuing strength based on tradition and achievement.” The College has also built asystem to make improvements in education through the Future Planning Committee
initiative and has established a new Department of Athletic Trainer Advanced Course(one-year course). In addition, the College has worked on fundamental reforms, includingchanging from a women’s institution to a coeducational institution and changing thename of the College in 2010. The College has its campus in Obu City, Aichi Prefecture,and is working on education, research and social contributions based on its founding
spirit.
Several efforts have been made for the current accreditation review. First, a
career education initiative for first-year students encourages students to make decisions
regarding the course they will follow, such as job-hunting or continuing their studies athigher institutions. Second, efforts to improve on-site learning opportunities, such as
volunteering or social participation in nonprofit organizations, aim to foster persons oftalent who acquire problem-solving and practical skills through such experiences. Yetanother effort is helping students objectively evaluate their own physical and mental
conditions and strengthen their athletic skills and avoid injuries by supporting theirout-of-class activities such as athletics and other clubs.
Meanwhile, the issue of student enrollment in the Department of Physical
Education should be addressed.
The College has also established healthy exercise classes for the elderly, wherestudents work with elderly residents of the local community to measure their physicalfitness and exercise with them as part of a comprehensive agreement project with Obu
City, Aichi Prefecture. This program is expected to grow further as part of the College’scommunity-based social contribution.
Notable Strengths
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

It is commendable that every year, many students take subjects in the contemporary
liberal arts subjects grope, learn “social skills” which can be found in the College’s
educational philosophy, and accomplish other educational objectives. Contemporary
liberal arts subjects grope consist of a well-balanced choice of subjects from the areasof “basic skills” and “basic education,” with educational philosophy and educational
objectives taken into consideration. “Basic education” provides the subjects required
for student life in the first year and those for social life in the second year. “Theory on
Comprehensive Social Participation,” a required elective lecture course in the secondyear, offers educational content to help students understand social significance by3participating in local activities, volunteer opportunities, and NPOs’ events andfocuses on developing students’ capacity to actively work on solving problems.
Student Support

It is commendable that the Athlete Support System has resulted in a drastic decreasein the number of athletic training suspensions due to injuries and fatigue and has
increased athletes’ recovery after training. The efforts also have helped athletes
objectively judge their own mental and physical conditions to enhance their attitudes
toward the athletic skills. The Athlete Support System was developed by the Health
Sciences Institute where several faculty members of the College engage in relevant
research. The Institute is comprised of six departments, including Medical Serviceand Mental Management, and each department conducts its own research andpractice, as well as provides athletes with strong support through a wealth ofexpertise in sport sciences.

Social Cooperation and ContributionIt is also commendable that faculty members and students, employ their departmental
and major specialties in workshops to improve health for seniors and the healthexercise class for Obu residents, and in the health improvement class for Kariya
residents, which is planned and run by the College in cooperation with the Kariya
City government. These classes provide local residents with lectures, practical
exercise instructions, and advice on daily life in order to help them maintain andimprove their health and physical fitness and raise awareness of life-time sports. It iscommendable that these efforts have contributed to the participation of Obu City in
the WHO Alliance for Healthy Cities and has bolstered the promotion of healthtoward longevity in society. Furthermore, a request from Kariya City has been
submitted asking for a renewal of these projects.

Suggestions for Improvement
Enrollment
In the Department of Physical Education, the average of the ratios of the last five
years of enrolled freshmen to the freshman admission cap and the ratio of enrolled
students to the student enrollment cap are high at 1.24 and 1.26 respectively. Thesenumbers should be improved.