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

Kobe Women`s University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Hyogo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2016
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.01.2017 – March.31.2024）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Kobe Women’s University
Overview
Kobe Women’s University (hereafter, the University) was founded as Kobe Women’s
School of New fashion in 1940. In 1950, Kobe Women’s School of New Fashion
became Kobe Women’s Junior College, and in 1966, the current University wasestablished with a single Faculty of Home Economics. Later, the University establishedother undergraduate faculties, departments, and graduate schools. Currently, theUniversity consists of four faculties: The Faculty of Literature, the Faculty of Healthand Welfare, the Faculty of Home Economics, and the Faculty of Nursing; and three
graduate schools: The Graduate School of Life Science; the Graduate School ofLiterature, and the Graduate School of Health and Nutrition (which was added in 2016).
The University has three campuses in Kobe City: Suma Campus in Suma Ward, PortIsland Campus and Sannomiya Campus in Chuo Ward. The University has engaged ineducation and research activities based on its educational goal: “We hold that ouruniversity function as a seat of learning, research and community service. We aim to be
an institution attractive to students, of value to the community and relevant to the times,
while nurturing their independence, communicative, and creativity.”
After its accreditation review by Japan University Accreditation Association(JUAA) in 2009, the University has clearly defined the philosophy and objectives of thefaculties and graduate schools based on the University’s educational goal. It also has
clarified its future direction, reviewed the self-study system, made improvements ineducation (such as enriching the content of the syllabus), and made continuous efforts
for social collaboration and community contributions.
The University has initiated several notable programs, including the promotionof various local activities in fields such as welfare, health, and education in an effort tocontinuously develop relationships with the local community. Through these activities,
the University has made social contributions, making full use of its expertise. Anotherinitiative includes opening its Library Commons, equipped with a Learning Support
Center, a Student Study Space, and a Language Café, to help support students’voluntary and active learning activities.
However, the credit registration policies in the undergraduate schools andvarious policies in some graduate schools need further review. In addition, several
issues exist concerning building the internal quality assurance system. The University
should reconsider these concerns in order to build a functional system in future.
Notable Strengths
Education and Research Environment
It is commendable that the University has made use of the Library Commons as aspace that students actively use and where they can study proactively. The LibraryCommons, located in the library, consists of the Learning Support Center, theLanguage Café, and the Student Study Space. In the Learning Support Center,resident teaching staff alternately provides support and guidance on basic learning
skills and offer lectures on science, mathematics, and Japanese language as well as
on mental health issues. In the Language Café, information on studying abroad isavailable, and exchange opportunities with international students are held.

3Social Cooperation and Contribution
It is commendable that the University has strengthened the relationship between
students and the community through the Community Relations Promotion
Committee, and has provided the entire University with a support system that isenhanced through organized activities. For example, consistent with its objective
as a university “of value to the community,” the University has agreements with
Suma Ward and Chuo Ward of Kobe City and works collaboratively on various
local activities that utilize its expertise, including: supporting community
development; providing welfare activities such as meals for the elderly andlearning support for local elementary school students. Many students haveparticipated in these activities and earn credits for Regional Learning, one of theUniversity’s core subjects.

Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and OutcomeIn the Graduate School of Life Science, the policies on degrees awarded for the
master’s and doctoral programs have not been individually formulated. Each
program should develop its own policy.

In the Graduate School of Literature, the curriculum design policies for the
master’s and doctoral programs have not been individually formulated. Each
program should develop its own policy.

In the doctoral program in the Graduate School of Life Science, research activities
are not properly combined with coursework in the curriculum. The program
should offer appropriate educational content considering the purpose of acourse-based graduate school.

The maximum number of credits a student is allowed to register for per year is not
set for fourth-year students, transfer students from other universities, and transferstudents from other faculties or departments. In addition, the Department ofEducation in the Faculty of Literature; the Department of Health, Sports, andNutrition; and the Department of Social Welfare in the Faculty of Health andWelfare set the maximum number high at 58 credits. Furthermore, while Kobe
Global-Local Studies Department in the Faculty of Literature sets a maximum
number of 48 credits, 12 out of 36 units of the Off Campus Program IV are exempt
from this limitation. This should be improved considering the purpose of a creditsystem.
Enrollment
In both the master’s and doctoral programs in the Graduate School of Literature,
the ratio of enrolled students to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.16 and 0.21,
respectively. These numbers should be improved.

Education and Research EnvironmentAs a regular staff, any librarian or other staff with professional expertise has notbeen hired in the library at the Port Island Campus. This should be corrected.

4Administration and FinanceWhile the ratio of expenditure to income in the university exceeds “the average
ratio of private universities with multiple faculties including that of letters,” theratio in the governing corporation is consistently below the average, and “thesufficiency rate of financial assets against required savings” has fallen.
Therefore, the University is advised to develop a mid- and long-term fiscal plan
to secure funding for educational, research, and facility-building plans, and towork to stabilize the financial foundation of the University.

Internal Quality Assurance
The university has developed a system for improvements using the self-study
system led by the Self-Study Committee. In addition, it has implemented asystem for improvements based on the activity plans and activity reports
prepared by each department. However, the system of self-study is not linked tothe system of improvements, and the University-wide mechanism to enact theresults of self-study has not been sufficiently established. Therefore, theUniversity should develop an internal quality assurance policy as well as asystem whereby all sections and departments link efforts together to ensure
proper functioning of the system.