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

Musashino University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2019
Accreditation Status: Accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1.2020 – March 31.2027）

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Musashino University
Overview
The founding principle of Musashino University (hereinafter referred to as the“University”) is “human education founded on the fundamental Buddhist principles ofthe Four Encompassing Vows (Buddha’s Wishes),” which was proposed by theUniversity’s founder. The University states as its purpose “to nurture individuals withextensive knowledge, good taste, and noble character which are founded on Buddhist
principles, engage in thorough academic research, and contribute to world peace andpeople’s happiness.” In AY2016, the University developed the brand statement of“Creating Peace & Happiness for the World” and set three basic goals and three principles.
Then, in AY2018, the University formulated the Musashino University Mid- to Longterm Educational and Research Reform Vision 2030, a mid- to long-term plan forachieving the University’s purpose, and has engaged in educational and research activities
as a comprehensive university.
With regard to internal quality assurance, the Educational Reform Promotion
Meeting has been established as the organization responsible for promoting universitywide internal quality assurance and determining self-study policy, and two check andreview systems have been put in place under the meeting’s purview. More specifically,
the University has formed two systems centered around the Self-Study Committee andSelf-Study Subcommittee, which are responsible for conducting checks and reviews on
education and research on a university-wide basis, and the Brand Vision Council, whichis responsible for achieving the departmental brand visions, respectively. Checks andreviews are conducted by each organization, and activities to address identified issues arecarried out by the Educational Reform Promotion Meeting, among other bodies. Thus,
the University’s internal quality assurance system is functioning to a certain extent. Goingforward, we hope the University further enhances the functionality of its internal quality
assurance system and engages in quality assurance.
As for education, the University has gone to lengths to improve curricula andeducational methods. Among other efforts, the University has, since AY2015, adopted theClass Improvement Trial Program designed to support faculty members trying to employ
new teaching methods, and has disseminated and shared the results through reports on auniversity-wide level. This is a distinctive and commendable endeavor. In order tomeasure learning outcomes, the University has created departmental rubrics that enable2

step-by-step evaluation of the skills acquired by undergraduate students in their year
preceding graduation and their year of graduation in relation to the desirable learningoutcomes presented in the degree award policy (diploma policy) of each department, andhas attempted to conduct both indirect evaluation by students themselves and direct
evaluation by faculty members. This is a promising endeavor.
As for the graduate program, in AY2018 and AY2019, some graduate schools did
not have the minimum number of assistant supervisors as required under the Standards
for Establishment of Graduate Schools. The University later improved the situation byincreasing assistant supervisors. Going forward, the University should make sure tocomply with the Standards for Establishment of Graduate Schools.
Apart from the above, there are issues that need to be addressed in relation to theformulation of degree award policies and curriculum design and implementation policies(curriculum policies), establishment of examination criteria pertaining to theses andspecial assignment research results, faculty development (hereinafter referred to as “FD”)
in the graduate program, and quota management for student enrollment.
Going forward, the University is expected to ensure that these issues areaddressed through internal quality assurance efforts, remain committed to the attempt toexpand the initiatives related to educational quality assurance implemented in eachdepartment (regular program) by the Brand Vision Council to the graduate schools(regular programs) and Distance Learning Division (school and graduate schools), andactively ensure the quality of education and other activities.
Notable Strengths
Educational Program and Outcome
 In order to grasp learning outcomes, each faculty (regular program) indicates thecorrespondence between the degree award policy and each subject in a DP goal
management table and describes the relevant goals in syllabi. Students in their year
preceding graduation and their year of graduation conduct self-study based on
departmental rubrics that clearly indicate their level of attainment and the relevant
evaluation criteria. Since faculty members in charge of seminars evaluate students
based on the same rubrics, the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy
are grasped and evaluated based on students’ subjective evaluation as well as objectiveevaluation. The University is expected to be able to develop its curricula andeducational methods even further by accumulating this information and utilizing it for3

educational improvement, which is commendable.
Faculty and Faculty Organization
 In order to encourage faculty members to adopt new teaching methods and try to
improve classes, the University has launched the Class Improvement Trial Programas an internal application program targeting full-time faculty members, under whichbudgetary support is provided to selected initiatives. The University strives to enhancethe overall quality of its faculty by promoting individual improvement activities byfaculty members and sharing favorable teaching methods and class improvement
examples in the FD REPORT. These distinctive endeavors are expected to lead to thedevelopment and enhancement of new educational methods, and are thus
commendable.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Outcome
 The Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Political Science and Economics
offers multiple degrees, but does not indicate the specific knowledge, skills, abilities,
and other learning outcomes that students must attain in order to receive the respective
degrees in the degree award policy. This should be improved.
 The Master’s Programs in the Graduate School of Law and Graduate School ofEducation, Master’s Program and Doctoral Program in the Graduate School ofNursing, Faculties of Human Sciences and Education in the School of Distance
Learning, and Graduate Schools of Distance Learning (Graduate School of Humanand Social Sciences, Graduate School of Buddhist Studies, Graduate School ofEnvironmental Sciences) do not present the basic ideas on curriculum implementationin the curriculum design and implementation policy. This should be improved. The
Department of Data Science in the Faculty of Data Science and the Department ofMathematical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering do not present the basic ideas
on curriculum organization and implementation in the curriculum design andimplementation policy. This should be improved.
 The Master’s Programs in the Graduate School of Law and Graduate School of4Human and Social Sciences have the same examination criteria pertaining to theses
and special assignment research results. Therefore, each program should establish its
own criteria appropriately.
Student Enrollment
 The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.49 in theMaster’s Program in the Graduate School of Human and Social Sciences, 0.35 in theMaster’s Program in the Graduate School of Education, and 0.30 in the Master’s
Program in the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Doctoral
Program in the Graduate School of Political Science and Economics has no students.
Therefore, the University should significantly improve graduate school quotamanagement.
Faculty and Faculty Organization
 The graduate schools do not implement unique faculty development (FD) activities
related to educational improvement. FD activities should be appropriately
implemented for all Master’s Programs and Doctoral Programs or in the respective
graduate schools.

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