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

Atomi University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2022
Accreditation Status: accredited（Accreditation Period: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2030）

Atomi University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Atomi University
Overview
Atomi University, founded on the educational philosophy of “cultivating highlyeducated, free-spirited, and independent-minded women based on Japanese cultural
traditions we are proud of,” sets forth the institutional philosophy of “achievingeducation and research to foster autonomous and self-reliant women with practicalcompetencies,” recognizing that “its greatest social contribution is to nurture deep
insights into the era and society in which we live.” Based on these two philosophies,
the University has developed “ATOMI PLAN 2025” , a medium-term plan for 2025
(hereafter, the Medium-term Plan), setting out its mission “to contribute to society bycultivating highly educated and respectable women who meet the needs of the times.”
The University’s educational and research activities are based on its
institutional philosophy and mission. To assure the quality of its educational andresearch activities, the University established an internal quality assurance systemthat clearly stipulates that the president and the Internal Quality AssuranceCommittee play a central role in promoting internal quality assurance, laying out theInternal Quality Assurance Policy and Procedures in AY2021 and the Rules for theInternal Quality Assurance Committee in AY2022. Prior to this, in AY2018 theUniversity created the Atomi University Rules for Self-Study (hereafter, the SelfStudy Rules), and put in place a mechanism in which the University-wide Self-Study
Committee examines the draft university-wide self-study report prepared by the SelfStudy Promotion Committee supervised by the president, as well as self-study reports
submitted by the faculties and graduate schools, the General Curriculum
Administrative Center, and administrative sections. Based on the examination results,
the president and the Executive Council promote quality improvements. The
University conducted self-studies for three consecutive years from AY2018 based on
different criteria each year and an overall self-study in AY2021.
With respect to education, the University’s curriculum has been organizedappropriately in accordance with the diploma and curriculum policies. To activate
student learning and provide more effective education, particularly in its
undergraduate programs, the University has introduced Seminar for Basic Academic
Studies I and II as university-wide common subjects to help students develop thethinking and self-expression skills necessary for writing essays, making presentations,1Atomi Universityand carrying out other academic activities. In addition, two full-time faculty members
who teach the Seminar for Basic Academic Studies courses work in pairs as academicadvisors for first-year students, exchanging information and providing learning
support in their capacity as advisors. It is notable that the University is making efforts
to meticulously advise students by offering individual meetings for guidance on
courses, study and life in general.
In addition, with respect to its social cooperation and contribution
activities, the University has focused on social cooperation through collaboration
with the local community. Its efforts include enhancing the structure of the Regional
Exchange Center by changing from an administrative organization to a universityaffiliated teaching organization in AY2019, establishing the Administrative
Committee for Regional Exchange Center, and concluding an agreement with themunicipality where the campus is located. In particular, the University has worked topreserve and utilize the “Kikuzaka Atomijuku” building (formerly used by the Iseya
pawnshop), which is a tangible cultural asset designated by Bunkyo Ward, as a venue
for faculties and departments to engage with the local community and has organizedvarious events for the local society. It is highly commendable that the University has
strengthened its collaboration with the local government and community andreturned its educational and research achievements to the local community.
There are several issues the University needs to address, though.
Regarding internal quality assurance, although a quality assurance mechanism has
been established as described above, it is difficult to say that the Internal Quality
Assurance Committee, the organization tasked with promoting internal quality
assurance, is actively engaged in assuring and improving the quality of education.
Moreover, the allocation of roles is unclear among the University Council, Executive
Council, and University-wide Self-Study Committee. The University should improveits internal quality assurance system and ensure its functionality by appropriately
stipulating and allocating the internal quality assurance responsibilities of eachorganization, including how better to collaborate with each other. With respect to thelearning outcomes in the faculties and graduate schools, the knowledge,competencies, attitudes, and other outcomes stated in the diploma policy haven’t
been adequately assessed and evaluated. In addition, full consideration has not been
given to adopting effective, multifaceted methods of measuring the learning
outcomes. The University should undertake improvements, recognizing theimportance of ascertaining student learning outcomes to assure and enhance thequality of education, and make proper use of the results to achieve higher quality

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Atomi Universityeducation.
Going forward, JUAA expects the University to improve its internal
quality assurance mechanism, further develop unique initiatives, assure the qualityof its education, and disseminate information to society, all of which will further
activate its educational activities and help the University move ahead.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
The University has focused on social cooperation through collaboration with thelocal community by defining the Regional Exchange Center as a teachingorganization and concluding an agreement with the municipality where thecampus is located. In particular, the University is utilizing the Kikuzaka
Atomijuku building (formerly used by the Iseya pawnshop), a tangible cultural
asset designated by Bunkyo Ward, as a venue for students to engage with thelocal community and has organized various events with the local community as
part of its regular courses. It is commendable that the University has not only
preserved this cultural asset as a historic property but is making use of thebuilding for educational activities as it strengthens its collaboration with the local
government and community, which has led to activating the local community.

Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance
The University established and designated the Internal Quality AssuranceCommittee as the organization responsible for promoting internal quality
assurance in AY2022, but the committee’s roles as the main entity promoting
quality assurance, after the University-wide Self-Study Committee verifies theresults of self-studies conducted by the faculties and graduate schools, are notclearly defined. The University, which has just started its internal quality
assurance efforts under the new system, should clarify the roles of the individualorganizations involved in internal quality assurance and how the organizations
can better collaborate to ensure a more efficient and practical internal quality
assurance system.

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Atomi University

Educational Program and Learning Outcomes

The current efforts of the faculties and graduate schools to assess learning
outcomes are insufficient as a mechanism assessing and evaluating the learning
outcomes stipulated in the diploma policy. As the University has included in its
medium-term objectives an initiative to develop indicators for measuring
learning outcomes, it should consider multifaceted ways to appropriately assessand evaluate the student learning outcomes indicated in the diploma policy.

Student Enrollment
The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap in the Graduate
School of Management is low at 0.05, and improvements are required to ensurethat the graduate school’s student quotas are thoroughly managed.

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