Accreditation Results(Accreditation Results for School of Veterinary Medicine)

Major in Veterinary Medical Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
The University of Tokyo

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: National

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2023
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2031）

Major in Veterinary Medical Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Tokyo

Accreditation Results
for the Major in Veterinary Medical Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
the University of Tokyo

In light of its university-wide basic educational goals, the Major in Veterinary MedicalSciences, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Tokyo, has established the educational
philosophy of providing (1) “veterinary medical education for the prevention andtreatment of animal diseases”; (2) “public health education focusing on zoonosis and foodhygiene”; (3) “education to promote life science (basic research)”;(4) “education onveterinary and livestock administration and environmental issues”; and (5) “educationwith an international perspective.” To fulfill its educational philosophy, the Major sets
forth the objectives of “cultivating a strong sense of mission, the will and ability to solve
global issues, a deep understanding of social mechanisms, and a high level of ethics andlove for humanity through teaching advanced veterinary sciences based on a wide rangeof disciplines that include life sciences, thereby nurturing future leaders successful in thefield of veterinary medicine in Japan and overseas.”
In line with the Model Core Curriculum, the Major’s curriculum is divided into
Introductory and Basic Subjects, Pathological Subjects, Applied Subjects, Clinical
Subjects, and Participatory Clinical Training, and is systematically designed to help
students take courses step by step according to grade level. In the exchange programswith credit transfers with overseas universities, students enrolled in the Major join as
tutors with international students in lectures and practical training courses offered in
English to develop their English language skills and international mindset. The Major
also provides students with opportunities to participate in compulsory field training(internships) abroad as well as in Japan, resulting in about half the students participatingin training at overseas universities and institutions. In these ways, the Major providesample opportunities for international education, which as a distinctive approach iscommendable.
In terms of social cooperation and contribution, the Major offers many courses
of interest to the general public, including the Science Café provided by the ResearchCenter for Food Safety. This is also a commendable and distinctive feature.
There are several areas of improvement identified in the current accreditation
process, however. The areas of serious concern include the lack of requirements forpromotion to the next level after advancing to the Major from the Junior Division of theCollege of Arts and Sciences. While this concerns the entire system of the Faculty of1

Major in Veterinary Medical Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, the University of Tokyo

Agriculture, veterinary education, which is closely connected to the Veterinarian National
Examination, should set out the advancement requirements to help students take courses
in a systematic way. The Major is advised to set forth and communicate the advancement
requirements to all students. In addition, with respect to faculty organization, the numberof full-time faculty members is below 60% of the prescribed standard necessary for
veterinary education. It is advised that the Major urgently increase the number of faculty
members.
As for other issues to be considered, the first area pointed out is practical training.
The number of animal carcasses used in pathological training is low, and the Veterinary
Medical Center has an insufficient number of cases involving large animals, such as cattle
and horses, as well as farm animals, including swine, cotton goats, goats, and fowls. TheMajor is advised to take corrective actions to increase the number of these cases.
Next, the syllabuses of some subjects do not set clear standards for grading, andthe Major is advised to reinforce the mechanism to check the syllabuses by defining thespecific ratios of examinations, reports, and regular attendance considered for grading.
In addition, an imbalance was identified in the faculty’s age and gender profiles,
and the Major should give attention to the age structure and gender balance.
As for facilities and equipment, the Major provides lecture rooms, laboratories,
and research rooms necessary for veterinary education. The Major is advised to provide
an isolation room in the laboratory animal facility for quarantine and animals sufferingfrom epidemic diseases, and an isolation and hospitalization room for small animals inthe Veterinary Medical Center.
Finally, the Major should offer academic courses and training for local
veterinarians and publish the results of its self-study activities on its website andelsewhere.
To make the improvements mentioned above, the Major should adopt the resultsof this accreditation for schools of veterinary medicine, continue its self-study activities
for improvement, and assure and improve the quality of its education to further enhanceits distinctive features.

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