Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results forProfessional Graduate Business School

The Graduate School of Business Administration,the University of Kitakyushu

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: PublicLocation: Fukuoka, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2015
Accreditation Status: Accredited（Accreditation Period: April.01.2016 – March.31.2021）

2

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results
for the Graduate School of Business Administration, the University of Kitakyushu
The Master of Business Administration graduate program in the Graduate School ofBusiness Administration at the University of Kitakyushu (hereafter, the Program) sets thepurpose of “making contributions to the development of local industries, culture, andsociety, and the development of global society including Asia by producing pioneeringknowledge of our age and fostering talented persons with rich human qualities” as acommon basis of the entire university. In particular, the Program was established with thepurpose of “training highly specialized professionals who can lead the community withhigh ethics and global perspectives through absorbing broad knowledge and developing
comprehensive problem-solving competencies, in order to promote innovative enterprisecreation and organizational reform in the areas of for-profit and non-profit organizationalactivities.”
The Kitakyushu area, where the Program is located, has taken a proactive role inthe modernization of Japan. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for
its role in Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution, and in particular its shipbuilding, coalmining, and iron and steel heritage. The Program reflects these historical circumstances
as well as the local features of being close to Asia, and sets its mission as making
contributions to the autonomous development and industrial promotion of the local
community. Its concrete features involve training highly specialized professionals whocan demonstrate innovation in, business management in the business sector, publicadministration in the public sector, the local economy of Kitakyushu, or the Asian
regional economy including China.
With regard to its curriculum and educational method, the Program formulated acurriculum design policy utilizing the practice of creating an educational bridge between
theory and practice that is the basic mission of a professional graduate school. In addition,
the Program adopted the cumulative course system as its educational system. Subjects areclassified into four stages: basic subjects, advanced subjects, executive subjects, andproject research subjects. In order to achieve the goal of bridging theory and practice,full-time and special-appointed faculty members and other staffs are placed properly into
each stage. In particular, the Program hired individuals who have rich practicalexperience and play active roles in corporations or NPOs representing the Kitakyushu
area as special-appointed faculty. They are assigned to teach executive subjects as well as
applied and specialized subjects, in which they teach their specialized field in detail. This
provides an opportunity for students to gain knowledge about and experiences with theKitakyushu area.
Due to the fact that many of the Program’s students are adulys in the workforce,the Program has established a Long-Term Student Provision that allows students to takerequired courses beyond the standard term of completion but within the limit of anadditional two years. In addition, the Program has set up a satellite campus in the JR
Kokura station building with consideration for the convenience of commuting adultstudents. This location offers the best access to transportation, and creates a goodenvironment for adult students’ learning by offering classes on weekday evenings.
However, while the Program has made notable efforts, the following issues
remain to be solved.
First, in terms of the policy on degree award, “knowledge and understanding,”“skills,” and “attitude” are listed. Because such skills as reasoning skills, analytical skills,
communication skills, and problem-solving skills may not be sufficiently acquired
through regular lectures, the Program should include practical training and fieldwork in
the curriculum.
Second, because most of the admitted students are adults who work regular jobs,
the system of internship has not been instituted. Considering the attributes and particular3

purposes of current students, the Program should enrich its curriculum to include fieldstudies as well as international and domestic internship programs in collaboration withprivate companies for students who came directly from undergraduate programs or who
are working in the public sector.
Third, while the Program has set up a satellite campus in the building of JR
Kokura station and offers classes on weekday evenings, the learning environment of thesatellite campus needs to be improved so that students can conduct research and study
there. The Program should expand computer rooms and self-study rooms in the future.
With regard to admission of students, the Program conducts entrance
examinations twice a year (in fall and winter), and sets the selection criterion, method,and procedure based on the admission policy. As the Program selects its applicants, it
places potential students into one of two categories: adult students who have at least twoyears of practical experience, and students who advanced directly from undergraduate
programs or have less than two years of practical experience. The Program bases its
admission decisions on applicants’ personal history, experience of accomplishment,
experience as a leader, and plans for their future careers. Although the number ofincoming students has increased in recent years due to public relations efforts (includingpresentation meetings), the number of incoming students has been lower than the student
admission quota over the years. It is expected that the Program will make further efforts
to increase the number of applicants.
The Program strategically chooses Chinese areas as the target of business,
however countries or regions that would like to do business with this geographic region
are not limited to only Chinese areas. Therefore, the Program should facilitate theacceptance of international students from a broader geographical area. Furthermore, it ispossible that a new market for student recruitment will be developed that potentially
includes those who have demonstrated talent in starting businesses or social ventures orbusinesses focused on Chinese areas. Lastly, and the recruitment of students whoadvanced directly from undergraduate programs and international students should berecognized as a notable feature of the Program.
Finally, a public university corporation needs to create the annual and midterm
plans based on the midterm objective set by the founding local government, and theachievement, is to be evaluated by the evaluation committee established in the localgovernment. The educational content of the Program is comprehensively evaluatedannually and at the end of the midterm plan. Paying close attention to the evaluation
system of the public university corporation and the professional graduate school
accreditation system, and working together with the evaluation office of the entire
university, the Program has developed the Program’s Self-Study and Evaluation
Committee and conducted self-study. In order to further consolidate the self-study system,in October 2010 the Program set up an Advisory Committee, which consists of learned
individuals of the community, for hearing the broad needs and opinions of local
businesses, economic organizations, the administration, and students who completed theProgram, and incorporating these into its curriculum and educational content. A crucial
issue specific to a public university corporation is whether it makes products related to thelocal community or makes contributions to the local community, as consideration for thelocal community is indispensable.
The purpose of the Program—training innovative talents who can lead thecommunity and promoting the local economy—are common issues among many regionin Japan, and the Program’s effort is highly valuable. It is hopeful that the Program makes
further progress as a community-based professional graduate school of management.