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

Komazawa Women's University
Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2012
Accreditation Status: accredited (Accreditation Period: April 1, 2013 – March 31, 2020)

Related Links
Komazawa Women's University: http://www.komajo.ac.jp/uni/(in Japanese)

Full Text of the Accreditation Results (in Japanese):
http://www.juaa.or.jp/accreditation/university/result_2012.html
Accreditation Standards, Process and other related information (in English):http://www.juaa.or.jp/en/accreditation/university.html

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Komazawa Women’s University
Notable Strengths
Mission and purposeIt is commendable that Komazawa Women’s University promotes various activities
to publicize the founding spirits of the university. For example, the Buddhist
Cultural Center holds the Gakutoe, a meeting which starts with a Buddhist prayer
service that disseminates the spirits of Buddhism. The Gakutoe also features otherinteresting programs for students, including sermons, short concerts, and student
group presentations. In recent years, a total of seven thousand students attend themeetings each year.

Educational content, methods, and outcome

It is commendable that the university makes efforts to increase students’
independent study and learning. In many courses, original teaching materials havebeen created by the instructors in accordance with the course plans and objectives.
Automatic recordings of classes on video allow students to view the classes when
they are absent. The recordings also serve as a vehicle for students to prepare forclasses and to review course content.

Student support

It is commendable that the university support students and encourages them toparticipate in a fulfilling, active campus life. For example, in order to nurture
personalities of independent women, the university has established the Komajo
Good Start Program, a practical course of study that focuses on students’ university
life fulfillment and mental/physical health. It has also created the Social Skills
Nurturing Program, which provides chances for students to hone their practicalskills through on-campus internships and other activities.

It is also commendable that the university has devised unique measures to realize
its goal of offering “meticulous support to enhance independence.” The Career
Center provides meticulous counsel to individual students in cooperation withfaculty using a small-sized group system. Other efforts include: the publication of aCareer Handbook, job-hunt coaching sessions, the Study Support Center to help
students to obtain qualifications, and a job-hunt support program in collaboration
with corporations.

Suggestions for Improvement
Educational content, methods, and outcomeIn the undergraduate Faculty of Humanities, there is no limit to the number ofcredits seniors and transfer students can register for. This should be improved inaccordance with the purpose of the credit system.

In both the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science and Human Health,the degree-awarding process has been established; however, the procedures havenot been clearly stated. These should be stipulated and made accessible to students.

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In the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, the criteria for examining
degree-seeking dissertations have not been clearly defined. This should beimproved by clarifying the criteria in the student handbook (and other handbooks)
and making them accessible to students.

Enrollment
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The ratio of transfer students to the transfer student admission cap is low. In theFaculty of Humanities, no transfer students exist in the Department of Japanese
Culture, and the ratio is 0.25 in the Department of International Culture. Thissituation should be improved.

Area of Serious Concern
Enrollment
In the Faculty of Humanities, the ratio of enrolled students to the student enrollment
cap is low at 0.76 in the whole Faculty, with 0.89 in the Department of Japanese
Culture, 0.76 in the Department of International Culture, 0.78 in the Department ofHuman Relations, 0.68 in the Department of Space Design, and 0.70 in theDepartment of Visual Communication. In fact, in the entire university, the ratio islow at 0.78. These numbers must be improved. Moreover, in the last five years, theaverage of the ratios of enrolled freshmen to the freshman admission cap is low at0.85 in the Faculty of Humanities as a whole, with 0.89 in the Department ofInternational Culture, 0.83 in the Department of Human Relations, 0.74 in theDepartment of Space Design, and 0.77 in the Department of Visual Communication.
These numbers must be improved.