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

Overview
Ibaraki Christian University holds to "aim to foster human beings who respect justice, are willing to serve people and society with true neighborly love, and dedicated to the welfare of humankind and world peace" as the "educational mission of our school" as set forth by the school corporation Ibaraki Christian Education Community (hereinafter referred to as the "Corporation"). Based on this, the mission and purpose of the University is to "cultivate individuals who sincerely pursue research and instruction in academic fields and serve not only local communities but also the international community with the ability to apply their intellect". In addition, in order to achieve this mission and purpose, the University has clarified the "School Medium-Term Management Plan" and is working to enhance education and research activities. Regarding internal quality assurance, the medium-term goals (hereinafter referred to as the "Master Plan") that aim to be achieved in five years, and the business content and goals (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan") for assessing the progress of each academic year are created under the "School Medium-Term Management Plan." While assessing these in each faculty / department / major and each graduate school / major, as well as each department in charge, the University strives to carry out the quality assurance by examining daily issues found at each departmental faculty council or department conference at the University Steering Council hosted by the President. In addition, the curriculum and learning outcomes are checked and reviewed from a University-wide perspective, centered on the "Curriculum Council" and the "Lesson Improvement Committee". However, the efforts toward internal quality assurance in each field are not sufficiently positioned as systematic efforts for the University as a whole, and in particular, it is a notable problem that the "Check and Review Steering Committee" - positioned as the "responsible body" for internal quality assurance - is held only in the previous academic year when the University Accreditation is conducted. In addition, there is clearly a problem that the minutes of multiple conferences related to internal quality assurance are not sufficiently prepared and that efforts related to internal quality assurance are not adequately shared within the University. Regarding the curriculum, the curriculum design and implementation policy (curriculum policy) consisting of "method and mission," "field," "year" and "assessment" based on the degree award policy (diploma policy) systematized by the founding spirit 1 and the three components of academic ability has been formulated. Appropriate organization is achieved by utilizing numbering of the subjects while considering their sequential and systematic nature. In addition, in implementing this, the University will thoroughly educate small groups while creating an "active learning elements type table." By utilizing this in the syllabus, it has also achieved results such as raising awareness of active learning among teachers. With regard to learning outcomes, the assessment policy and evaluation at the completion stage of the course are in the investigation stage, but in each class, the University is finding ways to strive to ascertain the achievement goals, assessment methods, and assessment ratios in accordance with the system shown in the degree award policy. Many commendable efforts can be seen in the fields of student support and social cooperation / social contribution. In particular, for career support, by devising measures such as training and allocating qualified staff, the University advocates meticulous student support while coordinating between departments under the student support policy and career support policies, as well as the achievements of cooperation with local communities and international exchange that have been undertaken so far. It is highly commended for having sufficiently achieved training in "practical voluntarism" and a “globalization policy”. However, there are several issues that should be addressed. In the last five years, the average of ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap and the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap have been high in certain departments, so improvements are required. Concerning graduate schools, the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low in multiple undergraduate and graduate divisions, so improvement is required. In the future, we hope that by developing how the internal quality assurance system is organized and fully demonstrating its functions, the University will be able to address these issues and further develop numerous distinctive initiatives that lead to further leaps forward in progress.
Notable Strengths
Faculty and Faculty Organization ● In order to promote the introduction of lessons using active learning, the University has created an "active learning elements type table," and in the table, the active learning elements are divided into 18 types and made apparent. The "AL elements" item is also found in the syllabi of all faculty / graduate school subjects, and the specific method is described and clearly stated in the syllabi. In this way, the fact of how active learning on campus should be is clearly put into words and shared can be evaluated as an effort to increase the awareness of faculty members.
Student Support
● The "Career Support Center" recommends that the staff members of the Center acquire multiple qualifications to help them in their career support for graduating students, and budgets course tuition fees, etc., in order to enhance the consultation services for students' job-hunting experience as part of cultivating human resources in a planned manner. In addition, qualified personnel provide feedback to encourage students who have taken the behavioral characteristic test to promote self- understanding, and the employment rate has been maintained at a high level for the past five years. Therefore, it can be said that high-quality career support is sufficiently provided in line with the priority items based on the career support policy, and it is commendable that a series of efforts related to these forms of career support has transpired.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
● In accordance with the University's mission and purpose, the "Regional & International Exchange Center" plays a central role in promoting collaboration projects with government agencies, other universities, regional organizations, as well as participation in regional and international exchange projects. Regarding community contributions, students implement projects to help solve regional issues, such as concluding cooperation agreements with neighboring cities in Ibaraki Prefecture, where the university is located. It is recognized that not only faculty staff but also students are actively participating in social cooperation and social contribution activities, while dispatching volunteer students to facilities including elementary and junior high schools in the city. In addition, with respect to international exchange, volunteer activities are being carried out in collaboration with overseas partner universities and in response to requests for cooperation from regional organizations. It is commendable that many of the activities related to regional contribution and international exchange that make the best use of the characteristics of each faculty / department have fully achieved the "practical volunteerism" and "globalization policy" set forth by the University.
Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes ● Since the learning outcomes are ascertained and evaluated by assessment of academic achievement and in principle are left to the discretion of the instructor in charge of the lesson, improvement is required to measure the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy as a University in a multifaceted and appropriate manner. Student Enrollment ● The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is low at 0.08 in the Master's Course in the School of Literature, and 0.20 in the Master's Course in the School of Life Sciences. Therefore, the University should significantly improve graduate school quota management.
Recommendations
Internal Quality Assurance ● The relationship between, the "Check and Review Steering Committee," which is the main axis of internal quality assurance, and the University Steering Council which is a council body that manages the entire University, including other council bodies is not clear. Also, the checks and reviews conducted by each faculty / graduate school and each administrative department every academic year is not positioned as a systematic internal quality assurance initiative for the University as a whole. In addition, although checks and reviews based on the "Action Plan" to achieve the “School Medium-Term Management Plan” are conducted on an annual basis, checks and reviews led by the "Check and Review Steering Committee" have not been adequately conducted so far. Since it cannot be said that improvements based on this have been properly implemented, corrections should be made so that the internal quality assurance system based on checks and reviews of each faculty / graduate school and each administrative department will be established and function properly from here on. Educational Program and Learning Outcomes ● The School of Literature, Master's Course in English Literature, English Linguistics and TESOL has not formulated criteria for reviewing the outcomes of research on specific subjects. This should be rectified so that they can be determined and made public. Student Enrollment ● In the last five years, the average of ratios of freshman enrollment to the freshman enrollment cap is high at 1.27 in the College of Literature, Department of Contemporary English, 1.26 in the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies, 1.30 in the College of Life Sciences, Department of Psychology and Welfare, and 1.25 in the College of Business Administration, Department of Business Administration. The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is high at 1.23 in the College of Life Sciences, Department of Psychology and Welfare. The University should make significant improvements in quota management for its undergraduate program.