Kyorin University

Overview
Kyorin University defines its educational philosophy as "nurturing internationally- minded people of high character dedicated to helping others" through its founding spirit of "pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty." To achieve these principles, the University has formulated the Kyorin University Medium-term Plan and is carrying out reforms based on the plan. The ongoing fifth medium-term plan focuses on on- site, bottom-up approaches, with the aim of increasing the levels of faculty and staff satisfaction and encouraging active participation in the University's activities, thereby further enhancing the effectiveness of the plan. Regarding the University's internal quality assurance, the Deans Meeting, which consists of the president and deans, is positioned as an organization responsible for promoting university-wide internal quality assurance. The Self-Study Committee established under this meeting inspects and assesses reports submitted by the faculties, graduate schools, and facilities from a university-wide perspective, with the results evaluated by the External Evaluation Committee, before reporting the self- study results to the Deans Meeting. Upon receiving the report, the meeting instructs each organization to make improvements, and the organization heads report the results of the items addressed. The inspection and assessment processes use the results of the evaluations carried out by the IR Promotion Office. In AY2022, an assessment plan was developed to examine and review the inspection and assessment methods with a view to enhancing the internal quality assurance system. In the years ahead, the University is expected to further solidify and steadily operate these systems. The University has undertaken a distinctive initiative in faculty development (FD). A faculty award system using class evaluations by students has been established, with awardees holding FD sessions to share their teaching techniques with other faculty members. Some faculties have created a mechanism for faculty members to cooperate in exploring teaching methods in order to enhance their teaching performance. It is highly commendable that the University is actively improving the faculty members' performance in the pursuit of higher education quality. The University’s student support is also highly commendable as an effort aiming to provide individual students with specific support through a mechanism to facilitate positive faculty-student relationships by offering around-the-clock consultation services through homeroom teachers, academic advisors, and other staff. In terms of social cooperation, the University has established the cross-faculty subject Local Community and University to foster student interest in the local community, while collaborating with overseas universities to provide education on disaster and urban development, and working with businesses on disaster prevention efforts. These initiatives are outstanding. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the University has adopted various approaches since AY2020 to facilitate access to lessons and student support, such as holding lectures on infectious diseases and countermeasures by faculty members from the Faculty of Medicine during FD and staff development (SD) sessions. There are several issues the University needs to address, however. Regarding quota management, the Faculty of Medicine's student enrollment ratio remains far above the student enrollment cap, and this situation should be addressed. To prevent students from taking a leave of absence or repeating the year, the Faculty of Medicine has introduced a homeroom teacher system, in which teachers interview students to understand their situations and offer academic counseling and other services. Further measures should be adopted through this activity. As for the University's finances, it is difficult at this time to determine whether the University has established a solid financial base due to the opening of the Inokashira Campus and its capital investment in hospital divisions. The plans and measures of the University need to be clarified. The University is expected to resolve these issues through its internal quality assurance efforts, while utilizing the faculties' numerous educational resources to provide a more fulfilling university education. In the years ahead, it is expected that the University will continue to progress by enhancing its distinctive features.
Notable Strengths
Faculty and Faculty Organization . The University has established the Teacher of the Year Award system using class evaluations by students as a benchmark for assessing its faculty members' educational activities. It also holds FD sessions with high-rated faculty members lecturing on teaching techniques and sharing their knowledge with other members. The Faculty of Social Sciences has introduced a peer observation system for reviewing the teaching methods of low-rated faculty members and discussing ways to improve their lessons in cooperation with other faculty members. It is commendable that these initiatives have helped improve the quality of education across the university.
Student Support
. Homeroom teachers, academic advisors, and other staff are assigned to each faculty and regularly interview students. The University has begun offering counseling services for students with poor academic performance or financial or mental health problems, and provides individualized caring support in cooperation with certified psychologists and its affiliated hospital as needed. In addition, a mechanism is in place to solicit opinions from students and respond quickly to their needs, with suggestion boxes set up on campus and student representatives appointed to the Academic Affairs Committee in the Faculty of Medicine. It is commendable that the University's student support has achieved a high level of student satisfaction.
Social Cooperation and Contribution
● The University has signed partnership agreements with Mitaka City in Tokyo and other neighboring municipalities to conduct many community contribution activities, and Local Community and University was created in AY2016 as a university-wide common subject based on these activities. This subject has become one of the guidelines providing students with opportunities to develop an interest in the local community by learning about the community's conditions and challenges as well as the significance of universities and students engaged in the community. In addition, group work in Local Community and University helps students strengthen cooperation beyond the faculties. It is commendable that these initiatives are expected to encourage student participation in social cooperation and community activities.
Suggestions for Improvement
Student Enrollment . The Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, has a high ratio of 1.03 in student enrollment to the student enrollment cap. This ratio should be lowered with the faculty’s student quotas thoroughly managed. University Management and Finance . The ratio of financial assets to the required reserve fund remains low due to the opening of the Inokashira Campus and the University's capital investment in hospital divisions, including upgrading high-cost medical equipment, in AY2016. The ratio of next academic year’s excess of carry-over expenditures to operating income is also showing an upward trend. This situation indicates that the University is far from establishing a solid financial base. The University should work to consolidate its financial foundation by achieving its goals in line with future medium-term financial plans and clarifying the plans and measures to improve its balance sheet.