Standard 1. Mission and Objectives, etc.
Scope: Mission, Goals and Educational Objectives
The Objective of this Standard
Professional graduate schools are public institutions that carry out practical education and research linking theory with practice. To that end, these schools need to clarify the following points: how they respond to social demand as professional graduate schools; how they try to achieve their mission and objectives; and what educational and research policies and achievement objectives should be set for each research division or course with the aim of achieving such mission and objectives. They also need to make the above points known to everybody in the school as well as society.
In order to adequately achieve their mission, goals and educational objectives, each school must gain the full understanding of its teachers and staff, and receive support from them.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 1-1. Clarity of mission, goals and educational objectives |
1-1-(1) Specific and clearly defined content 1-1-(2) Simple documentation |
| 1-2. Pertinence of mission, goals and educational objectives |
1-2-(1) Clear indication of individuality and distinctive quality 1-2-(2) Compliance with laws and regulations 1-2-(3) Response to change |
| 1-3. Effectiveness of mission, goals and educational objectives |
1-3-(1) Understanding and support of administrative executives, teachers and staff 1-3-(2) Internal and external communication 1-3-(3) Reflection of the mission,goals and educational objectives in mid- and long-term plans and in the three policies 1-3-(4) Consistency between the mission, goals and educational objectives, and the structure of an education and research organization |
Standard 2. Educational Curriculum
Scope: Educational Content and Methods, Learning Instruction, Learning Evaluation
The Objective of this Standard
In accordance with curriculum arrangement policies, the educational curriculum should be arranged systematically based on the educational objectives set for each research division and course, in the light of students’ needs, and the expectations of related business circles for cultivation of human resources. The curriculum content and standards should be appropriate for each degree awarded.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 2-1. Clarification of curriculum arrangement policies toward the achievement of educational objectives |
2-1-(1) Clarification of curriculum arrangement policies based on the mission, goals and educational objectives of professional graduate schools 2-1-(2) Consistency between the curriculum arrangement policies, and degree names and degree awarding policies |
| 2-2. Systematic curriculum arrangement in accordance with educational curriculum arrangement policies in consideration of the link between theoretical education and practical education |
2-2-(1) Proper selection of subjects in accordance with curriculum arrangement policies, and systematic arrangement of the curriculum in consideration of the link between theoretical education and practical education 2-2-(2) Curriculum content and standards that can meet expectations for the cultivation of human resources in the fashion and business occupational categories, and qualified human resources for the value of degree names 2-2-(3) Curriculum content based on the following conditions 1.The curriculum should be properly arranged from a viewpoint of enabling students to acquire the technical knowledge, thinking power, analytical ability, creative capacity, and planning ability necessary for fashion and business practice in which creation and management are comprehensively combined, and of fostering human resources who have acquired professional skills with a sense of ethics and a global view. 2. The curriculum should be arranged so that students can take the following subjects in a balanced manner focusing on the skills to be acquired: - Subjects related to creation of fashions - Subjects related to fashion technology - Subjects related to fashion management - Subjects related to comprehensive expertise 3. The curriculum should be arranged so as to provide a step-by-step education process by creating subjects that treat basic, developmental or practical content, or case studies. 4. A balance between theoretical subjects and practical subjects should be struck in order to achieve the goal for human resource development. |
| 2-3. Effectiveness of class styles, learning instruction, etc., suitable for meeting educational objectives |
2-3-(1) Various attempts to solidify the foundation of the credit recognition system by properly setting the upper limit of the number of credits registered for each course 2-3-(2) Various attempts to adopt the lesson content and teaching methods characteristic of professional graduate schools, including internship programs, case studies, field studies, and interactive or multidirectional discussions, with the aim of providing practical education according to educational objectives 2-3-(3) Preparation and utilization of a syllabus specifying a lesson plan for the year, lesson content, teaching methods, etc. 2-3-(4) For schools offering correspondence courses, proper establishment of a method of giving various types of lessons, including lessons using printed materials accompanied with correction by a teacher, lessons broadcast on TV, classroom lessons, or lessons using other media |
| 2-4. Definition of requirements for credit recognition and completion certification, operation of their systems, and appropriateness of inspection and evaluation for the achievement of educational objectives |
2-4-(1) Establishment of clear standards for credit recognition and course completion requirements, announcement of those standards and requirements to students, and ensuring strict compliance with them 2-4-(2) Efforts to inspect and evaluate to what extent educational objectives have been achieved by conducting surveys on students’ learning situation, acquisition of qualifications and job-hunting activities, student attitude surveys, questionnaires for companies recruiting students, etc. |
Standard 3. Students
Scope: Student Admission, Support for Learning, and Student Services
The Objective of this Standard
In order to enhance educational outcomes, it is important for preparatory students to fully understand the educational concept and purpose of each professional graduate school for human resource development before choosing the school for which they want to take an entrance exam. Therefore, professional graduate schools are required to demonstrate their student admission policies that underline what personality or purpose enrolled students should have, as well as to incorporate those policies into their actual entrant selection methods.
As professional graduate schools, they also need to organizationally provide students with advice and guidance for supporting their autonomous and effective learning, as well as student services to help them to enjoy a comfortable school life.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 3-1. Consistency between student admission policies and entrant selection |
3-1-(1) Definition of clear student admission policies that meet the educational objectives and purpose of the professional degree program system, and public announcement and publicity of those policies 3-1-(2) Proper implementation of entrant selection according to student admission policies 3-1-(3) Proper management of the enrollment capacity, yearly enrollment quotas, and current number of students to ensure an environment suitable for education 3-1-(4) Determination of an adequate number of students who can simultaneously take the same class considering various conditions, such as class styles and facilities/equipment, for the purpose of achieving the maximum educational effect |
| 3-2. Appropriate establishment and operation of a learning support system |
3-2-(1) Establishment of a learning support system to provide guidance on how to take a course or advice on how to learn, and appropriate operation of the system based on students’ opinions 3-2-(2) For schools offering correspondence courses, establishment of an appropriate organization to provide learning support with the aim of conducting educational programs effectively through various media |
| 3-3. Appropriate establishment and operation of a student services system |
3-3-(1) Establishment of an organization to provide student services, and appropriate operation of the organization based on students’ opinions 3-3-(2) Appropriate financial support for students 3-3-(3) Appropriate counseling for students about health, livelihood, etc. 3-3-(4) Establishment of a counseling and support system for finding employment or advancing to a school of higher grade, and appropriate operation of the system |
Standard 4. Teachers
Scope: Teacher Organization, Personal Affairs Policies, Faculty Development (FD), Teacher Assignment, etc.
The Objective of this Standard
Professional graduate schools are required to clarify their basic policies as regards the organizational structure for teachers in order to achieve their mission and objectives. They are also required to ensure an adequate number of teachers and assign them properly so that they comply with the above policies and meet legal standards, including Professional Graduate School Establishment Standards. In addition, those schools need to establish a system that supports teacher education and research activities, and to encourage teachers to make organizational efforts to improve education and research activities.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 4-1. Appropriateness of teacher assignment for implementation of educational curriculum |
4-1-(1) Clarification of the basic policies as regards the organizational structure for teachers, ensuring the teachers necessary to implement the educational curriculum based on those policies, and proper assignment of teachers 4-1-(2) Determination of the number and qualification of full-time teachers (including teaching practitioners) specified in the basic policies as regards the organizational structure for teachers in compliance with related provisions of Professional Graduate School Establishment Standards 4-1-(3) Appropriateness of the composition of teachers (e.g. age, specialized fields, ratio of teaching practitioners and teaching researchers) |
| 4-2. Clarity of policies concerning recruitment and promotion of teachers, and appropriateness of their implementation |
4-2-(1) Clarification of policies concerning recruitment and promotion of teachers, establishment of rules in accordance with policies, and proper operation of policies |
| 4-3. Appropriateness of the class quota for each teachers, and support system for teacher education and research activities |
4-3-(1) Consideration of the class quota for full-time teachers in order to achieve educational and research goals 4-3-(2) Proper use of teaching assistants (TAs) who support teacher education and research activities, and appropriate allocation of resources, including research funds |
| 4-4. Effectiveness of efforts to revitalize teacher education and research activities |
4-4-(1) Implementation of organized activities (e.g. FD) for improved content and methods of class instruction, and their outcomes 4-4-(2) Establishment and proper operation of the evaluation system to revitalize teacher education and research activities |
| 4-5. Appropriateness of decision-making on teacher personnel management |
4-5-(1) Establishment of a professional graduate school decision-making organization for teacher personnel management, and clarification of its powers, responsibilities and functions |
Standard 5. Education and Research Environment
Scope: Facilities and Equipment, Books, IT Environment, etc.
The Objective of this Standard
It is necessary to create an education and research environment with facilities and equipment necessary for achievement of education and research goals, and to effectively use those facilities and equipment.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 5-1. Effectiveness of facilities and equipment necessary for the achievement of education and research goals |
5-1-(1) Improvement/development and effective use of facilities and equipment necessary for the achievement of education and research goals, including school grounds, school buildings, books and materials, information-related equipment, and ancillary structures 5-1-(2) Efforts to improve the education and research environment based on opinions of students and teaching staff |
| 5-2. Ensuring safety of facilities and equipment, and appropriateness of maintenance management |
5-2-(1) Ensuring safety of facilities and equipment, and appropriate maintenance management |
Standard 6. Self-Inspection and Evaluation
Scope: Pertinence, Integrity and Effectiveness of Self-Inspection and Evaluation
The Objective of this Standard
Professional graduate schools should assume the primary responsibility for quality assurance, given their principle that importance should be placed on independence and autonomy. Thus, we believe that the objective of certified evaluation and accreditation is to enhance the quality of Self-Inspection and Evaluation by assessing its implementation status as well as the situation in which the results are put to effective use.
Even though Self-Inspection and Evaluation is conducted for the purpose of certified evaluation and accreditation, professional graduate schools are expected to carry out Self-Inspection and Evaluation on their own initiative and responsibility in a manner that fulfills the original purpose of facilitating improvement in education and research, and ensuring accountability to society.
| Point Evaluated | Perspectives for Evaluation |
|---|---|
| 6-1. Pertinence of Self-Inspection and Evaluation |
6-1-(1) Independent and autonomous Self-Inspection and Evaluation in accordance with the mission and goals of professional graduate schools 6-1-(2) Pertinence of the Self-Inspection and Evaluation system 6-1-(3) Pertinence of the frequency of Self-Inspection and Evaluation |
| 6-2. Integrity of Self-Inspection and Evaluation |
6-2-(1) Highly-transparent Self-Inspection and Evaluation based on evidence 6-2-(2) Adequate survey and collection/analysis of data for monitoring the present situation 6-2-(3) Sharing the results of Self-Inspection and Evaluation within schools as well as the publication of relevant information to the general public |
| 6-3. Effectiveness of Self-Inspection and Evaluation |
6-3-(1) Establishment of the PDCA mechanism for utilizing the results of Self-Inspection and Evaluation, and its functionality |