Accreditation Standards for Junior College

Structure of the Standards for junior college

Accreditation Standards for Junior College has four standards.
Standard I: Spirit of foundation and Effectiveness – The junior college recognizes it’s role and responsibility based on its educational outcomes, assesses and assures the educational quality.
Standard II: Educational program and Student support – are to be clearly defined to accomplish the mission and effectiveness.
Standard III: Educational Resources and Financial Resources – are reviewed, identified and assessed to support educational and research activity and college organization.
Standard IV: Leadership and Governance – are reviewed and assessed as a whole system of college.
These four standards help the institution to oversee its situation and systematically organize/conduct self-study and self-evaluation of the whole institution.

Under each standard (I – IV), themes A-D are set as needed, and review criteria (1-8) are provided for each theme as critical elements for self-study and self-evaluation. Junior colleges are required to describe all the related items in the narratives of self-study and self-evaluation report, and to provide documentation of current status and characteristics.

Structure of Accreditation Standards for Junior Colleges

Standard Theme Criteria
Standard I

Spirit of Foundation and Effectiveness

 A　Spirit of foundation 1　Spirit of foundation is clearly established.
2　The junior college contributes community as higher educational institution.
B　Effectiveness 1　The junior college clearly established educational goals and objectives.
2　The junior college clearly defines Student Learning Outcomes.
3　The junior college systematically established and publicized three policies – 1) graduation certification, awarding degree, 2) designing and implementing curriculum, and 3) admission policy.
C　Assurance of quality of education 1　The junior college clearly established the implementation system of self-study, self-evaluation and engages in assurance of quality of education.
2　The junior college assures quality of education.
Standard II

Curriculum (Educational programs) and Student Support Services

 A　Curriculum 1　The junior college clearly defines the policy of graduation certificate and awarding degree. (Diploma policy)
2　The junior college clearly describes curriculum policy.
3　Based on Standards for Establishment of Junior Colleges, the junior college designs and organizes curricula for students to acquire a broad range of general knowledge.
4　Based on Standards for Establishment of Junior Colleges, educational programs are designed and organized for developing student’s abilities in vocational and real life.  The junior college provides vocational education.
5　The junior college clearly defines admission policies.
6　The student learning outcomes at the department, major course, and college are clearly demonstrated.
7　The junior college has systematic mechanism to measure student learning outcome by using qualitative and qualitative data.
8　The junior college engages in the student’s post-graduation evaluation.
B　Student Support Services 1　The junior college effectively utilizes educational resources for achieving student learning outcomes.
2　The junior college systematically provides support services for students to achieve their learning outcomes.
3　The junior college systematically provide daily life support for the students to achieve learning outcomes.
4　The junior college provide students with career counseling and support.
Standard III

Educational Resource and Financial Resources

 A　Human Resources 1　The junior college establishes faculty organization based on curriculum policy.
2　Teaching faculty perform teaching and research activities based on the policy of curriculum design and implementation of the department and major course.
3　The junior college establishes administrative organization for improvement of student learning outcomes.
4　The junior college comply with labor related laws and regulations including Labor Standard Act.  Human resources and labor are appropriately managed.
B　Physical Resources 1　Land, buildings, facilities and other physical resource of the college are maintained and utilized based on the policy of curriculum design and implementation of department and major course.
2　The Junior college performs maintenance of facility equipment properly.
C　Technical Resources and other educational resources 1　The Junior college maintains technical resources to achieve student learning outcomes based on the policy of curriculum design and implementation.
D　Financial Resources 1　The Junior college appropriately manages financial resource.
2　Based on key performance indicator of the Promotion and Mutual aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan, the junior college understands the actual situation, formulates and manages plans to assure financial stability.
Standard IV

Leadership and Governance

 A　Leadership of CEO 1　Management and operation system of incorporated educational institution including board of directors is established.
B　Leadership of President 1　Managing and operation system including faculty meeting is established to achieve student learning outcomes.
C　Governance 1　Auditors adheres regulation of endowment act and perform duties appropriately.
2　Board of Councilors holds meetings based on the act of endowment, and is managed properly as advisory body for board members including CEO.
3　The junior college has highly public nature and accountability, actively publicized information and committed to be accountable.