Strategic Plan 2009-2018

Kwansei Gakuin had established the New Strategic Plan for 10 years hence (2009-2018). This plan reconfirms the ‘Mission’ and the school motto 'Mastery for Service' that all members of Kwansei Gakuin have held in common over its long history, and sets out clearly the ideals for our graduates, and the ideal for Kwansei Gakuin University.

These were brought together to form a vision of Kwansei Gakuin 10 years hence (2009-2018), together with the strategies required to realize this vision.

Kwansei Gakuin Vision 2009-2018

1. Guaranteeing ‘KG Graduates’ of the highest quality

The educational goal of Kwansei Gakuin University is to produce caring and high-minded graduates with a rich fund of knowledge and a global perspective, who can tackle the problems of contemporary society with a free spirit that overcomes artificial barriers, enabling them to contribute fully to the creation of a new society.

To achieve this goal, we shall guarantee to furnish all our students with a quality of education worthy of Kwansei Gakuin. To this end we shall enhance the educational expertise of our faculty, while at the same time cultivating a learning community truly ‘without fences’ where faculty, staff and students learn together and from one another.

2. Becoming a world center for research appropriate to Kwansei Gakuin

Contemporary society is characterized by globalization and developments in science and technology, and this fact alone has raised hopes for the progress of humankind and the realization of its dreams. The reality, however, is that problems on a global scale, such as income disparities, war, environmental degradation, natural disasters, poverty, discrimination and cultural conflicts, far from disappearing, are actually becoming more widespread. As researchers who are also citizens of the world we must vigorously pursue research and create a global focus for research in those fields most appropriate for Kwansei Gakuin, that is to say research that has as its object the search for solutions to these problems. We shall create a research promotion system that continuously broadcasts the results of Kwansei Gakuin research to the world, improves our capacity to collect and disseminate research results, and strengthens our research program coordinating activities. Further, in order to foster the research activities of young scholars we shall push forward with the reform of graduate education, and enhance our support for students wishing to go on to postgraduate research. In this way we aim to create graduate schools incorporating the best characteristics of Kwansei Gakuin scholarship.

3. Strengthening our ties to the local community, business and global society

Serving society - often referred to as the ‘third mission of a university - is an important function linking the university with society, and has direct relevance to Kwansei Gakuin’s own mission. We shall strengthen our links with local people, corporations, public authorities and other universities, and enhance the scope of the activities of our Social Outreach Center to include service to society, and thus reinvigorate the educational and research activities of Kwansei Gakuin University. We shall also strengthen our ties with international organizations and serve international society by contributing in such globally important areas as poverty, conflict, education, welfare, medical care and the environment.

4. Creating an international multicultural campus

Realizing our goals of world-class education, research, and service to society, we shall strive to create a ‘learning community’ with a strong international presence. We shall create a multicultural campus where outstanding students and from all over the world live and work together, and increase the opportunities for our students and faculty to pursue their study and research overseas. We shall consolidate our organization so that it can pursue internationalization as a strategic goal, establish a system whereby students can obtain a degree using only the English language, strengthen and expand the international teaching and research program, expand the number of overseas partner universities, establish KGU Centers overseas, and strengthen our links with international organizations.

5. Pursuing the ideal of comprehensive and integrated education

The Kwansei Gakuin Educational Foundation is keenly aware not only of its common mission as an integrated educational institution, but also of the varied nature of the schools under its umbrella. We intend to nurture further the sense of community, by comprehensively strengthening the links between our component institutions, both in the academic curriculum and in extra-curricular activities. This will enable us to make a reality of the concept of Kwansei Gakuin as a comprehensive educational institution, embracing all its related schools. We shall further strengthen our cooperative links with the Alumni Association, consolidating the relationship of mutual assistance.

We affirm the basic concept of the unity of the Kobe Sanda Campus, and will strive for the revitalization of the campus as a whole. Against this background we shall consider the expansion and strengthening of the natural science academic field, including an increase in student numbers.

6. Establishing a system to manage rapid change and evolution

If we are to build a new Kwansei Gakuin that will be highly regarded by society it is essential that we create a new management system of unshakeable reliability, possessing the energy to drive the institution forward. To this end we shall establish a new system of governance through which decisions can be made speedily and transparently. We shall put Kwansei Gakuin’s finances on a firm foundation, enabling the sound and effective administration of its financial affairs. We shall also set up a personnel appraisal system for faculty and staff, which will lead to improvements in education and research and to the revitalization of Kwansei Gakuin.