Vision, Policies & Pledge
AY2021-2025 Medium-term Plan ―Towards the Social Implementation of Liberal Arts―
Policies & Pledge
Policies related to our Mission
Student Pledge
Our first students matriculating on April 29, 1953 each signed a pledge to support the university philosophy and spend their ICU days abiding by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. This has been the custom at every matriculation ceremony.
Basic Policies for the Prevention of Human Rights Violations
As a university that values the International Declaration on Human Rights, ICU takes, as its responsibility, the securing of a safe campus for its community members to live and work, by providing an educational, research and working environment free from human rights violations. For this reason, discrimination on the basis of gender, race, nationality, origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, etc. and any harassment that takes advantage of one's position/standing, regardless of the form it takes, are unacceptable. All members of the campus community are expected to fully understand the internationality and the Christian spirit that ICU stands for and work together to create a pleasant campus.
Environmental Policy for ICU
International Christian University (hereafter ICU), a Christian liberal arts institution, declares its commitment to environmental mindfulness and stewardship in all its activities. The care for creation is fundamental to the mission of Christians everywhere. Moreover, as an educational institution, ICU is committed to the cultivation of responsible global citizens and believes that education is the best means to bring about a better and healthier world. The university seeks to integrate environmental awareness and responsibility into the daily life of the institution. Respect and care for the environment, protection of campus biodiversity, and responsible global citizenship are among the fundamental values that guide university-wide planning and decision-making.
All faculty, staff, and students who make up the ICU community should be aware of the way their actions affect the local and global environment in which we live.
ICU is endowed with a campus of extraordinarily natural beauty and cultural heritage. This gift can and should be treasured as one of the unique and appealing assets of the institution.
4. Internal Quality Assurance Policy
In order to fulfill ICU's mission, we have established policies and procedures for internal quality assurance, which has been a daily commitment since the University's inception, and we approach the various activities of the University with a critical mindset and strive to make creative improvements.
Policy and Procedures for the Internal Quality Assurance of ICU
5. Educational Curriculum and Learning Outcomes
ICU Policy on Academic Integrity
As members of a liberal arts institution devoted to academic excellence and the pursuit of truth, ICU students are expected to maintain the highest levels of honesty and integrity in all their endeavors. Scholarship is naturally built upon past achievements. Accordingly, it is a serious violation of academic integrity to pass off the thoughts, ideas, words, phrases or research of another person as if those achievements were one's own. All work submitted by students for evaluation by their teachers must be original work. Students are expected to properly acknowledge all sources of information that is not the product of their own research or thinking. ICU established this policy on February 19, 2004.
ICU Policy on Academic Integrity
ICU's Perspective on the Use of Generative AI by Students
ICU emphasizes the process of critical thinking among students. Therefore, when students engage in assignments, we expect them to think, research, reflect, and compose their responses in their own words. Texts created by generative AI, even with some alterations, will not be considered as their own work and will be deemed in violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. Tasks that are required to be completed by themselves should not be performed by generative AI. Violations of these policies will be treated as breaches of the Academic Integrity Policy.
ICU's Perspective on the Use of Generative AI by Students
Qualities Required in Faculty Members, and the Faculty Organization Policy
Qualities Required in Faculty Members stipulates faculty positions, as well as the principles and duties required. Faculty Organization Policy outlines basic principles such as the number of appointments, academic areas to hire from, consideration for impartiality, measures for faculty development, and procedures for fair appointments.
ICU Qualities Required in Faculty Members, and the Faculty Organization Policy
Introducing Faculty Development (FD) at ICU
International Christian University (ICU) has been committed to providing high-quality liberal arts education since its founding. ICU's unique educational approaches, such as small-group instruction that emphasizes dialogue, the adviser system designed to encourage students' self-motivated learning, and close collaboration among faculty across disciplinary boundaries, have been carried forward since the university's dedication. ICU also pioneered several practices that are now regarded as standard components of faculty development (FD) in Japan, including the introduction of the teaching effectiveness surveys and course syllabi. Voluntary FD research initiatives by faculty members began in the 1980s. To expand these efforts into a university-wide initiative, ICU established the position of FD Director in 1995 and the FD Committee in 2001. Educational improvement driven by the creativity and proactive engagement of faculty members remains a defining characteristic of FD at ICU.
In 2015, ICU established the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to further strengthen its FD functions and create an integrated support system that organically connects faculty teaching with student learning. CTL's FD initiatives cover a wide range of programs, including the New Faculty Development Program (NFDP), academic advising support, support for teaching in a second language, ICT support, and Teaching Assistant (TA) training. The center also hosts various workshops where faculty members share their educational strategies and learn from each other, and it publishes a bilingual FD Newsletter. Furthermore, CTL offers the Learning Accessibility Support and conducts various student surveys, contributing to the continuous enhancement of educational quality. The CTL Management Committee, chaired by the Director of CTL and composed of faculty representatives from all academic departments and programs, regularly reviews and advises on these FD activities.
Timeline of Faculty Development at ICU
1995 Establishment of the FD Directorship
1996 The first issue of the FD Newsletter
2002 Establishment of the FD Committee, with representatives from academic departments and programs
2015 Establishment of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), integrating the FD Director and FD Committee
2017 Launch of the New Faculty Development Program (NFDP)
2024 Integration of the Graduate School FD into CTL
Mission Statement of ICU's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Policies related to Student Support
Policies related to Student Support stipulate policies regarding learning support, support for student life, and support for career path.
Basic Policy for Student with Special Needs
Standing by the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ICU shall prepare and maintain an environment in which all students can learn on the basis of equal opportunity, without any discrimination, and with dignity. ICU shall secure opportunities for those with disabilities to participate in learning, teaching, research, and other related activities equally alongside those without disabilities.
Education and Research Environment
Polices of Research Activites
Appropriate Operation and Management of Public Research Funds
In light of the directive from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology titled "Guidelines on Research Institutions' Management and Auditing of Public Grant Monies" (15 February 2007), ICU has established the Committee for the Prevention of Fraudulent Activities and carries out appropriate operation and management of public research funds.
Office for Information on Misconduct in Research Activities
Experiments on Animals
At ICU maintains a Committee on the Use of Animals in Experimentation based on the "ICU Regulations on Animal Experimentation." At ICU, experiments using animals are conducted properly under the management of the university president.
Research Ethics Investigations
ICU has a Research Ethics Committee that checks whether research projects make sufficient considerations for the protection of personal information and protection of human rights. The committee's investigations take place before research projects begin and are aimed at researchers at ICU, including graduate students.
ICU Regulations on the Research Ethics Committee
Policy on Social Collaboration and Social Contribution
One of ICU's mission is to cultivate international-minded citizens. In order to establish and maintain beneficial relations with individuals and organizations throughout society, thereby contributing to the betterment of society, we have established policies surrounding the sharing of University's knowledge and expertise and the creation of a collaborative framework between the University and various individuals and organizations.
Management and Administration Policies
In order to realize ICU's mission, we have established the following policies: continuously review the transparent and fair management and administration of the University and our decision-making process; promote the training for faculty and staff; appropriately form organizations; and establish our audit system and financial base.