Since its foundation in 1942, Kumamoto Gakuen University has a long history of active international exchange participation. This history gives us the experience to respond to your needs and help you get the most out of your exchange experience.
Our school is located near the center of Kumamoto City. We have a beautiful campus filled with green spaces. Our Ginkgo Avenue (echo Namiki) is well known in the city for its autumn splendor. Our campus is relatively small, so you will find it easy to make friends. Your teachers at KGU are knowledgeable and friendly. Your Japanese classes will have no more than 15 students.
The inception of Kumamoto Gakuen University can be traced back to the Kumamoto International Association's founding in 1918. This local organization was dedicated to educating young people who could contribute to Japan's development by working overseas. The founding in 1942 of the Institute of Oriental Languages, the school from which our university developed, was an extension of that project. Since then, the university's growth has continued to be characterized by our twin commitments to community and internationalism.
As our institution has grown, our ties to the local community have remained strong. When the Institute of Oriental Languages was established, Shigeru Ishizaka, who had represented Kumamoto in Japan's Imperial Diet and would serve as mayor of Kumamoto City, became its first director. Then, when we became a four-year university in 1954, Morio Takahashi, who had also served as Kumamoto City mayor, became our first president. With such support from leading figures in the local community, we have grown into a university with five faculties, twelve departments, and five graduate schools. Many of our more than 90,000 graduates have assumed prominent positions in local businesses and government.
Our Open Research Center for Minamata Studies is another example of our deep connection to the local community. The center is devoted to promoting interdisciplinary, community-based research on mercury poisoning's physical and social effects that occurred near the southern border of Kumamoto Prefecture. As the only university in Japan with a research facility devoted exclusively to the study of Minamata disease, we can combine our commitment to contributing to our community with our commitment to international cooperation. The entering into force of the Minamata Convention of Mercury in August of 2017 is a clear indication of this local issue's global significance. The international research and educational activities of the Our Open Research Center for Minamata Studies constitute a prime example of the connection we see between local community and globalism.
Educationally, we are committed to encouraging our students to experience foreign cultures and deepen their understandings of the connections between local and global communities. We are actively seeking to strengthen and extend our ties to universities outside of Japan and welcome students from other countries. We strive to foster the balanced growth of internationally-minded young people who can think for themselves as they learn to contribute to local and international communities.
You can choose from over 100 clubs to join and make Japanese friends, keep up with your favorite sport, or learn a traditional Japanese sport or cultural activity. You can experience Japanese culture through the various festivals and events held on campus throughout the year. You can make friends from all over the world because KGU has exchange programs with universities in many countries.
You will be supported by the helpful and friendly staff at the Office of International Education. You will live in our International Residence, located close to campus, which means you will spend more time meeting and interacting with students and less time traveling to and from school.
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