Shirayuri University

The educational philosophy at Shirayuri University centers on helping students develop as individuals in the Christian spirit, tolerance, and service. Echoing the founding principle of the Convent of St. Paul of Chartres, the parent organization of Shirayuri Gakuen, the university strives to cultivate women who embody a harmony of intelligence and sensibility.
The educational goals at Shirayuri University are to help each student embrace the quest for truth through the constant cultivation of intelligence, explore the dimensions of morality that transcend an individual’s process of self-realization by deepening one’s love of and service to others, appreciate the beauty in oneself and all of one’s surroundings, and embody a reverence borne of humility.
At Shirayuri University, where the “shirayuri” (white lily) adorns both the institution’s name and the school emblem, our mission is to cultivate proper, humble, dignified, independent women who combine a well-rounded character and far-reaching perspective with thorough, insightful specialized knowledge.
The story of Shirayuri University traces back to the Convent of St. Paul of Chartres, which originated in seventeenth-century France. An organization rooted in Catholicism, the largest Christian denomination globally, the Convent of St. Paul of Chartres embodies a philosophy that Shirayuri University continues to embrace: to treat every individual with equality and respect. The word “catholic,” originally a Greek adjective meaning “universal,” signifies the idea that we are all brothers and sisters in a united, communal family—one without the divisions of race, religion, or gender. As our ever-globalizing society makes international awareness more important than ever, students will need to learn and develop in that Catholic spirit to flourish in the world context.
To keep learning and growing throughout your entire life, you need a strong foundation to build on.
Intelligence and sensibility are two sides of the same coin. The deep-seated enthusiasm, emotion, and sensibility of wanting to know more and learn more all fuel a stronger desire to pursue intelligence through academic study. For all those of you looking to follow those aspirations at Shirayuri University, I want to emphasize that making the connection between intelligence and sensibility depends on valuing encounters with others: your instructors, who represent the generations of learners before you, your friends, who motivate you to give it your all and the people you meet studying abroad and participating in club activities, which add another, farther-reaching dimension to your world. These encounters are your gateways to the unknown, stirring your interest and nourishing your spirit of inquiry. Over your four years of study at Shirayuri University, there will be countless opportunities for you to encounter eye-opening things. We are committed to helping you use those new experiences to write your own life story—a narrative just beginning to take shape—as an independent woman, flexible in thought and expressive in character.