Nagoya University

Introduction to Nagoya

As the forth-largest city in Japan, the city of Nagoya is the prefectural capital of Aichi Prefecture, which is located in the southwest of the Chubu region, literally meaning the central Japan. The city has a station for the Shinkansen or the so-called Bullet Train, which runs east and west along the Pacific Ocean and is conveniently used for people to visit Japan's well-known sightseeing places such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.

Since the ancient times, the city has been playing an important role as a key region for transportation in an environment marked by the rich Nobi Plains. Following construction of the Nagoya Castle at the beginning of the 17th century, the castle town was built and industries were developed. Today also, the Port of Nagoya as a comprehensive port with over 100 years of history since it's opening and with the largest shipment value in Japan is connected with about 150 countries and regions in the world. With this serving as one of the strategic bases, the city is prosperous with, for example, automobile industry represented by Toyota Motor Corporation.

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The city of Nagoya with a population of about 2 million still continues to develop, while showing various different features such as being a core region for Japan's industrial technology, being a node in the national arterial traffic system, being a cultural city with a long history.

History of The University
Main gate of the Eighth Higher School
Main gate of the Eighth Higher School
the Okazaki Higher Normal School
the Okazaki Higher Normal School
Appearance of the operation in the Aichi Medical College
Appearance of the operation
in the Aichi Medical College

Nagoya University began its history in 1871 with its temporary hospital standing on a site where the conference chamber for the former Nagoya clan once stood, and the temporary medical school standing on a site where the magistrate's office for the former Nagoya clan once stood. Thereafter, many transitions took place, and the Aichi Medical College was established in 1920. In 1931, the management of the Aichi Medical College was transferred to the national government and the Nagoya Medical College was newly established in the same year. In 1939, the Nagoya Imperial University was established with the addition of the School of Science and Engineering and the School of Medicine, thus absorbing the Nagoya Medical College.

In 1942, the School of Science and Engineering was divided into the School of Engineering and the School of Science, and the name of the university was changed to Nagoya University in 1947. With the educational reform, the former Nagoya University, the attached medical school, the Eighth Higher School, the Nagoya Commercial College and the Okazaki Higher Normal School were integrated in 1949, and Nagoya University commenced under a new system of 6 Schools: the School of Letters, School of Education, School of Law & Economics, School of Science, School of Medicine and School of Engineering. Thereafter, the School of Law & Economics became independent schools in 1950 and the School of Agricultural Science was established in 1951, totaling 8 Schools, evolving into a larger comprehensive university.

In 1993, an extensive educational reform took place in line with the reorganization of the general education program, and the School of Informatics and Sciences was established as the 9th School responding to the demands of the age, as well as introducing a 4-year continuous education system for all schools (6-year continuous education for the School of Medicine) abolishing the College of General Education.
Graduate schools also went through system reforms after WWII, establishing 2-year masters and 3-year doctorate programs in the Schools of Letter, Education, Law, Economics, Science and Engineering in 1953. Graduate School was also established in the Schools of Medicine and Agricultural Science, and all eight schools, at the time, offered continuous education into graduate programs.

Stand-alone graduate schools without undergraduate programs were also established; International Development in 1991, Human Information Science in 1992, Mathematics in 1995, Language and Culture in 1998, Environmental Science in 2001 and Information Science in 2003 (abolishingHuman Information Science). Currently, there are 13 graduate schools.Other facilities include 3 subsidiary research institutes, 2 facilities open to the public and 16 research centers.
In 2004, Nagoya University became a national university with a new governing structure.