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Kumamoto University

Kumamoto University is located in the heart of Kyushu Island in the southern part of Japan. We are home to great students, great faculty and great programs and many of the best and brightest minds of the world are part of the University and its 250 years of history.

Kumamoto University is a leader in innovation and discovery. Recently, we have been selected by the Government as one of the 22 Research Universities (RU22) in Japan and as one of the 37 Top Global University Projects. Consequently, Kumamoto University will be seeing increased internationalization brought about by international academic and student exchange programs, global-collaboration research programs with the world’s leading researchers at the Global Centers of Excellence (GCOE: three projects have been successfully completed), and other such international activities. The short-term international student exchange programs are conducted at both Kumamoto University and our partner universities. Through these activities, Kumamoto University has been contributing to local communities and to global society.

The University boasts one of the most beautiful and historic campuses in Japan. We offer a high-quality, safe, and fun student life, with all of the resources and services that you need to succeed. Not only do we offer some of Japan’s top academic programs, we offer a great campus life in a major city with many attractions. We promise you a wonderful and exciting campus life at Kumamoto University.

Number of Students

Undergraduates: 7,844
Graduate students: 2,033
International Students: 522

Number of Partner Schools

University-Level 111
Department-Level 125
Student Exchange Partner 154

7 Graduate Schools

  • Education
  • Social and Cultural Sciences
  • Science and Technology
  • Medical Sciences
  • Health Sciences
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Law

7 Facuilties

  • Letters
  • Education
  • Law
  • Science
  • Medicine
  • Pharmacy
  • Engineering

Overseas Offices

  • Dalian (China)
  • Surabaya (Indonesia)
  • Daejeon (Korea)
  • Khartoum (Sudan)

Activities

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Top Global University Project

Kumamoto University has been selected for the Top Global University Project. Our slogan is “A Leading University Cultivating Global Leaders from Kumamoto”. Taking the lead in the internationalization of Kyushu prefecture, the university is advancing a globalization initiative that gives expression to the region’s unique characteristics. It includes providing opportunities for early stage global education to high schools and technical colleges across the prefecture. To promote the globalization of undergraduate education, a Global Leader Course has been established in four existing academic divisions (Faculty of Letters, Law, Sciences, and Engineering) and, the course began in April 2017.

Establishment of the College of Cross-Cultural and Multidisciplinary Studies, and the Globalization of Education

The College of Cross-Cultural and Multidisciplinary Studies was established to provide total care for our international students and to help drive our global education activities. Division for Open Global Education develops global curricula in which Multidisciplinary Studies (the liberal arts education subjects delivered in English) and strengthening the Short-Term Exchange Program for international students taught in English. Division for Open Global Education offers several 2-week programs in summer and spring for students of Partner Universities to experience the rich culture of Japan and Kumamoto. With the participation and cooperation of current international students and local citizens, we created a new promotional video with multilingual captions to attract more international students. It can be viewed on the College of Cross-Cultural and Multidisciplinary Studies website.

College of Cross-Cultural and Multidisciplinary Studies website: http://www.c3.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/en/

“HIGO” (Health life science: Interdisciplinary and Glocal Oriented) Program

HIGO is a historical name of Kumamoto. The HIGO Program is designed for leading education in English at the graduate schools of medical, pharmaceutical and health sciences. The program is supported by MEXT and provides full scholarship. It is geared towards providing interdisciplinary education that is both research oriented and community based. By creating glocal (global and local) networks and utilizing glocal resources, it aims to nurture new generation of glocal leaders who will better understand the societal needs of the Kyushu region of Japan as well as the other areas of Asia so as to create glocal ties to resolve glocal issues these regions face.

IJEP (International Joint Education Program for Science and Technology) Program

The IJEP program is a special, well-organized postgraduate program focusing on international students who intend to study advanced science and technology but have little knowledge of Japanese language. All of the IJEP lectures are delivered in English. The program has attracted many talented students with high motivation from various countries, who enjoy collaborating with other international students as well as their Japanese classmates.

Researches

Promoting Globally-Advanced Research and Education Programs as a Research University

International Collaborative Research Groups for Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social and Cultural Sciences in the Division of Excellence in Research of the Priority Organization for Innovation and Excellence (POIE) was established in order to globalize our research activities and strengthen our ability to research. Under the management of top professors in each research group, we invite researchers from abroad, recruit talented young researchers, regularly hold international seminars, establish overseas joint laboratories, and do much more.

Institute of Pulsed Power Science (IPPS)

The IPPS conducts innovative research at the forefront of pulsed power (temporally controlled, instantaneous release of electrostatic, magnetic, mechanical or chemical energy) science, focusing on medical and environmental applications. The institute leverages international and interdisciplinary cooperation to study the effects of pulsed power on biological systems (bioelectrics) and extreme material science applications using explosives and super-gravity.

Water treatment by underwater discharge plasma

Magnesium Research Center (MRC)

Research of KUMADAI Magnesium Alloys has completely changed the way we think about the role of Mg in science and industry. The MRC was established in late 2011 to support further research on the groundbreaking discovery of a new manufacturing technology for an ultra-light, very high strength, non-flammable Mg alloy. The discovery of the KUMADAI Non-flammable Mg Alloy was made soon after the construction of the MRC. These alloys have a low environmental impact and are excellent candidates for use in aircraft or vehicle manufacturing. The center places a high priority on cutting edge internationally collaborative research and education.

KUMADAI Heat Resistant Magnesium Alloy

Center for AIDS Research (CAIDS)

CAIDS has acquired a worldwide reputation for pioneering research and innovative solutions for some of the most daunting challenges of the AIDS epidemic. As the first AIDS research center in Japan, CAIDS is known for its research on the human retrovirus HIV-1. The center focuses on human immunology and drug development, and is working toward immune-based treatments and vaccines against HIV-1 infection.

Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)

IMEG is promoting cutting-edge life science in the field of developmental biology and medicine, and aims at defining the molecular basis underlying developmental processes from the fertilized egg to the whole organism. Our efforts have led to the new discoveries in epigenetic control, pluripotent stem cells, and kidney development, which will significantly advance cell-based research and organ regeneration for human health and diseases.

Study on Eisei-Bunko Research Center: Hosokawa Manuscript Collection

Tremendous efforts are made to pursue comprehensive and systematic study of the Eisei Bunko Research Center, one of the largest and best collections of written articles spanning nearly every aspect of human activity during the daimyo and feudalistic era.

Information

Website  ewww.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Address  2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
Tel  (+81) 96 342 2101
Fax (+81) 96 342 2159
e-mail  gji-kikaku@jimu.kumamoto-u.ac.jp