Osaka University - Definition and Overview

Osaka Imperial University was inaugurated as the sixth imperial university in Japan in 1931. It started with two faculties; medicine and science. The School of Engineering was added as a third faculty two years later. The name was changed to Osaka University in 1947. In 1949, as a result of the government's education system reform, Osaka University started its postwar career with five faculties: science, medicine, engineering, letters and law.

Historical Roots

The academic origins of Osaka University trace back to Kaitokudo, the Edo-period school for citizens (founded in 1724), and Tekijuku, the school of Rangaku (founded by Ogata Koan in 1838). It is believed that the spirit of the university's humanities faculties stemmed from Kaitokudo, while that of the science faculties, including medicine, came from Tekijuku.

External links

• Osaka University (http://www.osaka-u.ac.jp)