Eiko Tanimoto

Eiko Tanimoto
President of the Board of Trustees
Chancellor

Message

As of April 1, 2021, I will concurrently serve as the Chancellor. Despite the challenges of the COVIC-19 pandemic, we will be able to offer face-to-face classes in the new academic year. We will try to make the best use of the various challenges we have experienced in the past year.

In 2020, our university celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding. The predecessor of our university was established in 1945, three months after the end of the World War II. The founder hoped to create an institution which would contribute to the reconstruction of the country and return to international society.

The University has now grown to accommodate 12,000 students in its Kansai Gaidai University (3 undergraduate programs), Kansai Gaidai College (a two-year program), the Graduate School, Asian Studies Program and Confucius Institute.

Kansai Gaidai College has played a vital role in the development of the institution because of its scale and quality of education. The homelike atmosphere created by the College has been maintained to date.

We have always been a frontrunner in the field of international education. We are now affiliated with 393 institutions in 55 countries and regions. 1900 local students study abroad annually while 750 students from approximately 30 countries and regions study with us at Kansai Gaidai. The scale of operations is among the largest in the country.

It is my belief that “教育 Education” means “共育 Grow Together.” To achieve this goal, I myself return to podium and teach a class in the K.G.C. Basics Course offered to junior college students. As stated in the “Book of Rites,” a Chinese classic, teaching and learning can be enhanced by learning from each other. Based on this concept, I hope all faculty, staff and students will grow by teaching and learning from one another.

We are living in a chaotic era of restructuring the international order and implementing rapid technological advancements including AI. Universities are expected to improve the quality of education. Returning to the starting point of our university mission, we must strive to build a firm management system with the concept of “students first.” We are determined to achieve university reform through working together with an unwavering spirit.

Profile

1986 Doctor of Humane Letters, Morningside College, USA
1992 Doctor of Humane Letters, Pacific University, USA
2000 Award for Distinguished Service in Junior College Education, Ministry of Education
2001 Doctorado Honoris Causa, Universidad Tecnológia de Santiago, Dominican Republic
2004 Commendation for Distinguished Achievements in Labor Administration by the Governor of Osaka Prefecture
2006 La Orden Administrador Emerito and Servidor Distinguid, Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion – CESA, Columbia
2007-2021 President, Kansai Gaidai College
2007 Doctor Honoris Causa, Universidad Blas Pascal, Argentina
2007 Honorary Professorship, Beijing Language and Culture University, People's Republic of China
2008- President of the Board of Trustees, Kansai Gaidai University
2009 Medal with Blue Ribbon
2014 Individual Performance Excellence Award, Confucius Institute, People's Republic of China
2017 The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
2021- Chancellor, Kansai Gaidai University

President Oba Yukio

Yukio Oba, Ph.D.
President of Kansai Gaidai University
Member of Board of Trustees

Message

One year of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed and a new academic year has begun. Face-to-face classes are about to start, and the students' energetic voices will return to our campus. All members of the faculty and staff will work together to realize a student-oriented education.

Since its inception in 1945, international education has been the core of the University’s development, as set forth in our founding principles. We aim to 1) nurture individuals with a well-rounded education who can contribute to the international community; and 2) focus on practical learning in order to meet changing social needs and cultivate fair-minded perspectives on the world.

Our international network has now expanded to include 393 institutions in 55 countries and regions, which brings us a gift of diversity in many respects. Utilizing our inbound and outbound study abroad programs and the opportunities for active interactions with other students and faculty members from around the world, our students experience a wealth of intercultural encounters and the benefits they offer. With the value we place on experiential learning, students develop deeper understandings of different cultures and diverse values through effective engagement with others both inside and out of the classroom. Such engagements are often milestones in students’ paths to cultivating a global perspective. It is our belief in these processes of growth that has led us to develop our extensive international programs.

The world today presents many challenges that can only be resolved by putting our wisdom together beyond boundaries. As a front-runner in international education, Kansai Gaidai is firmly committed to continue our efforts in fostering individuals willing and able to help make the world a better place for all.

Kansai Gaidai University looks forward to welcoming those who would like to explore the world and discover their pathways to becoming global citizens.

Profile

1976 Master of Arts, Kyushu University
1985-1986 Visiting Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1997 Doctor of Philosophy, Osaka University
1998 Ichikawa's Prize (The Institute for Research in Language Teaching)
1999-2013 Professor, Graduate School of Letters, Osaka University Graduate School
2008-2009 Director, English Literary Society of Japan
2010 Vice Dean, Graduate School of Letters, Osaka University Graduate School
2012-2016 Director, English Linguistic Society of Japan
2013 Professor Emeritus, Osaka University
2013-2017 President, English Linguistic Society of Japan
2013- Professor, Kansai Gaidai University
2013- Member of the Board of Trustees, Kansai Gaidai University
2014-2021 Dean, Foreign Studies Research Division, Kansai Gaidai University Graduate School
2018- Adviser, English Linguistic Society of Japan
2020- President, Kansai Gaidai University

President Oba Yukio

Kazuko Tanimoto
President of Kansai Gaidai College

Message

Kansai Gaidai College is a place of learning that greatly expands your possibilities. We position our college as the "First Stage" of higher education. In the two-year curriculum, students aim to acquire practical English proficiency and a wide range of education, as well as to improve the basic skills and competencies needed in Society. We nurture college students to be well prepared for moving on to their “Second Stage”, which is to transfer to a four-year university or enter the workforce.

Since the opening of Kansai Gaidai College in 1953, we have emphasized practical studies and have focused on fostering individuals who can contribute to the international community. Our college today boasts as one of the largest junior colleges in Japan, and students can freely select a wide range of courses to meet their career goals. In recent years, the majority of KGC students have desired to transfer, and through the enrichment of a liberal arts education and the improvement of academic support, more than 400 students every year are ready to transfer to Kansai Gaidai University or to national, public, and private universities.

The homelike learning environment since the opening of the College has been carefully created through the joint teamwork of our faculty and staff based on the concept of "student first.” For example, in order to meet the diversifying needs of students, our class teachers serve as advisors for students throughout their two years of study. Class teachers also work together with the Career Center staff to provide a detailed support system that realizes students’ desired career paths. In addition, the class teachers are in charge of the introductory education class “K.G.C. Basics” and work to develop the knowledge and social skills necessary for career development after graduation. If our students have any concerns or difficulties in their college life, their class teacher will guide them in the right direction.

The bright and energetic campus offers practical educational programs tailored to the future. As a junior college where diverse students with various values gather through the study of "Language + α", we will foster students who can survive in an era of unpredictability.

Profile

1994 M. A. in Anthropology, Washington State University, USA
2004 Doctoral Research Course in Human Culture, Graduate School, Ochanomizu University, Japan, with completion of doctoral course requirements
2009-2011 Professor, Kansai Gaidai University
2011-2021 Vice President, Kansai Gaidai College
2011- Professor, Kansai Gaidai College
2020- Ad-hoc Member of the University Subcommittee, the Central Council for Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
2021- President, Kansai Gaidai College