TOP ABOUT History

History

1945 November Tanimoto English School was founded by Noboru and Takako Tanimoto in Higashi-Sumiyoshi Ward in the city of Osaka with their own personal funds. The anniversary of its founding is commemorated on November 11th.
1947 April Kansai Gaikokugo Gakko (Kansai Foreign Language School) was established.
1953 April Kansai Gaidai College (two-year program) was established in Bandainishi, Sumiyoshi Ward in Osaka City, with the Division of English and American Studies.
1960 April An evening program was established at Kansai Gaidai College.
1966 April Kansai Gaidai University was established in Ogura (now Kitakatahoko-cho), Hirakata City, with the Department of English and American Studies and the Department of Spanish Studies in the College of Foreign Studies. At the same time, Kansai Gaidai College was launched there, resulting in two campuses: Hirakata and Bandai. The main administration moved to Hirakata.
1968 August A professor and 19 students from the University of Arkansas were welcomed to Kansai Gaidai, paving the way for international exchange.
November President of the Board of Trustees Takako Tanimoto was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon.
1972 April The Intercultural Research Institute was established.
June Launched the Asian Studies Program, with over 20 professors from the Universities of Wisconsin in the United States participating. Since then, the program has accepted international students from universities around the world.
A credit transfer-based exchange program with American universities was launched.
1973 April An M.A. Program in English Linguistics was established in the Graduate School of Foreign Language Studies.
1975 November The 30th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony was held.
1976 April An M.A. Program in Language and Cultural Studies was added in the Graduate School of Foreign Language Studies. The Asian Studies Program was designated as a program for international students.
1977 April Kansai Gaidai Hawaii School was opened.
1978 May President of the Board of Trustees Takako Tanimoto was awarded the Order of the Precious Crown, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.
1979 April A Ph.D. program within the Graduate School was established. This program was the very first among foreign language universities in Japan.
1980 April Kansai Gaidai Hawaii College was opened.
September The passing of Takako Tanimoto.
1982 September Tanimoto Memorial Hall was constructed.
1984 March The Hotani Campus in the city of Hirakata was constructed. The functions of the Bandai Campus were moved entirely to the new campus, bringing its 31-year history to a close.
April The Hotani Campus was opened.
President Sadato Tanimoto was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon.
1985 November The 40th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony was held.
1986 January Kansai Gaidai's New Era Project was launched.
1987 September Three students were sent for a two-year degree-seeking study abroad program in the U.S.
1988 March A new classroom and library storage buildings were completed at the Hirakata Campus.
1990 October The number of Kansai Gaidai's partner institutions overseas reached 100.
1991 June The Hirakata Campus was renamed the Katahoko Campus.
December Hotani Athletic Field was completed.
1992 February The Katahoko Campus Main Administrative Building was completed.
April The College was renamed Kansai Gaidai College. School names were changed to the Division of English and American Studies (the Katahoko Campus) and the Division of American and English Studies (the Hotani Campus).
1994 March A new library building was completed at the Katahoko Campus.
April The Human Rights Education Research Institute was established.
1995 March The Katahoko Campus Gymnasium was completed. Hotani Seminar House II was also completed.
1996 March The main administrative building of the College of International Language and Communications at the Hotani Campus was completed. International Seminar House II was also completed at the Katahoko Campus.
April The School of International Language and Communications, College of International Language and Communications was established at the Hotani Campus.
May To mark the 50th anniversary and the opening of the College of International Language and Communications, 31 university presidents from 21 partner institutions in 8 countries, including the U.S. and Australia, attended the commemorative ceremony.
1999 March The number of Kansai Gaidai's partner institutions overseas reached 200.
April A day-and-evening class system was introduced at the College on the Katahoko Campus.
October Spanish Nobel laureate Camilo José Cela visited the university and was awarded its first honorary doctorate.
2000 April The Kansai Gaidai College Division of American and English Studies (the Hotani Campus) was renamed the School of Global Communication.
2001 December Construction of the Nakamiya Campus was completed.
2002 March With the exception of the Gymnasium and Athletic Field, the entire Katahoko Campus was relocated to the Nakamiya Campus.
April The Nakamiya Campus was opened.
November A commemorative ceremony marking the opening of the Nakamiya Campus was held and attended by 1,200 participants from Japan and abroad, including representatives from partner institutions overseas.
An honorary doctorate was received by President Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez of the Dominican Republic.
2003 September The Support Center for English Teacher Training was established.
Kansai Gaidai's "Practical English Education Through Comprehensive Improvements in Teaching Methods" was selected by MEXT for the Distinctive University Education Support Program.
2004 April A memorandum and agreement were signed with the Boards of Education of both Hirakata and Ikeda cities regarding English education activities in elementary schools.
November The Chinese Degree-Seeking Study Abroad Program was launched—the first of its kind in Japan—through an agreement signed with Shanghai International Studies University.
An agreement with Neyagawa City was signed regarding the support of elementary and junior high school education and teacher training.
2005 January The number of Kansai Gaidai's partner institutions overseas reached the milestone of 50 countries and regions, an increase of 21 countries in five years.
April
June		 A partnership agreement was entered into with the Osaka and Kyoto Prefectural Boards of Education.
November To mark Kansai Gaidai's 60th anniversary, the first-ever Homecoming Day was held, attended by 1,500 alumni.
2006 March After 46 years, the College's Division of English and American Studies evening course came to an end.
April Aimed at developing highly skilled professionals, the "Specialized Study Course" was newly established in the Graduate School (M.A. Program).
May President and Chancellor Sadato Tanimoto was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.
July Kansai Gaidai's Advancing Community Internationalization via the Kansai Gaidai Student "On Demand" program (Participation in Hirakata City's Special English Education Zone and Student-Led Community Revitalization) was selected for MEXT's Support Program for Contemporary Educational Needs (Contemporary Good Practice) in the Community Revitalization Contribution category.
November The Center for Chinese Cultural Exchange was established at the Hotani Campus as a hub for cultural exchange with Chinese-speaking countries and regions.
2007 February The number of Kansai Gaidai's partner institutions overseas reached 300 universities in 50 countries and regions.
September For the first time, the College of International Language and Communications welcomed five exchange students from Beijing Language and Culture University and North China University of Technology, along with one Chinese teaching internship student.
2008 April Enrollment was discontinued for the School of Global Communication, Kansai Gaidai College at the Hotani Campus. The College was consolidated into the Nakamiya Campus.
September Two Kansai Gaidai initiatives were selected for MEXT's Program for Promoting High-Quality University Education (Educational Good Practice): the University's ASEAN Plus Three: University Consortium and the College's program entitled, "How can we help junior college students fully develop their capabilities in two years?"
December The Hotani International Seminar House, a dormitory for Chinese international students, was completed on land adjacent to the Hotani Campus.
2009 March The signing ceremony for a comprehensive agreement was held with presidents from five universities—in China, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam as well as Kansai Gaidai—all participating in the ASEAN Plus Three: University Consortium.
July The Kansai Gaidai College initiative "Building a Tripartite Support System Involving the College, Companies, and Students" was selected for MEXT's Student Support Promotion Program.
October "Kansai Gaidai Renaissance 2009" was created as a mid-to-long-term vision for Kansai Gaidai.
November President of the Board of Trustees Eiko Tanimoto was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon for her contributions to labor administration.
December The Confucius Institute at Kansai Gaidai was opened at the Hotani Campus.
2010 February The "Don't Give Up! Emergency Employment Support Program for Large-Scale Humanities Universities through Government-Industry-Academia Collaboration" proposal was selected for MEXT's Program for Promoting University Education and Student Support–Program for Supporting Employment.
April The Ibero-America Research Institute was newly established at the Nakamiya Campus.
June A university funeral was held for the late Chancellor Sadato Tanimoto, who passed away on April 25, at Tanimoto Memorial Hall, attended by approximately 2,100 individuals from a wide range of fields, including students and university personnel.
September The College of International Language and Communications' proposal, "Developing Employability Based on Eight Core Competencies," was selected for MEXT's University Graduate Employability Support Program.
A program was initiated to accept Beijing Language and Culture University students as registered non-degree students in the College of International Language and Communications. Three students from Russia, Portugal, and Turkey were welcomed to the Hotani Campus.
December A commemorative monument celebrating the 65th anniversary of Kansai Gaidai was erected in the center of the Central Garden at the Nakamiya Campus.
2011 April The School of International Professional Development, College of International Professional Development was launched at the Nakamiya Campus with its first class of 123 students—the first new school opening in 15 years.
2012 January The first Kanto-area alumni reunion was held in Tokyo, with 180 alumni in attendance.
July The International Communication Center (ICC), a new hub for learning and exchange, was completed at the Nakamiya Campus. A completion ceremony was held on September 29.
September Airline and Hotel Training Rooms, equipped with airplane seats and other fixtures, were established in Building 1 at the Nakamiya Campus.
2013 April The Elementary Education Program was launched with 29 first-year students in the School of International Professional Development, College of International Professional Development.
The Hotani Campus was renamed the Gakkentoshi Campus.
September The new classroom building, Building 7, was completed at the Nakamiya Campus. It houses the Career Center, 48 classrooms, and 32 faculty offices.
2014 April The College of Global Communication and Language, reorganized from the former College of International Language and Communications at the Gakkentoshi Campus, was launched with approximately 700 first-year students.
The graduate school was restructured, shifting its focus from training researchers to the development of highly skilled professionals.
The Early Study Abroad Direct Placement Program was established in the School of English Language and Communication, College of Foreign Studies.
With the aim of strengthening students' English proficiency, five faculty members from the University of North Texas (UNT) were specially invited to begin UNT-style classes.
2015 May A dogwood tree planting ceremony was held where 20 dogwood trees were planted after having been gifted to the university from the United States as a symbol of Japan-U.S. friendship.
June Kansai Gaidai launched the Global Internship Program for International Students, with 28 students from overseas doing internships at 10 companies and various elementary, junior high, and high schools, mainly in Hirakata City.
November A gratitude ceremony was held to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of Kansai Gaidai. It was attended by 1,800 guests, including representatives from 27 partner institutions across 17 countries as well as officials from MEXT and other government offices.
2016 April The 50th anniversary of the College of Foreign Studies
2017 May President of the Board of Trustees and Chancellor of Kansai Gaidai College Eiko Tanimoto was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.
2018 April The Gotenyama Campus Global Town was opened.
June A commemorative opening ceremony was held for the Gotenyama Campus Global Town, with 700 attendees, including representatives from 19 partner institutions across 6 countries.
2019 February Construction of the Athletics Stadium was completed.
September The Double Degree Program was launched, with a student from the University of Miami transferring into the 3rd year of the School of International Professional Development.
2023 April The School of Global Engagement, College of International Professional and the School of English and Digital Communication, College of Foreign Studies were opened.
October The 1st ground and 2nd ground at Nakamiya Campus, newly covered with artificial turf, were given the name Tanimoto Greenfield.
2024 March The number of Kansai Gaidai's partner institutions overseas reached 400.
April The School of Japan Studies and Global Communication, College of Foreign Studies and the Division of International Future Career, Kansai Gaidai College were opened.
2025 April The School of Japan and Asian Studies, College of Global Communication and Language was opened. Japanese language teacher certification programs were introduced in the School of Japan Studies and Global Communication, College of Foreign Studies and the School of Japan and Asian Studies, College of Global Communication and Language.
Starting in the 2025 academic year, students in the School of Japan Studies and Global Communication, College of Foreign Studies will be able to obtain a Type 1 Junior High and High School Teaching License.
November The 80th anniversary of Kansai Gaidai University
2026 April The School of Global Communication and Language, College of Global Communication and Language was divided into two majors: the International Relations Program and Global Communication Studies.