Message from the Leadership

Eiko Tanimoto
President of the Board of Trustees
Chancellor

Message

In 2025, Kansai Gaidai University celebrates its 80th anniversary. The predecessor of this university, Tanimoto English School, was established in November 1945, just three months after the end of World War II. Its founders placed great hopes on foreign language education as a means to contribute to Japan's reconstruction and reintegration into the global community.

Subsequently, after the establishment of Kansai Gaidai College, Kansai Gaidai University was opened in 1966. In 1974, a graduate school was established based on the Intercultural Research Institute, and five years later, the university became the first foreign language university to offer Ph.D. programs. Today, Kansai Gaidai has grown into a learning environment that has approximately 12,000 students across its graduate school, four undergraduate colleges, and junior college.

We have been engaged in international exchange since the 1960s, ahead of other universities. At present, we have credit transfer agreements with 419 universities in 55 countries and regions. Each year, through a diverse range of study abroad programs designed to meet the needs of our students, we send roughly one thousand students overseas, while also welcoming approximately the same number of international students from around the world. We take pride in the fact that both figures rank among the highest in Japan.

I have always believed that education is about growing together—in other words, learning from each other. The ancient Chinese classic Liji (Book of Rites) contains the phrase, "Teaching and learning help each other." I am committed to fostering this cycle of teaching each other, learning, and growing together.

As part of our academic restructuring, we opened the College of Global Engagement in the spring of 2023, which offers degree programs entirely in English. Additionally, we opened the School of English and Digital Communication within the College of Foreign Studies, focusing on English and digital technology. In 2024, we established the School of Japanese Studies and Global Communication within the College of Foreign Studies as well as the Division of International Future Career in the Kansai Gaidai College. Furthermore, in the spring of 2025, we will establish the School of Japan and Asian Studies within the College of Global Communication and Language, aiming to cultivate individuals who can contribute to the sustainable development of the world, starting from Asia. With these additions, we continue to improve the quality of university education by anticipating the evolving needs of society.

Moving forward, we will introduce a variety of initiatives, including study abroad programs specializing in IT and a pathway program that facilitates U.S. Certified Public Accountant licensure, providing students with expanded opportunities via language learning and encouraging them to take on new challenges and unlock their full potential.

To cultivate the next generation of leaders, our faculty and staff will continue working together on university reform, demonstrating a commitment to continuous progress and forward-thinking ideas.

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Kiyoaki KIKUCHI, Ph.D.
President of Kansai Gaidai University

Today's Society and Foreign Language Learning

Our society has been undergoing rapid changes at an unprecedented speed, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes have also become increasingly complex. Devastating wars show no sign of abating, while political conflicts and growing competition in various fields further deepen social divisions and economic disparities.

On the other hand, technological innovations such as generative AI are advancing at a rapid pace, creating an era where the values and conventional predictive methodologies have become obsolete. In such a rapidly changing society, what will be essential in order to survive?

It will be the ability to think flexibly in response to drastic changes and to break free from narrow ways of thinking to gain a broader, global perspective. Only by doing so will you be able to develop the strength to carve out your own path.

Learning a foreign language is not merely a means of communication or a tool for one's career. Language embodies culture, and learning a new language also means understanding the history and values behind it.

Our university's mission is to foster individuals who possess a broad worldview, a profound understanding, and the courage to take action without fear of failure, enabling them to succeed on a global stage. Our faculty and staff consider this to be their foremost responsibility.

Promoting Education That Connects to the World: Foreign Language and Multidisciplinary Learning

Based on our founding principles and educational philosophy, we have built an educational system that anticipates and responds to the globalization of international society. Today, Kansai Gaidai is recognized as one of Japan's leading foreign language universities and serves approximately 12,000 students through our graduate school, four colleges with eight schools and one specialized course, as well as our junior college.

It has been over 50 years since our university began offering study abroad exchange programs. Our unique study abroad network, built up over more than half a century navigating uncharted territory, sets us apart from other universities as a pioneer in student exchange. Each year, roughly one thousand of our students study abroad, while we welcome nearly the same number of international students from 413 partner universities in 55 countries and regions to our campus. Our university serves as a major hub for international exchange in Japan.

In addition, our diverse study abroad programs emphasize not only foreign language learning but also the acquisition of knowledge in various specialized fields, such as international economics, global financial administration, international law, risk management, diplomatic history, Japanese language education, Japanese culture, and environmental issues. These programs are structured to allow students to take classes with local students, enabling them to deepen their understanding of these subjects.

This approach embodies our university's guiding principle of "Foreign Language and Multidisciplinary Learning" in practice. Kansai Gaidai fosters globally minded individuals ready to thrive in a new era by providing an international educational environment where invited faculty from abroad periodically give lectures and by offering a cross-disciplinary curriculum that transcends traditional academic boundaries.

A Learning Environment for the Future

In these turbulent times, what role should a university play? A university should serve as a place of learning where each student can plan their life and work toward achieving their goals.

Over their four years of study at our university, students will develop a comprehensive perspective on the practical applications of their education and cultivate the ability to pursue their dreams and ambitions with confidence.

It is our strong belief that our university faculty and staff must strive to achieve this mission together.

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Kazuko Tanimoto
President of Kansai Gaidai College

"Set your own goals and challenge yourself to pursue your dreams."

Kansai Gaidai College is a place of learning that greatly expands your future possibilities. We position our college as being the "First Stage" of higher education. Over the course of two years, our goal is for students to acquire practical English skills, a well-rounded education, and personal growth, preparing them to advance to their "Second Stage"—whether it be further education or entering the workforce.

Since the opening of Kansai Gaidai College in 1953, we have placed a strong emphasis on practical education and have focused on nurturing individuals who can contribute to the international community. As one of the largest junior colleges in Japan, we offer students the flexibility to choose from a wide range of courses based on their career paths, whether they wish to enter the workforce or transfer to the university. In recent years, the majority of our students have opted to transfer, and via the enrichment of a liberal arts education and the academic support provided, nearly 300 students transfer to Kansai Gaidai University or to national, public, and private universities each year.

The homelike learning environment has been carefully fostered since the opening of the college through the teamwork of faculty and staff under the principle of "student-first." To meet the diverse needs of students, we have established a system where our teachers serve as advisors throughout students' two years of study. They work closely with Career Center staff to provide personalized support and career guidance.

In addition, our teachers are in charge of the introductory education class "K.G.C. Basics," which is designed to equip students with the knowledge and personal development skills necessary for their future careers. If students encounter any concerns or difficulties in their college life, their teachers will be there to help guide them in the right direction.

The vibrant and energetic campus offers practical educational programs tailored to each student's future aspirations. As a junior college that welcomes students from diverse backgrounds with varying perspectives, we strive to cultivate individuals who will be able to thrive in an uncertain world via a "Language + α" learning approach.

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