Osaka University of Foreign Studies and Osaka City University Contribute to the Nation?s Welfare

Added: 11/25/2005

The City of Osaka has the reputation of one of the most influential and beneficial educational and research centers of the country. The most prominent educational establishment in Osaka is Osaka University, which ranks fourth in the list of the top universities in Asia. The city is also known for its Osaka University of Foreign Studies and Osaka City University, both founded in the first half of the XX century.

The Osaka University of Foreign Studies was established in December 1921 at Uehonmachi, Osaka. It was originally called Osaka School of Foreign Languages. In 1979 the university moved to Minoo City for far-reaching academic activities.

The Osaka University of Foreign Studies is national educational establishment, which specializes in the study of foreign languages and cultures. Today it offers foreign language education in 24 modern languages as majors and 18 ancient languages as minors. Alongside with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, the university is a recognized center of academic research in foreign languages and cultures related to them. Though Osaka University of Foreign Studies is known for its foreign orientation, it also offers extended courses concerned with the language and international relations of Japan.

The main objective of the Osaka University of Foreign Studies is to encourage students to study foreign languages as well as politics, economics and the environment for further participation in the world community's activities. In order to achieve these goals the Department of International Studied of the university has established five courses to daytime students and three courses to nighttime students. The courses are offered by the Faculty of Foreign Studies, which includes the following departments: Japanese Language Studies, Linguistics and Information Science, Comparative Culture Studies, International Relations and Development and Environment Studies.

The Department of Area Studies attaches particular attention to the research of cultures through languages. It offers ten courses to daytime students and six courses to nighttime students. The faculty, offering the courses, consists of seven divisions: Asia I, Asia II, Asia/Africa, America, Europe I, Europe II and Europe III. In 1997 Graduate School of Integrated Studies in Language and Society was established by the university. The university's programs include Master's Program, Area Studies Course, International Studies Course, Doctoral Program and Languages and Societies Course.

Speaking about the prominent universities of Osaka, we should definitely mention Osaka City University, which is regarded as the largest municipal and prefectural university in Japan. The university adopted its present name in 1949. From the outset of its foundation Osaka City University has been making substantial contributions to the development of the local community. Today the university consists of 8 faculties, 9 graduate schools, 3 research institutes and one junior college.

Since 1994 it has been offering classes open to the public, providing the local citizens with the opportunity to receive a higher education. The results of academic researches conducted by the university are available at the Seminars for the Public, started in 1972. In 1996 the Medical Seminar was started, aimed at improving the public knowledge concerning the treatment and the prevention of diseases.

The latest innovation of Osaka City University is the establishment of the Laboratories for the Research of Health and Preventive Medicine in March 2005.

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