Kansai Gaidai University

Brochure 2012

Advanced technology has made international communications much faster and easier, making the world borderless and interdependent. Yet, there are many issues that must be addressed and resolved on a global basis. Thus, 21st century is the time when human intelligence will be truly tested.

It is the role of educational organizations to bring this awareness to their students and provide them with an opportunity to make positive contributions in this endeavor. Kansai Gaidai University, a diverse institution of higher education, is strongly committed to play this role in fostering educational opportunities to learn about the world.

Collaborating with over 300 foreign universities in 50 countries and regions, Kansai Gaidai provides its students with many diversified educational programs to create the necessary foundation to pursue intellectual curiosity, self-awareness, and concern for others. It is through actual experience that people become fully aware of cultural differences and acquire a deeper understanding about them.

Discover how Kansai Gaidai University can help you prepare to meet the challenges of the 21st century and how you, in turn, can share in the Kansai Gaidai international community and contribute to building bridges to a better future for us all.

Yoshitaka Tanimoto
President

Located in Hirakata City (pop.: 412,000), Osaka, Kansai Gaidai is accessible, within a one-hour train ride, to Kyoto and Nara, the ancient capitals, and Osaka, the second largest business hub in Japan. Hirakata city is near Osaka city, the second largest business metropolis next to Tokyo which in itself is only a day-long trip away.

Hirakata is bounded by the Yodo River to the west, and the verdant Ikoma Mountains to the east. The area has been populated since ancient times, and thrived as the hunting grounds of nobles and aristocrats during the Heian period and as a staging post along the main road from Osaka to Kyoto during the Edo period.

After World War II, there was a rapid increase in population due to large-scale residential housing projects in Hirakata. A city, which had been previously known as a suburban farming village, has been gradually transformed into a modern residential city. Again, in recent years, six universities have been established in Hirakata and the city aims to create a new image for the 21st century as a "university city".

Hirakata was chartered by the prefecture as its 12th city on August 1, 1947. The city stretches 12km in the east-west direction, 8.7km in the north-south direction, and has an area of 65.07km2. The central part of the city is traversed by Route 1, the Keihan railway line runs through the western area and the JR Gakken Toshi railway line through the east.

Tanimoto English School, the forerunner of Kansai Gaidai University, was established in 1945. The original Katahoko campus was founded in 1966 as a University of Foreign Studies. Today, the Katahoko campus has been converted into a public park and a municipal library. The Hotani Campus was established in 1984 and currently houses the Department of International Communication and a Confucius Institute. The Nakamiya campus opened in April 2002, and now operates as the main campus of the university.

Kansai Gaidai University (関西外国語大学, Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku), almost always abbreviated Kansai Gaidai (関西外大) is a private university focusing on foreign language studies. Kansai is the proper name of the large region where it is located, which includes the cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Gaidai is a contraction of Gaikokugo Daigaku, which literally means "foreign language university". Gaidai is part of Kansai Science City, which is undergoing construction around the campus.

Kansai Gaidai is known for its large Asian Studies program for international exchange students as well as for its Intensive English Studies program for Japanese students planning to study abroad. There are currently two academic campuses: the Nakamiya Campus (中宮キャンパス) and the Hotani Campus (穂谷キャンパス). The original Katahoko campus (片鉾キャンパス) consisted of four dormitories and a gymnasium. Currently, there are about 15,000 students enrolled including two year and four year students from across all regions of Japan. Students from dozens of countries are also present for the majority of the year.

Kansai Gaidai University

The Curriculum of the Asian Studies Program is twofold; the rigorous Japanese language studies and courses in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Business/Economics pertinent to Japan and Asia make it possible for participants to approach a wide array of study areas during their stay in Japan.

For the full list of course descriptions follow this link: http://www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp/asp/03_academics/06.html

Arrival: After hours of flight filled with expectation and exhaustion, your life in Japan begins when you are welcomed by representatives at a location from a list of choices in the Kansai area.

Housing: Kansai Gaidai University offers its international students three types of housing: homestay, seminar house dorms located on campus, and off-campus housing. Homestay participation is strongly encouraged for it is an excellent opportunity to acquire and enhance knowledge about the Japanese language and culture. There is also a homestay visit program for students who elect to live in the seminar houses but want to experience more of Japanese culture.