Kumamoto University

Kumamoto University is a university located in Kumamoto, Japan. It was established on May 31, 1949, at which time the following institutions were subsumed into it; Kumamoto Teachers College (established in 1874), Kumamoto Pharmaceutical College (1885), The Fifth High School (1887), Kumamoto Medical College (1896), and Kumamoto Technical College (1906).

History

1874: Kumamoto Teachers College established
1885: Kumamoto Pharmaceutical College established
1887: The Fifth High School established
1896: Kumamoto Medical College established
1897: Kumamoto Technical College established

There were five institutions of higher education in Kumamoto during the Meiji Era, which eventually united to form Kumamoto University. Among these institutions was The Fifth High School, which was a center for higher learning in western Japan that provided students with preparatory education to enter the Japanese Imperial Universities. A number of foreign teachers joined the new school to offer western culture and knowledge to the students. These young men, who ranged in age from their teens to their late twenties, resided in a dormitory and built a tradition of student community as well as lasting friendships.

1949: Kumamoto University established

Kumamoto University was established under the National School Establishment Law, which reformed the preceding Japanese educational system. The new university incorporated the older institutions.
At its establishment, The Fifth High School comprised six departments, with an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students.
Discussions of the school's curriculum began soon after the founding of the school. After the Graduate School of Medicine was established at the university in 1955, other graduate schools were subsequently founded.
The establishment of research and education institutions within the university was started early on. In the 1950s, both Kumamoto University Hospital and the University Library were completed. A number of research centers that conduct the highest level of scholarly research have been established over the past 20 years.

2004: Kumamoto University enters the 21st Century

The university started accepting government-sponsored international exchange students around 1960, but records indicate that several international exchange students studied in the Faculty of Medicine as early as the 1950s. It is since the 1960s, though, that the number of international students has been steadily increasing. By 1984, there were approximately 50 international students at the university, and that number increased to over 300 by 2004.
Since Kumamoto University became a National University Corporation in 2004, the university has been ushering in an era of change. Despite the changes, the university will continue to strive for further advancements in education, research, and medical care based on the knowledge and experience it has gained since it was first established in order to contribute to society in the 21st century.

Historical figures

Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904)

Although Lafcadio Hearn was of Irish extraction, he was born in Greece. He came to Japan in 1891, and took up his new post at The Fifth High School in 1892. His work "Ghost Stories" ("Kaidan") introduces Japan's mysterious traditions in English and is widely known.

Soseki Natsume (1867–1916)

In 1897, Soseki Natsume came to Kumamoto to take up his new post as a lecturer at The Fifth High School. He was residing in Kumamoto during the time he went on the trip that appears in his famous novel "Kusamakura."

Hayato Ikeda (1899–1965)

Hayato Ikeda was a politician who was born in Hiroshima prefecture and studied at The Fifth High School. He became the Prime Minister of Japan in 1960, and his administration led Japan for a prolonged time during its era of high economic growth.

Eisaku Sato (1901–1975)

Eisaku Sato was a politician who was born in Yamaguchi prefecture and studied at The Fifth High School. He became the Prime Minister of Japan in 1964, and played a key role in the return of Okinawa to Japanese rule and the creation of Japan's "three Non-Nuclear Principles." He received the Noble Peace Prize in 1974.

Organization

Hospital

Kumamoto University Hospital comprises medical examination departments, a pharmaceutical department, a nursing department, and central consultation facilities, among other features. The hospital has 845 beds and over 1,300 outpatients per day. The hospital is currently constructing a new hospital ward, with the aim of constructing a university hospital that will be able to handle the medical science and medical care needs of the 21st century. Through this,the hospital is promoting the establishment of a comprehensive medical care system that combines advanced medical treatment and comprehensive holistic medical treatment. As a part of this, the divisions of medical treatment shifted to an overall medical care system categorized by each internal organ and body system starting in January 2004.
Now, the hospital is focusing on medical examinations and treatment of cancer at a cancer medical cooperation base hospital in the administrative division.

Mission

Kumamoto University Hospital is dedicated to excellence in patient care,developing improved methods of healthcare, and better health professionals and students. Members of the staff also contribute to community welfare and health.

Vision

Patients First: We are dedicated to excellence in patient care, and to respecting each patient’s major complaints, wishes, concerns and requests

Excellence: We provide health care services appropriately, safely and reliably with a spirit of philanthropy

Teamwork: We develop positive roles for health professionals

Innovation: We develop and improve the methods of healthcare

Rights of patients

We recognize and uphold the following rights cited by the World Medical Association’s declaration of patients’ rights.

The right to quality medical care
The right to freedom of choice
The right to self-determination
The right to information
The right to confidentiality
The right to health education

Library

The University Library is composed of the Central Library, the Medical Library and the Pharmacy Library. It provides information resources and services to support the University's educational and research activities.
The Central library is open from 8:40 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Library Holdings (As of March 31st, 2010)

	Books	Periodicals
Central Library	1,071,406	14,611
Medical Library	181,359	5,037
Pharmacy Library	38,811	1,023
Total	1,291,576	20,671

Special Collections of Books and Manuscripts

1. The Aso Manuscript Collection (1,047 items)

This impressive collection of historical documents, formerly kept at Aso Shrine, contains a wealth of information relating to the Nanbokucho and Kamakura Periods. Of the 1,047 items of this collection, 34 volumes of 304 letters and 36 manuscripts have been designated as Important Cultural Properties

2. The Hosokawa Manuscript Collection (43,867 items)

This is the largest collection of primary source materials on the administration of the Hosokawa government (Hosokawa Han), ranging from the Nanbokucho Period to the early Meiji Period.

3. The Lafcadio Hearn Collection (227 volumes)

This is an extensive collection of various editions of the works of Lafcadio Hearn and fundamental research materials about Hearn, chiefly in English. It contains his English translations of Anatole France, Gustave Flaubert, and Theophile Gautier.

Courses

Human and Social sciences

Science and Technology

Life sciences

Access and campus maps

Kurokami North Campus

1.Faculty of Education
2.Kurokami North Storage
3.Accommodation Facility for Guests(Chimeido)
4.Kusunoki Hall
5.Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Law, Graduate School of Social and Cultural Sciences, School of Law
6.The Memorial Museum of the Fifth High School
7.Chemical Laboratory of The Fifth High School
8.Research Center for Higher Education, Center for Globalization, Student Division
9.Athletic Field (Bufugen)
10.Club Room
11.Gymnasium
12.Swimming Pool
13.Club Room
14.Student Hall
15.Red Gate
16.Eisei Bunko Research Center (Academic Commons Kurokami-5)
17.Health Care Center
18.Library
19.Gate Guard
20.Cefeteria, Shop
21.Environmental Safety Center

Kurokami South Campus

22.Academic Commons Kurokami-4
23.Center for Multimedia and Information Technologies
24.Administration Office
25.Gate Guard
26.Academic Commons Kurokami-7
27.Faculty of Science
28.Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology
29.Faculty of Science
30.Faculty of Science
31.Graduate School of Science and Technology Research Building
32.Graduate School of Science and Technology Laboratory Building
33.Faculty of Engineering Research Building

34.Faculty of Engineering
35.Faculty of Engineering
36.Academic Commons Kurokami-3
37.Center for Marine Environment Studies
38.Academic Commons Kurokami-2
39.Museum of the Engineering Faculty
40.Faculty of Engineering Research Building
41.Faculty of Engineering Multidiscipline Laboratory Building
42.100th Anniversary Memorial Hall
43.Academic Commons Kurokami-1
44.Faculty of Engineering Research Building
45.Faculty of Engineering

46.Mechanical Practical Room
47.Creative Engineering and Design Education Laboratory
48.Research Laboratory
49.Incubation Laboratory
50.Venture Business Laboratory, Shock Wave and Condensed Matter Research Center
51.Radioisotope Laboratory
52.Engineering Research Equipment Center
53.Archaeological Operation Center
54.FORICO (Cafeteria/Shop and Bakery)
55.Cafeteria / Hair Salon
56.Core Laboratory

Honjo Campus

1.Hospital West Tower
2.Hospital East Tower
3.Hospital 6th Ward
4.Central Examination Building
5.Clinical Research and Outpatient Examination Building
6.Administration Building
7.MRI-CT Building
8.Clinical Research Building
9.Yamazaki Hall
10.Medical Educational & Library Building
11.General Medical Research Building
12.Basic Research Building
13.Dormitory for Nurses
14.Higo Iiku Monument Hall
15.Basic Research Building
16.Center for AIDS Research, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis
17.Institute of Resource Development and Analysis (Gene Technology Center / Radioisotope Center)
18.Institute of Resource Development and Analysis (Center for Animal Resources & Development)
19.Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics
20.Academic Common Honjo - 1
21.Student Union “Kaiju”
22.Gymnasium
23.School of Health Sciences
24.School of Health Sciences
25.Athletic Field
26.Kobato Nursery

Oe Campus

1.School of Pharmacy
2.Experiment Building
3.Radioisotope Laboratory Building
4.School of Pharmacy
5.Research Institute for Drug Discovery
6.Center for Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences
7.School of Pharmacy
8.Institute of Resource Development and Analysis (Instrumental Analysis Center)
9.General Research Building
10.Banjikan Hall (Cafeteria / Book Store)
11.Gymnasium
12.Medicinal Plants Eco-Frontier Center (Medicinal Plant Garden)
13.Kumayaku (School of Pharmacy) Alumni House and Miyamoto Memorial Hall
14.Staff Residence
15.Athletic Field

Vision

Kumamato University aims to contribute to the community and global society by cultivating intelligent, moral, and skillful people, while working for the creation, inheritance, and development of knowledge, following the spirit of the Fundamental Law of Education and the School Education Law.

Goals

Education

In order to cultivate unique, creative people, the university provides a comprehensive education based on a consistent philosophy followed by all our undergraduate departments and graduate schools.
Our undergraduate departments, with the help of a broad education, inculcate in students the abilities of international communication, adapting to the information age, and thinking and acting independently.
Our graduate schools cultivate highly specialized workers with comprehensive reasoning ability, technical knowledge, and internationally recognized skills, in addition to deep insight into human beings and nature, on the basis of the undergraduate education that the workers have received.
As an institution that is open to the public, the university offers a place where people can engage in lifelong learning.

Research

The university strives to protect and develop humankind's cultural heritage, while enhancing its capabilities to function as a center of advanced academic research and proactively promote cutting-edge, creative academic research.
In addition, by making use of its unique features, comprehensively deepening knowledge in the fields of human science, social science, and natural science, as well as promoting interdisciplinary research, Kumamoto University is working to contribute to the harmonious coexistence of humans and the environment, as well as sustainable societal development.

Contributions to local and global communities

As a university located in a regional hub city, the university will strengthen its cooperation with the local community and serve the functions of being a central research facility and cultivating leaders in the local community. By striving to convey our academic culture to the world, the university will contribute to the promotion of local industry and to advancing the provision of information about the culture.
In addition, the university strives to promote international intellectual exchange, educate international students, and train graduate students capable of producing a bilateral international exchange.