Kwansei Gakuin University

Kwansei Gakuin University
関西学院大学
Latin: Universitas Collegii Kwanseiensis [1]
Motto Mastery for Service (奉仕のための練達 Hōshi no Tame no Rentatsu)
Established Founded Sep. 28, 1889,
Chartered March, 1912[2]
Chartered Mar. 7, 1932[3]
Type Private
Affiliation United Church of Christ in Japan[4]
Endowment US$847.8 million
(JP¥96.5 billion)
Chancellor Ruth M. Grubel, Ph.D.
President Kazuo Hiramatsu, Ph.D.
Academic staff
 475 full-time,
1,045 part-time[5]
Administrative staff
 279 full-time
Students 19,966
Undergraduates 18,302
Postgraduates 1,529
782
Location Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan
34°46′09″N 135°20′50″E / 34.769187°N 135.347174°ECoordinates: 34°46′09″N 135°20′50″E / 34.769187°N 135.347174°E
Campus Suburban / Urban,
148 acres (0.6 km²)
Colors Blue, white, and yellow
              
Athletics 34 varsity teams
Nickname Fighters, Saints, Jayhawks, etc.
Mascot 8th Man (unofficial and historical)
Affiliations Kansai Big 6, ACUCA
Website KG ; KWANSEI GAKUIN University ; Japan

Kwansei Gakuin University (関西学院大学 Kansei Gakuin Daigaku), colloquially abbreviated to Kangaku (関学), is a non-denominational Christian private and coeducational university located in Nishinomiya, Sanda, Osaka City, and Tokyo, Japan. Chartered in 1932, it is the 13th institution with university status in Kansai region, the 23rd-oldest outside of Greater Tokyo, and the 46th-oldest in the country. Kwansei Gakuin University is one of oldest and leading private universities in Japan. It has relatively strong network of alumni in Kansai region and has produced a number of CEOs in Japanese companies and politicians.

Overview

History

Kwansei Gakuin University
Harada-no-mori Campus
Branch Memorial Chapel
Nishinomiya-Uegahara Campus (1929)

Kwansei Gakuin was founded in 1889 in Kobe, Japan by Dr. Walter Russell Lambuth (later Bishop), a missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MEC-S), USA, with the aim of training missionaries and educating young people based on the principals of Christianity. It was intended to be a small private institution with 2 departments, a theological school and a middle school. In 1910 the Canadian Methodist Church and the Japanese Methodist Church joined in the operation, and Kwansei Gakuin could open a college with literary and commercial courses in 1912. Also, in this year, Kwansei Gakuin moved to the rural farmland which is the site of the present campus in Nishinomiya Uegahara near Mount Kabuto. Three years later, it acquired the status of a full degree-granting university and continued as one of 54 such institutions in Japan until the end of World War II. The school, formerly all-male, opened its doors to women on equal terms with men in 1943. In 1948, the university embraced the new 6-3-3-4 school system (6 years in elementary school, 3 in junior high, 3 in senior high, and 4 in college), based upon the American educational framework.

Kwansei Gakuin University is now an independent co-educational institution offering Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in almost 40 different disciplines to around 20,000 students. There are 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate schools as well as an attached Kindergarten, Elementary School, Junior and Senior High School, Seiwa College and Seiwa Junior College. The university consistently achieves the highest academic standards among Japanese private universities and colleges.

School name

The name Kwansei (関西 Kansei) came from its founder Walter Russell Lambuth's desire to serve citizens of Kansai (関西), the western part of Japan, while the word gakuin (学院) was translated from "college" at that time. Thus, Kwansei gakuin means West Japan College literally. The name was romanized according to the vogue pronunciation among progressive students in the late 19th century. The "official" pronunciation of kwan can be heard in performances of the school song, but the modern pronunciation of kan is usual in other contexts. Thus, the abbreviated name Kwangaku is usually pronounced as kangaku, though Kwangaku would be correct in theory.

School Motto

Kwansei Gakuin's school motto, "Mastery for Service", was proposed by the fourth Chancellor, Dr. C.J.L. Bates. This motto reflects the ideal for all its members to master their abundant God-given gifts to serve their neighbors, society and the world. A "master" usually means someone who directs or commands others, but in Kwansei Gakuin, it means a person who, in terms of humanity, learning, and daily life, has an accomplished character, or as Dr. Bates said, is a "Self-Master." From that base, "service" is understood as "service to God," the starting point for a life dedicated to serving neighbors, society and others.

On the basis of the school motto, Kwansei Gakuin holds up the mission statement; "Kansei Gakuin, as a learning community based on the principles of Christianity, inspires its members to seek their life missions, and cultivates them to be creative and capable world citizens who embody its motto, "Mastery for Service," by transforming society with compassion and integrity. "

School symbol

Kwansei Gakuin's symbol, the crescent moon, represents its purpose of education, growth to fullness in knowledge and wisdom.

International relations

Kwansei Gakuin University has several agreements with the United Nations subordinates. The university and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) reached an agreement establishing the university as the first institution of higher education in Asia to form a volunteer-sending partnership with the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) in 2003.

KGU and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation in Japan concluded an agreement to establish a special university scholarship system for refugees in Japan in May 2006. Under this agreement, Kwansei Gakuin started the UNHCR-KGU Higher Education Program for Refugees in Japan in April 2007, and two refugees are currently enrolled.

Academics and organization

Undergraduate units

In 1961 in commemoration of its 70th anniversary, Kwansei Gakuin established the School of Science which was composed of the departments of Physics and Chemistry. Prof. Isamu Nitta has played in the central role to design the department plan and recruit the new faculty members. In 2001 the School of Science moved from the Uegahara campus to the Kobe-Sanda campus in search for a more conducive environment for education and research. In 2002, the School was reformed when it added two new departments, the Departments of Bioscience and Informatics, along with the Division of Mathematics within the existing Department of Physics and renamed itself the School of Science and Technology. The Department of Mathematical Sciences which is derived from the sub-department of Mathematics within the Department of Physics, and the Department of Human System Interaction which has expanded the field of interaction between human and machines or materials were newly established in 2009. The school divided the Department of Bioscience into the course of Molecular Bioscience and Biomedical Chemistry to enrich the research related with Medical Science and Pharmacology.

Postgraduate units

Graduate schools

Professional schools (KGPS)

Centers and institutes

It was created in 1934 to carry out economics and industrial research, also functions as the administrative office of EUIJ Kansai, which carries out research and teaching about the European Union. It collects and provides basic economic and industrial statistical materials, along with related journals, OECD materials, Nikke NEES data and so on.
A center for students who want to be qualified as teachers, school librarians or museum curators. It holds briefings, one-on-one meetings, educational training, and guidance for hands-on training in areas such as nursing. It also carries out research on practical school education.
It carries out various human rights education and research activities that deal with a wide range of discrimination issues from the perspective of human rights. It also holds research seminars, publishes a research journal and educational pamphlets.
A center was created in April 2010 to improve faculty teaching skills and student learning skills. It covers education development/support using faculty development (FD) and information communication technology (ICT) and creation and augmentation of educational environments. It also promotes the LMS (Learning Management System).
It offers several Christian education programs in line with the school's mission. The Center's Chapel Hour program offers practical Christian education. Its other program include the Early Morning Prayer Meeting, United University Worship, concerts and Christmas Chapel.
This office hold the records that document the history of Kwansei Gakuin and its management, staff, and students from its foundation in 1889. It also publish the "Journal of Kwansei Gakuin History" annually and the "Archives Newsletter" semiannually.

University libraries

University Library (Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus)
It has a collection of about 1.6 million volumes, 1790 seats and 120 PCs. In addition to books, periodicals and audio-visual materials, the library provides access to various web databases and electronic journals.
It has a collection of about 200,000 books and over 1,900 different academic journals mainly related to the School of Policy Studies and School of Science and Technology. The Media Forum has about 110 PCs, and assists the education and research activities of the Kobe Sanda Campus.
The more than 200,000 volume collection of the library supports self-directed research activities. In addition to books specific to the field of education, it houses valuable works and a large number of journals in related areas.

University press

Educational facilities

Extramural study

Credit courses

Non-credit courses

Faculty and students

Kwansei Gakuin University hosts more than 300 international students from a variety of nations.

Campus

Kwansei Gakuin has 6 campuses : Nishinomiya Uegahara, Nishinomiya Seiwa, Kobe Sanda, Osaka- meda, Tokyo Marunouchi and Takarazuka. Since 1929, the flagship campus of Kwansei Gakuin University is located in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo. In 1995, the university have opened a new larger campus in Sanda, Hyōgo. There are two satellite campuses in downtown Osaka City (Umeda), and Marunouchi, Tokyo. The lectures are mainly conducted at the Nishinomiya Uegahara, Nishinomiya Seiwa and Kobe Sanda campus.

The Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus is located about halfway between Kobe and Osaka in the city of Nishinomiya. In 1929, Kwansei Gakuin moved to this campus, which is designed in a "Spanish mission style" by William Merrell Vories (1880-1964), who was a missionary, architect, educator, and entrepreneur born in the United States, worked mainly in Kansai area in Japan. The total area of this campus is 195,637m2

This campus houses the Schools of Theology, Humanities, Sociology, Law and Politics, Economics, Business Administration, Human welfare studies, “Language, Communication, and Culture”, and Law School, Institute of Business and Accounting (Business School, Accounting School), as well as most of the administrative offices of Kwansei Gakuin.

Nishinomiya Seiwa Campus (2009–present)

This campus houses the Schools of Education, the Junior College, and Kindergarten. This campus is 10 minutes from the Nishinomiya Uegahara Campus on foot.

Kobe Sanda Campus (1995–present)

This campus houses the School of Policy Studies, and School of Science and Technology. The same architectural style as its Nishinomiya-Uegahara predecessor is shared. This campus is located in the city of Sanda, about an hour to 70 minutes from Nishinomiya by shuttle bus. The total area of this campus is 280,000m2

Sanda Campus Life

Research Fair A Research Fair was established in 1998. The Research Fair includes presentations, poster sessions, a business plan contest and debating. Some parts are done in English. Students in all Policy Studies undergraduate and graduate majors are encouraged to participate. It aims help students clarify their own thinking through research and discussions with the audience. The Research Fair takes place on campus every autumn.[9]

Students’ Clubs and Activities About 24 (registered) activities are organized on Kobe Sanda campus. These include Tennis, Soft tennis, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Dance, Orchestra, Gospel, and other popular activities.

School Festival The school festival is known as Singetsu Sai (新月祭). The festival is held at Kobe Sanda Campus on the last weekend in October each year. Activities include food and drink stands, dances, concerts, and plays may be performed by individual volunteers or by various clubs such as the dance, the orchestra, the band, and the drama club. The school festival is managed by the KGU school festival executive committee.

SPS ELP The English Language Program (ELP) started in 1995○1, which is the same time when the KGU School of Policy Studies (SPS) was established. The purpose of this program is to provide exceptional English language instruction to SPS students so that they the students would have the chance to be successful in their future careers.[10]

ELP Instructors Today, the ELP has over 40 English instructors who teach in the ELP,[11] which includes 10 full-time instructors and 25 part-time instructors.[12] They are from many different countries, such as the UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and USA.

ELP Courses The ELP is divided into 6 English Course (EC) levels, and students mainly start from either EC1 or from EC3, depending on the TOFEL-ITP score they achieve before the program starts. After each semester, they go on to the next level. Students spend two years studying reading, writing, speaking, listening, and presentation. Students starting from EC1 usually end at EC4 and those starting from EC3 typically end at EC6.[13]

ELP Activities There are two exceptional activities which EC students can complete . The first one is the poster presentation, where students taking the EC5 presentation class do a presentation based on a topic relevant to policy studies. The other one is the Research Fair. The best presenters chosen from the EC5 presentation class do a 20-minute presentation this time using power point slides and a topic based on policy studies. This presentation will be seen by not only their classmates, but also students from other classes, other grades, and even those from outside of school, who watch presentations held on this day.[14]

Living and Learning There is no residential accommodation on campus. In Sanda City a facility provides share housing for KGU students. KGU has four residences in Nishinomiya City that are available for use by students studying at Kobe Sanda campus.[15]

Access It takes about 15 minutes to drive from Shinsanda Station to Sanda Campus. At peak times, there are usually about 10 buses per hour. At other times, the service is infrequent. Also, it takes about 47 minutes from Sannomiya Station to Sanda Campus by bus. At peak times, there are usually about 4 buses per hour. At other times, the service is infrequent.[16]

Unlike other campuses, student access by car is permitted. Parking is regulated however.

Facilities The campus has various sporting facilities. There is a sports gym, an athletic track, playing field, tennis courts, and a small golf driving range.

The University Library and Media Center at KSC is open from 8:50am to 10:00pm.[17]

There is a large cafeteria, housed in several buildings with both indoor and outdoor eating areas. The cafeteria serves both Japanese and international food. There is also a convenience store, and a stationary store selling student supplies.

The new Academic Commons building opened in 2013. It houses many meeting rooms, a cafe with all-you-can-drink coffee and a variety of cakes and a reading room featuring a wide selection of books and Manga, some of which are in English.

There are three ATMs on campus. They are Japan Post, SMBC and　SIHD.

The Osaka Umeda Campus is in the Applause Tower, where is a short walk from central stations of Osaka city, such as Hankyu Umeda Station, Osaka City Subway Umeda Station, and JR Osaka Station. Besides holding numerous graduate school classes for working people, the campus offers support for lifelong learning and student job placement. It is also a base for industry-academia linking and PR activities.
The Tokyo Marunouchi Campus is on the 10th floor of the Sapia Tower, next to Tokyo Station. This campus is a base for information gathering and provision, the furthering of lifelong learning, and job placement support in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It is also the base of the Tokyo Alumni Association. Alumni give courses like the Crescent Moon Class and the New Moon Class for KGU students. Also popular is the Marunouchi Course, lectures by prominent figures working on the front lines of the business world. The Tokyo Marunouchi Campus staff help KGU students find work in Tokyo. And KGU graduates living in Tokyo are also there to support current students.
This campus houses the Elementary School. The site of this campus was former Takarazuka Family Land amusement park.

Student Life

Festivals

Kwansei Gakuin holds school festivals every autumn in each campus. The festival is called "Shingetsu Sai."

Athletics

Kwansei Gakuin has one of the most diverse varsity athletic programs in Japan, and its 34 varsity teams that compete in regional collegiate leagues. Although the school, unlike other private universities in the country, does not offer specific scholarships for student-athletes, it is still competitive with the top echelon of Japanese collegiate teams in the sports of American football, basketball, lacrosse and soccer.

Kwansei Gakuin University is a member of Kansai Big 6 Baseball League (関西学生野球連盟 Kansai gakusei yakyū renmei), which was restructured in 1982. The school was recognized as one of Kansai Big 6 schools (関西六大学 Kansai roku-daigaku) for about three decades until KG was often excluded from the League, then Kansai Region's premium collegiate baseball league, in the 1970s.

KG is currently best known for its American football team, as known as Fighters, dominating the Division I League of Kansai Collegiate American Football Association with a total of 46 league titles, 22 national collegiate titles, and one national title from 1948–2005 seasons. Kwansei Gakuin, Kyoto and Ritsumeikan have battled for American football dominance in the league for the last fifteen years.

The school's traditional athletic rivalry with Kansai University is intense again in every sport since the two institutions started All Kan-Kwan Games (総合関関戦 Sogo kankan sen), which is less known than Keio–Waseda rivalry in the country's college athletics, in 1978. Kwansei Gakuin ties the series, 14–14 for the past three years running.

Kwansei Gakuin has several athletic facilities including the 3rd Field (for), one of the first American football fields in the country, the Soccer Field, and the General Gymnasium.

KG athletics are supported by the Traditional Cheerleading Team, the Brass Band, and the Cheerleading Team of Kwansei Gakuin University Cheerleading Division. The division's three teams attend every American football game throughout the fall, as well as most baseball games throughout the spring. The school's unofficial mascot was used to be "Kwangaku eitoman", the popular cartoon/animation character 8th Man in the 1960s. Kwansei Gakuin has several fight songs, the most played of which, especially at American football games, are "Shingetsu-ki no moto ni", "Fight on Kwansei", and "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man".

In addition to KG's varsity athletics, a wide variety of clubs and intramural sports teams have been organized as student organizations under the auspices of the Division of Students. Most of the club and intramural sports are coed.

Noted faculty and alumni

References

  1. ↑ Universitas Collegii Japonicum Occidens in literal
  2. ↑ as West Japan College, a non-degree granting professional school
  3. ↑ as Kwansei Gakuin University
  4. ↑ historical ties to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Canadian Methodist Church, but independent in its governance since 1941
  5. ↑ As of May 1, 2007
  6. ↑ http://www.kwansei.ac.jp/kenkyu/ Division of Research Development and Outreach (ja)
  7. ↑ Kwansei Gakuin University Library
  8. ↑ Kwansei Gakuin University Library (Kobe-Sanda Campus)
  9. ↑ http://www.r-fair.info/rf2103
  10. ↑ SPS school information handbook
  11. ↑ SPS school information handbook
  12. ↑ http://sps-elp.com/instructors/
  13. ↑ http://sps-elp.com/goals-objectives/
  14. ↑ http://sps-elp.com/activities/
  15. ↑ http://global.kwansei.ac.jp/students/students_m_000575.html
  16. ↑ http://www.shinkibus.co.jp/
  17. ↑ http://library.kwansei.ac.jp/ksc/stop.cgi

External links