Hiroshima University

History of Hiroshima University
Under the National School Establishment Law, Hiroshima University was established on May 31, 1949. After World War II, the school system in Japan was entirely reformed and each of the institutions of higher education under the pre-war system was reorganized. As a general rule, one national university was established in each prefecture, and Hiroshima University became a national university under the new system by combining the various pre-war higher educational institutions in Hiroshima Prefecture.

The new university combined eight component institutions: Hiroshima University of Literature and Science, Hiroshima School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education, Hiroshima Women's School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education for Youth, Hiroshima Higher School, Hiroshima Higher Technical School, and Hiroshima Municipal Higher Technical School. Later in 1953, the Hiroshima Prefecture Medical College was also added to the new Hiroshima University.

Some of these educational institutions already had brilliant traditions and histories of their own. Above all, Hiroshima School of Secondary Education, founded in 1902, had a distinguished place as one of the nation's two centers for training middle school teachers. The Hiroshima University of Literature and Science was founded in 1929 as one of the national universities, and in combination with the Hiroshima School of Secondary Education which was formerly affiliated to it, reigned over the Japanese world of education.

The present Hiroshima University, which was created from these two institutions as well as three other "old-system" training institutions for teachers, continues to hold an important position among the universities and colleges of education in Japan. Also, Hiroshima Higher Technical School, which has introduced a large number of talented people into the world of Japanese industry, was founded in 1920 and was promoted to a Technical College (Senmon Gakko) in 1944. Hiroshima Higher School was founded in 1923 as one of the pre-war higher schools which prepared students for Imperial Universities and other government-supported universities. Although these educational institutions suffered a great deal of damage due to the atomic bomb which was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, they were reconstructed and combined to become the new Hiroshima University. In addition, Graduate Schools were established in 1953. The new Hiroshima University has risen from the ruins of war like a phoenix, which is in fact the University's symbol.

At present, Hiroshima University has the following ten Faculties: the Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, the Faculty of Letters, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Applied Biological Science, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry.

There are ten Graduate Schools with master's and/or doctoral degree courses: the Graduate School of Letters, the Graduate School of Education, the Graduate School of Social Sciences, the Graduate School of Science, the Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, the Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Graduate School of Dental Science, the Graduate School of Engineering, the Graduate School of Biosphere Science and the Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation.

The Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine and Biology was an institute attached to the University, and was established in 1961 for the purpose of studying theories and prophylactic measures relevant to nuclear radioactivity of the atomic bomb and the practical application of these theories to about 110,000 survivors living in Hiroshima. This institute was reorganized and renamed the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine in June 1994.

Common facilities for research and education include the following institutes and centers: the Research Institute for Higher Education, the Information Media Center, the International Student Center, the Center for Technology Research and Development, the Research Center for Nan devices and Systems, the Hiroshima Synchrotron Radiation Center, the Center for the Study of International Cooperation in Education, the Health Service Center, the Institute for Peace Science, the Institute for Waste Waters Treatment, the Research Center for Regional Geography, the Venture Business Laboratory, the Student Job Placement Center, the Information Exchange Office, the Admission Center, the Center for Business Incubation, the Office of International Affairs, the Peer Support Room, The Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development and the Beijing Research Center.

Other research facilities and institutions are: the Research Institute of Early Childhood Education; the Center for School Education Research and Development and the Center of Special Education Research and Practice attached to the Faculty of Education; the Research Center for Regional Economics, attached to the Faculty of Economics; the Marine Biological Laboratory, the Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden, the Laboratory for Amphibian Biology and the Laboratory of Plant Chromosome and Gene Stock, attached to the Graduate School of Science; the University Medical Hospital, the Experimental Station of Medicinal Plants, the Research Facilities for Laboratory Animal Science, the Research Institute of Replacement Medicine and the Research Center for Molecular Medicine, attached to the Faculty of Medicine; the University Dental Hospital, the School for Dental Hygienists and Dental Technicians School attached to the Faculty of Dentistry; the University Farm, the Training and Research Vessel "Toyoshio-maru" and the Fisheries Laboratory attached to the Faculty of Applied Biological Science; and, there are two kindergartens, three primary schools, four junior high schools and two senior high schools are attached to the University.

Since its foundation, Hiroshima University has strived to become one of the most prominent and comprehensive universities in Japan for the promotion and development of scholarship and education. In 1969, however, there was a campus dispute. This kind of dispute was not merely confined to Japan. Disputes were seen on many campuses throughout the world. Stimulated by this turmoil, Hiroshima University made various plans for reform, one of which was a scheme for moving the campuses to a single site. Hiroshima University was founded by combining several colleges, in various parts of Hiroshima prefecture. Originally, the available space for each of these campuses had been quite restricted and had discouraged the full realization of growth and planning for research and education. In order to overcome these in-conveniences and to promote new growth, the senate and administration of Hiroshima University decided in February 1973 to move most of these scattered faculties to a new site (approximately 250 hectares in the Kagamiyama District of Higashi-Hiroshima City, 35 kilometers east from the Higashi Senda campus).

By March 1995 as planned, nine faculties had moved to the new campus, leaving the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry in Hiroshima City.

Guiding Principles of Hiroshima University
1. Pursuit of peace.
To develop intellectual attitudes which always seek peaceful solutions to the problems affecting society and the world at large.

2. Creation of new forms of knowledge.
To evolve new systems of study which surpass existing frontiers of knowledge and encourage intellectual innovation.

3. Nurturing of well-rounded human beings.
To train graduates with well-developed and multifaceted personalities by means of an education which has breadth as well as depth.

4. Collaboration with the local, regional and international community.
To create a university with a strong international awareness this can efficiently disseminate knowledge on a worldwide scale, in collaboration with local and regional communities.

5. Continuous self-development.
To maintain a constant readiness to re-examine established ways of acting, and a constant openness to improvement and innovation.

Administration
The administration and management of Hiroshima University is headed by the President with the Administration Bureau as an administrative aide, and the University Senate as an advisory organ. There are various kinds of committees throughout the University and within each Faculty. Each of the faculties and research institutes has its own meeting.

PRESIDENT
The President, elected by the vote of all the teaching staff of the University, assumes the responsibility for the administration and management of the University, and represents the University. The President serves for a term of four years and may be re-elected for an additional term (another four years). The Administration Bureau is established under the President.

SENATE
The Senate, established as an advisory organ for the President, is in addition the highest organization for university policy. The Senate comprises forty-six members: The President, Vice-Presidents, the Deans of each Faculty, the Directors of the Research Institutes attached to the University, Hospitals, and the Main Library, and one professor elected from each of the Faculties and 12 professors selected by the president.
The function of the Senate is to deliberate on the enactment of school regulations and other important regulations and the revision or abolition of the regulations. It makes the annual budget, and deliberates on the establishment or abolition of Faculties, Departments and other important facilities, and decisions concerning personnel matters of the teaching staff, as well as the size of the student body, policies on the welfare and guidance of students and on the position of students. It is also concerned with relations between the Faculties and their Attached Institutes, and other important administrative matters of the University.

FACULTY MEETINGS
Each faculty and research institute has its own meeting. These meetings are the highest level for decisions on matters concerning these units.
Although each Faculty Meeting has its own standards for membership, generally these meetings consist of professors (Kyoju), associate professors (Jokyoju), assistant professors (Koshi) and research associates (Joshu). The function of each Faculty Meeting includes the election of the Dean (by vote of the faculty members), deliberation on the establishment or abolition of departments, chairs and attached facilities to the Faculties, decisions on the curriculum, determination of the admission and graduation of students, settlement of various problems concerning the welfare and guidance of students, and deliberation on other important matters affecting the education, research and administration of the Faculty.

GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The Graduate School System is composed of ten Graduate Schools each with its own committee, equivalent to the Faculty Meetings in the Faculties. Each committee has a chairman.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMITTEES
There are ten other committees throughout the campus established in the University to make policies and deal with various practical problems. For example, the Committee for Public Information is concerned with the flow of internal and external information that concerns the campus, the Committee for Student Affairs deliberates on various matters related to students, the Committee for Academic Affairs is in charge of the affairs concerning instruction. Besides these, there are many other committees organized in each of the Faculties and Institutes.

ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM
The Administrative System of Hiroshima University is composed of the Administration Bureau and the respective offices in each faculty, research institute, hospital, library, and other attached facility of the University.
The following two sections are in charge of the international affairs of the University as the International Affairs Bureau.

 

The International Planning & Cooperation Group deals with the international exchange agreements between universities and research institutes, and the international exchange of teaching staff and researchers.

Address: International Planning & Cooperation Group, International Affairs Bureau, Hiroshima University
3-2, Kagamiyama 1 chome, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8511 JAPAN
Telephone: 082-422-7111 (Ext. 6045) or 082-424-6045
Facsimile: 082-424-6179

The International Student Exchange Group deals with the international exchange of students.
Address: International Students Exchange Group, International Affairs Bureau, Hiroshima University
3-2 Kagamiyania 1 chome, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8511 JAPAN
Telephone: 082-422-7111 (Ext.6184) or 082-424-6184
Facsimile: 082-424-6179

ADMISSIONS CENTER

The Admissions Center, while geared toward Japanese students, deals with the entrance of private foreign applicants with exceptional Japanese to the University.
Address: Admissions Center, Administration Bureau, Hiroshima University,
3-2, Kagamiyama 1 chome, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8511 JAPAN

Telephone: 082-422-7111 (Ext. 6174) or 082-424-6174