Kobe University (神戸大学, Kōbe daigaku), also known in the Kansai region as Shindai (神大), is a public research university located in Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan.

Kobe University
神戸大学
Latin: Kobienasis Universitas
Other name
Shindai (神大)
Motto
真摯・自由・協同
Motto in English
"Integrity – Freedom – Cooperation"
TypePublic (National)
EstablishedMarch 1902 (as the Kobe Higher Commercial School)
(31 May 1949 at reformation of educational system)
PresidentMasato Fujisawa
Academic staff
1,288 full-time (May 1, 2022)[1]
Students15,870 (May 1, 2022)[1]
Undergraduates11,426 (May 1, 2022)[1]
Postgraduates4,444 (May 1, 2022)[1]
1,580 (May 1, 2022)[2]
Location, ,
CampusUrban
Websitewww.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html Edit this at Wikidata

The university was established in 1949, but the academic origins of Kobe University trace back to the establishment of Kobe Higher Commercial School in 1902, which was renamed as Kobe University of Commerce in 1929, and Kobe University of Economics in 1940.[3]

It comprises 14 graduate schools and 11 undergraduate faculties, and holds about 16,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs. International students accounted for 1,179 members of the student body as of 1 May 2021.[4] It also has 3,102 staff members, including professors, associate professors and administrative officials.[5]

The university is known to be the sole university in Japan to have a faculty dedicated to maritime sciences. It was also the first university to establish a faculty dedicated to business administration in the country.[6]

History

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Kobe College of Commerce main gate in 1930s

The roots of the university can be traced back to 1902, when the Kobe Higher Commercial School (神戸高等商業学校, Kōbe kōtō shōgyō gakkō) was established. Its first president was Tetsuya Mizushima (水島銕也, 1864—1928). In 1929 this school was renamed Kobe University of Commerce (神戸商業大学, Kōbe shōgyō daigaku),[7] and it was further renamed in 1944, Kobe University of Economics (神戸経済大学, Kōbe keizai daigaku).[7]

In 1949, under Japan's new educational systems, the university was merged with Hyogo Normal School, Hyogo Junior Normal School, Kobe Technical College and Himeji High School, all of which were in Hyōgo Prefecture, leading to the creation of Kobe University.

The university has since been expanded and has created new faculties to complement its main academic foundations, which have been strongly established in the fields of economics and commerce.

Organisation

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Undergraduate faculties

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  • Faculty of Letters (文学部)
  • Faculty of Global Human Sciences (国際人間科学部)
  • Faculty of Law (法学部)
  • Faculty of Economics (経済学部)
  • Faculty of Business Administration (経営学部)
  • Faculty of Science (理学部)
  • Faculty of Medicine (医学部)
  • Faculty of Engineering (工学部)
  • Faculty of Agriculture (農学部)
  • Faculty of Maritime Sciences (海洋政策科学部)

Graduate schools

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The main building of Kobe University
  • Graduate School of Humanities
  • Graduate School of Intercultural Studies
  • Graduate School of Human Development and Environment
  • Graduate School of Law
    • Tier 1 full-time law school
  • Graduate School of Economics
    • The Okishio Theorem (Nobuo Okishio) is well known and appreciated worldwide
  • Graduate School of Business Administration
    • Tier 1 full-time MBA school
  • Graduate School of Science
  • Graduate School of Medicine
  • Graduate School of Health Sciences
  • Graduate School of Engineering
  • Graduate School of System Informatics
  • Graduate School of Agricultural Science
  • Graduate School of Maritime Sciences
  • Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies

Research institutes

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  • Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration

Campuses

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Kobe University Library

The university comprises four campuses: Rokkodai, Kusunoki, Myodani, and Fukae. Rokkodai Campus is the main campus of the university, and nine out of the eleven faculties are located there.

Rokkodai area

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  • The First Rokkodai (六甲台第1, Rokkōdai Dai-ichi) Campus
Law, Economics, Business Administration (2-1, Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe)
  • The Second Rokkodai (六甲台第2, Rokkōdai Daini) Campus
Letters, Science, Agriculture, Engineering (1-1, Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe)
  • The First Tsurukabuto (鶴甲第1, Tsurukabuto Dai-ichi) Campus
Intercultural Studies (1-2-1, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe)
  • The Second Tsurukabuto (鶴甲第2, Tsurukabuto Daini) Campus
Human Development (3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe)

Kusunoki area

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  • Kusunoki (, Kusunoki) Campus
Medicine (7-5-1, Kusunoki, Chūō-ku, Kobe)

Myodani area

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  • Myodani (名谷, Myōdani) Campus
Health Sciences (7-10-2, Tomogaoka, Suma-ku, Kobe)

Fukae area

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  • Fukae (深江, Fukae) Campus
Maritime Sciences (5-1-1, Fukaeminami, Higashinada-ku, Kobe)

Academic reputation and rankings

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University rankings
THE National[8] General 13
T. Reuters National[9] Research 14
WE [ja] National[10] Employment 18
NBP Kansai[11] Reputation 6
Shimano National[12] Selectivity A1
QS Asia
(Asia version)[13]
General 76
THE Asia
(Asia version)[14]
General 140
ARWU Asia[15] Research 44–68
THE World[16] General 601–800
QS World[17] General 465
ARWU World[15] Research 501–600
ENSMP World[18] Alumni 25

QS World University Rankings ranked the university 465th in the world in 2024.[19]

In 2023, THE World University Rankings categorised the university within the 601-800th tier globally, without specifying an exact rank.[20]

Popularity and selectivity

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Shindai is a popular university in Japan. Its admission process is usually considered as selective. It is ranked in top 20 in Japan.[21][22]

International education

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Scholarships for international students

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Kobe university encourages international students to study at the university through a number of scholarships for eligible students. Some of them are:[23]

  • Japanese Government Scholarship System
  • JASSO/ Honors Scholarship
  • Hyogo Prefecture Private Foreign Student Scholarship
  • Kobe/Sugawara Scholarship

Notable alumni

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Notable alumni from Kobe University
Sanae Takaichi, Minister of State for Economic Security of Japan

Notable faculty

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Kobe University". Japanese College and University Portraits (JPCUP). NIAD-QE. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. ^ "入学者数・収容定員・在籍者数" (PDF). Disclosure of educational information. Kobe University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.(in Japanese)
  3. ^ "沿革年表". 国立大学法人 神戸大学 (Kobe University) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  4. ^ 神戸大学概覧2021 (PDF). Kobe University. 2021-10-31. pp. 22–23. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.(in Japanese)
  5. ^ 神戸大学概覧2021 (PDF). Kobe University. 2021-10-31. pp. 17–18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.(in Japanese)
  6. ^ "国立大学法人神戸大学学則". www.office.kobe-u.ac.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  7. ^ a b Graduate School of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Kobe University
  8. ^ "Japan University Rankings 2023". Times Higher Education. 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "Thomson Reuters 20 Top research institutions in Japan". Thomson Reuters. 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2022. (this ranking includes 5 non-educational institutions)
  10. ^ "Employment rate in 400 major companies rankings" (in Japanese). Weekly Economist. 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  11. ^ "Nikkei BP Brand rankings of Japanese universities" (in Japanese). Nikkei Business Publications. 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  12. ^ "GBUDU University Rankings" (in Japanese). YELL books. 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  13. ^ "QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  14. ^ "Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings". Times Higher Education. 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Academic Ranking of World Universities". Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "THE World University Rankings". Times Higher Education. 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  17. ^ "QS World University Rankings". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "ENSMP World University Rankings" (PDF). École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris. 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  19. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2025". Top Universities. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-08-22.
  20. ^ "Kobe University". Times Higher Education (THE). 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  21. ^ e.g. Yoyogi seminar published Hensachi (the indication showing the entrance difficulties by prep schools) rankings "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2016-07-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "【2024年度入試対応】東進の大学入試偏差値一覧(ランキング)". 【2024年度入試対応】東進の大学入試偏差値一覧(ランキング) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  23. ^ "KOBE UNIVERSITY - MARITIME SCIENCES (KUMS) AT KOBE, HYOGO, JAPAN". EduMaritime.com. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
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34°43′41″N 135°14′05″E / 34.72806°N 135.23472°E / 34.72806; 135.23472