The University of Tokyo
Established
in 1877 as the first imperial university, the University of Tokyo is one of
Japan’s most storied and prestigious higher education establishments. In 2011,
the university, which is nicknamed Todai, was ranked second in the world behind
Harvard for the number of alumni in CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies.
Also, 15 of Japan’s 62 prime ministers were educated at the University of
Tokyo, and five alumni have gone on to become astronauts.
Tokyo
consists of 10 faculties and 15 graduate schools, and has 30,000 students
enrolled, of which 2,100 are from overseas. Unusually for a Japanese
university, it also runs undergraduate programs taught entirely in English: the
International Program on Japan in East Asia and the International Program on
Environmental Sciences.
In 2014,
the university’s School of Science introduced an all-English undergraduate
transfer program called Global Science Course. Todai has five campuses, in the
districts of Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano.
Tokyo is
a vibrant metropolis with a distinct urban character and unique culture that is
ideal for growing minds and youthful adventure. The main Hongo campus occupies
the former estate of the Maeda family, once the feudal lords of Kaga Province.
It therefore attracts tourists due to landmarks such as Akamon (the Red Gate)
and the majestic Yasuda Auditorium. It’s also where UTokyo’s annual May
festival is held.
The
other campuses have more modern features. Komaba campus ¬– home to the College
of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the
Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences – is home to 7,000 freshmen and
sophomores.
The
undergraduate experience at the University of Tokyo is unique as it’s the only
Japanese university with a system of two years of general education before
students choose their major. The campus has been designated a "center of
excellence" for three new areas of research by Japan’s Ministry of
Education and Science.
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Education