Kobe City University of Foreign Studies is a municipal government-supported university committed to responsible scholarship in promoting the study and teaching of foreign languages and cultures in order to instill in the students a deeper understanding of international affairs and foreign countries. Founded in 1946, the university offers undergraduate and graduate-degree programs Anglo-American, Russian, Chinese and Spanish studies, and International Relations. The undergraduate programs offer a choice of linguistics and literature studies, and law and economics studies, In 1991, a graduate program offering a degree in Japanese studies was added to the curriculum. The current university enrollment is approximately 2,000. About 65 percent are women. The faculty includes many distinguished scholars and eminent researchers with doctoral degrees who are committed to excellence in teaching. Currently the faculty includes 98 full-time professors, associate professors, lecturers, and foreign teachers.
The university has teacher exchange programs with the University of Moscow, and the Jose Ortega Y Gasset Foundation in Spain. To have a wider cross-cultural experience and gain valuable practical knowledge for their future careers the university offers and accredited student exchange program through arrangements with Eastern Washington University in the United States and the Jose ortega Y Gasset Foundation in Spain. The university also encourages its students to participate in off-campus educational programs abroad at leading educational institutions and organizations.
1946-1949: Prior to World War II, the City of Kobe had no municipal institution of higher education. Following the end of the Pacific War, there arose among the people of Kobe a determined movement to establish a city college befitting an international port city dedicated to the higher ideals of peace and culture. An early plan was developed, but ran into difficulties because the war devastated city had not yet restored itself to its former prosperity. It was also the policy at the time of the American Occupation authorities to discourage Japan war-damaged cities from establishing institutions of higher education, because the expense would be beyond their means.
After repeated requests, however, an exception was made in the case of Kobe, and the city was allowed to establish a college for the study of foreign languages and cultures. On June 1, 1946, the Kobe Municipal College of Foreign Affairs was established with a three-year curriculum centered on English, Russian, and Chinese language studies. The number of students enrolled in each of its three departments was 120, 30, and 30 respectively. From 1946 to 1946 about 350students graduated from the college.
1949 to the present: In the wake of Japan's steady recovery from the ruins of war, sweeping changes took place in the Japanese educational system. In 1949 three-year colleges were eliminated from the new Education Reform Plan. With official approval from the Japanese Ministry of Education Kobe Municipal College of Foreign Affairs broadened its status into a full four-year university. In April 1949, with official approval of the Ministry of Education, the institution was renamed Kobe City university of Foreign Studies.
Since its inception the University has been characterized by a commitment to growth and development. In 1950 a junior college (evening course) was attached to the university. Three years later, in 1953, the junior college was awarded university status. As Japan's trade relations with Latin-American countries increased, a Spanish department was added to the curriculum. In April, 1967, the university established a graduate program in the departments of English, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish leading to a degree in Master of Arts. In April, 1987, a new Department of International Relations was added to the curriculum. Later, in 1991, the university established a graduated program in International Relations and Japanese studies. As the City of Kobe grew in population and economic importance the idea of developing an "Academic Town" for its citizens took shape. Called "gakuentoshi", the new academic community is located amid quiet surroundings overlooking scenic mountains in the western part of Kobe. In 1986, the university moved to a new campus there and, along with several other universities, forms the center of the new academic town.
Stretching out under the gaze of the scenic Rokko mountain range along a picturesque shoreline overlooking Osada Bay and the historic Inland sea, the city of Kobe-once called the "Gateway to the Gods" - has a long and colorful history dating back more than 1,200 years. Situated in the central part of Japan the city for centuries served as a major trading port for vessels from China, Korea, and domestic commerce. In 1868, Kobe became one of the first Japanese cities to open the nation's doors to the West. Almost overnight it grew into a key trading point for foreign merchants and tradesmen and acquired a cosmopolitan spirit of international friendship which enhanced the peoples' traditional deep-rooted liberal frame of mind and intellectual curiosity.
Located geographically in the central part of Japan about 370 miles from Tokyo, and 40 minutes from Osaka international Airport by expressway, the City of Kobe is a major international center of economic, cultural and academic activity. Today the city has a population near 1,470,000, including 40,000 resident foreigners from 67 countries. The city regularly promotes international cultural exchange and has hosted numerous international summer festivals, exhibitions and theatrical performances, and sport events, including the 1985 Universiade Summer Games. A growing commercial and industrial center the City of Kobe also is home to many marine, warehouse, trade, shipbuilding, iron and steel, rubber and food processing industries. Kobe is also famous as a "sake" (Japanese rice wine) brewing center.
Blessed with a mild climate, abundant greenery, and small rainfall, Kobe has become a center for introducing Western culture to Japan. It is the birthplace in Japan of soccer, golfing, boxing, cinemas, coffee shops, and ladies' permanent waves, and many foreign arts and crafts. But although the city is a "youthful port town" with a rich natural environment, symbolized by the nearby sea and its mountains and slopes, Kobe still maintains a treasure house of proud cultural assets, many dating back to the earliest origins of the nation's history.
The educational programs offered at the University are intended not merely to educate students in language studies, but to enable them to become cultured men and women with an international knowledge of world affairs. Students must also demonstrate competence in writing, reading comprehension, and speech through testing or by successfully completing specified course offerings. All students must fulfill core curriculum requirements and the requirements of an authorized major before graduation. Four-year baccalaureate degrees are awarded to undergraduate students. A Master of Arts degree is awarded to students who have successfully completed the required subjects of an authorized graduate program.
In 1951, an Institute for Foreign Studies was established for the purpose of carrying out foreign studies (including area studies), related cultural and social studies, and research and investigation entrusted by the City of Kobe.
The academic year at the University consists of two semesters, beginning in April and September.
The University library contains approximately 254,000 volumes in various languages, and 3,800 different kinds of periodicals. Resource materials include a collection of rare books, the most advanced audiovisual equipment, and a computer laboratory. Each department contains its own specialized collection of reference books and resource materials. The University library is fully air-conditioned and remains open six days a week, Monday thru Saturday.
The University faculty is composed of 98 well-qualified professors, associate professors, and Japanese and foreign instructors from several countries, including Russia, China, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. A comparatively low student-teacher ratio ensures active interaction between students and the faculty.
The faculty, many with doctoral degrees obtained both in Japan and abroad, display varied interests and points of view. With a fundamental commitment to the noble ideals of higher education and frequent contact between student and teacher, the University has continually strengthened its curriculum toward more liberalized academic and social structures so that students, particularly at the graduate school level, may pursue a program of more individualized research under the guidance of the faculty.
Admission to the University is highly competitive. In addition to test scores and other mechanical indicators, each candidate for admission is evaluated individually. The University seeks students who are open to new ideas and interests, and can benefit from and contribute to the cultural and intellectual life of the campus. Motivation and initiative are prime considerations. Special achievement in a field beyond the academic requirements, particularly at the graduate level, are also evaluated in the candidate's favor. Evaluations of academic and personal promise from secondary school advisers are also taken into account.
Freshman students are required to have completed a primary and secondary school education and have a fluent knowledge of both written and spoken Japanese. All inquires concerning admission to the University undergraduate and graduate schools should be directed to: Department of Student Affairs, Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, 9-1, Gakuen-higashi-machi, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-21,Japan.
The University offers a complete range of modern sports facilities, including tennis courts, athletic and baseball ground, swimming pool, gymnasium, Japanese archery ground and various equipment. The student body sponsors numerous club activities, both traditional and modern. All students are encouraged to participate in the sport or club activity of their choice. The University does not maintain student housing facilities.
www-admin@kobe-cufs.ac.jp 1994/10/02 Sun.