History
Tatsuo Kishimoto, Kozo Miyagi, and Misao Yashiro founded the Meiji Law School, the predecessor of Meiji University. All three were born in the Kaei era, between 1848 and 1853, to lower-class samurai families. Kishimoto was raised in Tottori, Miyagi in Tendo, and Yashiro in Sabae, all rural areas far away from the capital.
Education
Meiji University ranks solidly among the best universities in Japan, currently consisting of 10 schools: the School of Law, School of Commerce, School of Political Science and Economics, School of Business Administration, School of Arts and Letters, School of Information and Communication, School of Global Japanese Studies, School of Science and Technology, School of Agriculture, and the School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences.
Research
Meiji University has established the Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Properties (hereinafter referred as “the Organization.”) in 2005 to aim at becoming the top university of the world, to promote international-standard research by developing research bases in areas of focus, to promote globalization of research and to broadly distribute research results to society.
Career
In recent years the number of foreign students at Meiji University who wish to put to use the knowledge and skills they have acquired here and stay in Japan and work in Japanese corporations after graduation has been increasing. Many businesses too increasingly want to hire foreigners who have graduated as international students as globalization increases, with businesses expanding overseas, etc.
University Ranking
Student services
Meiji University strives to create an academic environment that promotes diversity, acceptance and unity. Meiji University has created the following programs to facilitate interaction between Japanese and international students and promote international awareness.
International Student Offices (Surugadai, Izumi, Ikuta, Nakano)
The International Student Center maintains branch offices in Izumi, Ikuta and Nakano campuses that are staffed as indicated below. Study abroad information and consultation as well as services and information for international students are available. Students are encouraged to visit often.
Housing services
n addition to the Surugadai Campus, Meiji University also comprises the Izumi Campus, Ikuta Campus, and the Nakano Campus newly opened in April, 2013. Along with excellent teaching staff, all of these campuses are linked with other institutions and facilities for education and research and feature the latest facilities, equipment and so on for extracurricular activities. Providing steady education and research opportunities, the Surugadai Campus in particular features the latest IT infrastructure and the Liberty Tower, with 23 stories above ground and three below. On top of this, the construction of “Global Front”, a cutting edge center of excellence in the age of globalization has been completed in January.
Library services
Surugadai Campus
- The Central Library at the Surugadai Campus was designed as an urban library offering a variety of services as well as distinctive materials and activities. In addition to being open on holidays, the main library features open-access shelves, reading rooms designed for specific purposes, galleries, multipurpose halls, and lounge areas.
Campus life
- Surugadai Campus
- Izumi Campus
- Ikuta Campus
- Nakano Campus
Student clubs
Organization of the Alumni AssociationThe Meiji University Alumni Association was reborn as a new alumni association based on new association rules from April 2003. The new Alumni Association is composed of branches in each administrative division in Japan and abroad, and under the new association rules, all alumni are Alumni Association members of any one of the 54 branches nationwide (on the prefectural level) where they live. Joining a regional branch under these branches is optional, but this serves as the foundation for activities of the alumni association as a subordinate organization to the branches.
Accreditation
Meiji University is accredited by the Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA) and its accreditation was recently reaffirmed in March 2008. This certification is effective until academic year 2014 (March 2015).