University of the Ryukyus

President Greeting

The University of the Ryukyus has a markedly different history from that of other national universities and through many ordeals, we stand here today. A detailed history of our university is presented in the History Outline pages of this brochure.

The University of the Ryukyus was established in 1950 with the support of the United States Military Government, on the site of the ancient Shuri Castle. At that time, it consisted of 6 faculties: English, Education, Social Sciences, Science, Agriculture, and Applied Liberal Arts. After its establishment, the university received guidance from Michigan State University, a land-grant university, with the aim of creating a university that contributed to the local community by extending academic results to the community. In 1966, administration of the University of the Ryukyus was transferred to the Government of the Ryukyu Islands. In 1972, when control of Okinawa reverted to Japan, the University of the Ryukyus fell under Japanese Government administration and became a national university. In 1979, the university became a comprehensive university with six faculties: Education, Law and Letters, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine. In 2004, all national universities including the University of the Ryukyus were transformed into so-called National University Corporations. That same year, the Graduate School of Law was established, and the Faculty of Tourism Sciences and Industrial Management was established in 2008. Now the university consists of seven faculties and the Graduate School of Law.

Since its foundation over 50 years ago, our university has contributed to the local community, and we will continue to make improvements as a university with both local and global features.

Okinawa's unique regional characteristics are rooted in a history developed through inter-regional trade throughout East and Southeast Asia during the Ryukyu Kingdom Era, and in being a small island group located in the subtropical zone. Okinawa has developed its distinctive culture and ideas, which have spread across the Asia-Pacific region through the oceans around Okinawa. At our university, various unique researches have been conducted based on the inheritance of such unique characteristics and developments in our modern society.

Thus, the University of the Ryukyus contributes to the collective global knowledge base utilizing the supple and flexible mind from the south to deal with critical issues, such as economic problems raised in the modern days of globalization.

The kind of research we conduct includes:

1. Biodiversity in Coral Reefs (selected as a COE program, focusing on the natural environment in Okinawa as well as the Asia-Pacific region.) In 2009, the Tropical Biosphere Research Center and the Center for Molecular Biosciences was integrated and researches in those fields are expected to be further developed.
2. Tropical and sub-tropical agriculture and biotechnologies
3. Advanced medicine for tropical infectious diseases, tumors, aging, and lifestyle-related diseases
4. Engineering and information technology that takes advantage of Okinawa's regional characteristics
5. Studies of disasters due to global warming, in collaboration with the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Agriculture, and Law and Letters (the Disaster Prevention Research Center for Island Regions was established in 2008 aiming to expand research on disaster prevention.)
6. Histories and cultures, as well as folklore studies in the Asia-Pacific region, centering on Okinawa. In 2009, the International Institute for Okinawan Studies was newly established by integrating the American Studies Center, the Center for Migration Studies and the Center for Asia-Pacific Island Studies, and more advanced research is expected.
7. GP (good practice) Program conducted by the Faculty of Education

Furthermore, it is vital to acquire education with broad perspectives and basic sciences. We currently have exchange agreements with 61 universities world-wide to promote exchanges in education and research. Such active exchanges with our partners also help us to enrich our language education, especially the European and Asian languages.

Doctoral programs offered through our Graduate Schools include　those in Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering and Science, Agriculture, Medicine, and Health Sciences, as well as the Graduate School of Law and the Medical Science of Infection Control Division.

The University of the Ryukyus places a very high level of importance on our natural environment. From 2007 to 2009, we are undergoing an assessment for EcoAction21 certification by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.