A University with Local and Global Features
The university of the Ryukyus was founded on May 22, 1950, on the site of the ancient Shuri Castle, which was reduced to ashes during World War II. Because there had been no national institutions of higher education, commercial or agricultural schools in Okinawa since the Meiji Era, the establishment of the university had been greatly desired by the people of Okinawa. Thus, the university has long served as a beacon of hope and a symbol of cultural identity. In establishing the university, it received guidance from Michigan State University, even today, we continue to maintain the good traditions of the American university system.
The University of the Ryukyus aims to maintain both "local and global features." One of our objectives is to conduct academic research utilizing Okinawa's unique historical background and geographic location. Research grounded in regional characteristics includes: coral reefs and biological resources; tropical agriculture and biotechnology; tropical infectious diseases; information technology using tropical environment and geographic location; Okinawa's history, culture, people, language; and cross-cultural and comparative cultural studies, research on the Asia and Pacific regions.
We also emphasize education rooted in local characteristics. Among our liberal arts courses, we offer "Special Topics on Okinawa," including courses on Okinawa's unique environment, culture, history, and language.
The University of the Ryukyus has exchange agreements with 53 institutions from 22 countries. As the southern gate to Japan,We aim to be a unique university having strong ties with Asia and the Pacific regions, which is evident in our special partnership with the University of Hawaii and our exchange agreements with eleven universities in the Pacific. We especially emphasize English education because we are committed to cultivating individuals who can succeed in an international society with high language skills and global awareness.
As of April 2004, all national universities in Japan have become incorporated as independent administrative entities. Soon thereafter in April 2005, we established the Department of Tourism Sciences, the first of its kind among former national universities, to further distinguish ourselves from other universities and progress toward specialization in education and research pertaining to our regional priorities. We are also pressing forward in developing a system to carry out education and research on effective utilization of marine resourses and bioresources in subtropical Okinawa.
Please refer to this guidebook for more details about the university. We hope that this guidebook gives you a better understanding of our University of the Ryukyus.
 President MOSHIN MORITA |
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