The , abbreviated to , is a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

national university A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. Some national universities are associated with national cultural or po ...

in Nishihara,

Okinawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city o ...

, Japan. Established in 1950, it is the westernmost national university of Japan and the largest public university in Okinawa Prefecture. Located in the Senbaru neighborhood of the town of Nishihara, its campus borders both the village of Nakagusuku and the city of

Ginowan ( ryu, ジノーン, translit=Jinōn) is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2012, the city has an estimated population of 94,405, with 40,041 households and a population density of 4,838.8 persons per km2. The total area is 19.5 ...

History

Under the auspices of the

United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands The was the civil administration government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on Okinawa Island), replacing the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands (itself created at the conclusion of World War II) in 1950, and functio ...

, the University of the Ryukyus was founded as a territorial university on the site of the historic

Shuri Castle was a Ryukyuan ''gusuku'' castle in Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Between 1429 and 1879, it was the palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom, before becoming largely neglected. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, it was almost completely destroye ...

Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area i ...

on May 22, 1950. It was established under the guidance of

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

. It was placed under the jurisdiction of the

Government of the Ryukyu Islands The was the self-government of native Okinawans during the American occupation of Okinawa. It was created by proclamation of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) on April 1, 1952, and was abolished on May 14, 197 ...

in 1966. ''Ryūdai'' became a Japanese national university on May 15, 1972, upon Okinawa's return to Japan. The university moved to its current campus between 1975 and 1984. The relocation allowed for the restoration of the castle. The university was a state-run university from 1972 until 2004, when it was reclassified as a

National University Corporation is a corporate body (legal entity) established under the provisions of the ''National University Corporation Act'' (2003) for the purpose of establishing a national university in Japan. History As part of promoting the reform of Japanese univer ...

after the Japanese government made changes to the national university system.

Relationships

''Ryūdai'' has developed its own traditions of contributing to and advancing the position of the local community, of conducting international exchange, and of broadening the knowledge base of the people of Okinawa through academic and educational activities. Since 1988, ''Ryūdai'' and the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

have had a "sister university" relationship, and have opened up centers for Okinawan studies at both universities. In January 2013, the University of the Ryukyus began a research exchange program with

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

Mokpo National University Mokpo National University is located in Muan and Mokpo, South Korea. Mokpo, located in the most southwestern region of Korea, is a key coastal city of the Korean Peninsula. The main campus is located in the valley of Seungdal Mountain, which has ...

. The

University of the Philippines Diliman , image = University of The Philippines seal.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman , motto = Honor and Excellence , established = February 12, 194 ...

had noted interest on Ryūdai since 2007 due to its research on underwater cultural landscapes.

Faculties and graduate schools

Faculties

*Law and Letters *Education *Science *Medicine *Engineering *Agriculture

Graduate schools

*Humanities and Social Sciences *Education *Medicine *Health Sciences *Engineering and Science *Agriculture *

Law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

Inter-department institutes

*Center of Molecular Biosciences *Center for Cooperative Research *Instrumental Research Center *Education and Research Center for Lifelong Learning *Computing and Networking Center

Facilities for education and research

*Center for Educational Research and Development *The Institute for Animal Experiments *Manufacturing Laboratory *Subtropical Field Science Center *Educational and Clinical Center for Children with Disabilities *Research Laboratory Center *Joint-Use Inter-Department Institutes *Low Temperature Center *University Evaluation Center *Radioisotope Laboratory *University Education Center *Center for Asia-Pacific Island Studies *Language Center *Environmental Science Center

International Programs

Sister-School Programs *Partner Universities...71 *Departmental Exchange Agreements...43 Student Exchanges with Partner Universities *Inbound...79 *Outbound...33 Research Exchange *Outbound researchers...595 *Inbound researchers...203 International Students *Undergraduates...53 *Graduate...135 *Auditing...23 *Research...10 *Special Auditing...71 *Special Research...4

The Fujukan Museum

The is the university's main museum. Its collection includes biological specimens from around the Ryukyus, artifacts from

, traditional farming tools, local crafts, folk toys, and geological samples. Some of the objects are catalogued digitally in an online database. It does not charge admission fees. The University Museum is a successor of the Museum of Agriculture – likewise called ''Fujukan'' – founded in 1967 on the former (Shuri) campus. The current museum was built in 1985 and was known as the until 2015, when it was renamed the .

Athletics

American Football

Ryukyus has an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

team that competes in the

Kyūshū Collegiate American Football Association The Kyūshū Collegiate American Football Association (九州学生アメリカンフットボール連盟) is an American college football league made up of colleges and universities primarily on the island of Kyushu, Japan; one school is locate ...

References

External links

University of the Ryukyus Japanese language WebsiteEnglish language Website
{{Authority control Japanese national universities Educational institutions established in 1950 Okinawa under United States occupation University of the Ryukyus 1950 establishments in Japan