Kansai University traces its origins to Kansai Law School, founded in Osaka in 1886. It was granted university status in 1922 and will celebrate its 140th anniversary in 2026. Today, Kansai University is a comprehensive institution comprising 14 faculties and 15 graduate schools, with a student population of approximately 30,000, including international students from countries and regions around the world.
Guided by its educational philosophy of GAKU-NO-JITSUGE (“Harmony between Academia and Society”), Kansai University integrates academic theory with practical application. Across its faculties, the University emphasizes not only a solid grounding in fundamental knowledge but also the development of applied skills, flexible thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Through education that cultivates the knowledge and literacies required in an increasingly digital and globalized society, Kansai University strives to develop individuals capable of making meaningful contributions to society.
Kansai University also maintains a strong record of securing external research funding. In FY2024, it ranked 16th among private universities nationwide in the number of projects funded under the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI), Japan’s largest competitive research funding program. Excluding medical and dental institutions, it ranked sixth among private universities.
Furthermore, the University was selected for MEXT’s Private University Research Branding Project in both 2016 and 2017, making it one of only seven institutions nationwide to be selected in two consecutive years. In FY2024, Kansai University implemented a total of 379 externally funded research projects supported by KAKENHI, government ministries and agencies, and other funding organizations, with total funding amounting to approximately ¥1 billion. Through these initiatives, the University advances cutting-edge research while actively disseminating its outcomes to society.