CLOSE

Greeting from Dean/Philosophy/Organization/History・Features

Greeting from Dean

Dean, School of Engineering,
Osaka University
Dean, Graduate School of Engineering,
Osaka University

Dr. Susumu KUWABATA

“Engineering” is the study of creating products, conceptual designs, and environments that can be useful for human society, referring to the law of nature. Science and technology have been rapidly developing since the 17th century, when modern science was established. In particular, the emergence of computers in the middle of the 20th century has significantly accelerated social change, and “Engineering” is now opening the door to a super-smart society. Based on these viewpoints, the Faculty of Engineering / Graduate School of Engineering at Osaka University aims to realize a safe and secure society with true affluence while harmonizing nature with humankind. Its mission is to contribute to the future development of a nation of science and technology through the search for truth and manufacturing that contributes to society and aims at cultivating engineering researchers and engineers able to become creative leaders responding to them.

The School of Engineering at Osaka University recently celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2021. Since its founding, we have pioneered many promising fields from our unique perspective as well as core engineering fields and thus established Japan-first brand-new departments. Currently, we have five undergraduate divisions: Applied Science, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Science, Electronic and Information Engineering, Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, and Global Architecture. The School of Engineering has grown to become among the largest in Japan, accepting 820 new students every year.

The Graduate School of Engineering is the main body of education and research at Osaka University, consisting of nine divisions/departments and six research centers. More than 170 laboratories cover diverse areas aiming at solving the problems in our society. 811 students enter the Master’s course at the Graduate School. In addition, many international students from over 50 countries are included in the Ph.D. candidates. The faculty members and graduate students enthusiastically work together to pursue top-level research.

It should be noted that we have placed a strong emphasis on “Industry-Academia Collaboration” and have sought how the students can learn “Innovation” that creates new values. As a result, our past leaders designed the Joint Research Chairs and Research Alliance Laboratories, embodying the concept of “Industry on Campus.” These are known as Osaka University’s system and have become widespread in Japan. We are very proud of the originality and foreseeability of our leaders. Recently, we have further launched a flexible scheme for education and research named “Techno-Arena,” characterized by a wide range of collaboration, in order to challenge the newly emerged research topics of great significance. Our research achievements and human resource development based on “Industry-Academia Collaboration” are highly evaluated.

Osaka University was selected as a Designated National University Corporation in 2018, and we should act as one of the world’s leading innovative universities contributing to global social change. The School/Graduate School of Engineering will stand on the front line of our university and focus on the future stage of the super-smart society, practicing “Open Innovation on Campus together with Industry.”

read more

Philosophy

The School and Graduate School of Engineering of Osaka University feature students and faculty members of unique personality and outstanding originality. To develop the school and the graduate school into the world-class institutes, faculty members are working to realize the following three visions:

●Trustworthy education (Guarantee)
●Unparalleled intellectual creation (Superiority)
●Contribution to society through education/research activities valued by society (Evaluated)

To achieve these visions, at the School/Graduate School we pledge that we will commit to our day-to-day activities in compliance with the following principles:

Organization

School of Engineering / Division

Division of Applied Science
Division of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Science
Division of Electronic and Information Engineering
Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering
Division of Global Architecture

Graduate School of Engineering/Division, Department

Division of Biotechnology
Division of Applied Chemistry
Division of Precision Engineering and Applied Physics
Division of Mechanical Engineering
Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science
Division of Electrical, Electronic and Infocommunications Engineering
Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering
Division of Global Architecture
Division of Management of Industry and Technology

Educational Research Facilities Attached to Graduate School of Engineering

Research Center for Precision Engineering
Center for Atomic and Molecular Technologies
On-site Research Center for Sustainability Design (ORCSD)
Education and Research Center for Advanced Structural and Functional Materials Design
Center for Future Innovation 
Photonics Center

Joint Use Facilities, Graduate School of Engineering

Radio Isotope Laboratory
Material and Structural Laboratory
Work Shop
Analytical Instrumentation Facility
Education Center for Practical Machine Shop Technology
Common Testing Hall
Wind Tunnel for Research
Institute of Free Electron Laser
Multi-Media Center (Engineering)
Liaison Office
Information Infrastructure and Publicity Board
Creative Design Studio on Technology
Center for International Affairs
Strategy Management and Support Office

History / Features

The School of Engineering more than 120 years after its founding

Just as Osaka University has developed in close cooperation with the local communities, the School of Engineering has also developed and grown together with local communities and local industries in Osaka ever since its beginning as the Osaka Technology School.

The history of this school began with the founding of the Osaka Technology School in Tamae-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka in 1896. Osaka at that time was growing rapidly not only as a center of commerce, but also in industries such as textiles and shipbuilding, and the government and private citizens joined together at this time to establish a technology school. Counting from this date, the Osaka University School of Engineering reached its 120th anniversary in 2016.

In 1929, this school was re-launched as the Osaka Technological College. Two years after the founding of Osaka Imperial University in 1931, the Osaka Technological College was incorporated into Osaka Imperial University and became the Osaka Imperial University School of Engineering. It started at that time with six departments, however seeing the needs of the industrial world and future growth potential, in the succeeding years it added other departments which the Imperial University lacked, such as precision engineering, communications, and welding. In this way, the foundation of the current School of Engineering was created.

Although most of the university buildings were burned during the Second World War, in 1947 the school changed its name to the Osaka University School of Engineering, and in 1949 it reopened as part of a new university. The organization and facilities were gradually expanded and in 1970, the school finished relocating to the Suita Campus in Yamadaoka, Suita City. The Suita Campus continues to be highly rated among national universities for its educational environment.

read more

Graduate school reform and department reorganization

The College of Liberal Arts was abolished in 1994, and the School of Engineering was changed to an integrated 4-year curriculum. In 1995, the university began reforms aimed at further expanding its graduate school. One of the key points of these reforms was transferring the faculty who previously belonged to the School of Engineering and also taught at the graduate school to the graduate school, where they were given a broad-ranging platform for education at the School of Engineering, while further expanding the education and research at the graduate school.

These reforms were carried out in stages from 1995 to 1998, as the departments were reorganized and the systems for graduate school education were prepared. By 1998, the School of Engineering had completed its reorganization that changed the focus to the graduate school.

Features of the School of Engineering

With this history and the graduate school reforms that were carried out, the School of Engineering retains a number of traditional features.

●A university born from the needs of industry
First is the school’s tradition of practical learning. Unlike the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, which were from their beginning founded on plans of the central government, the Osaka Technology School, the predecessor of the School of Engineering, was founded as a powerful cooperative effort between the industry of the time and the government. We continue to pass down this tradition inherited from the time of our founding.

●A diverse range of departments found in no other university
Second is the unique departments of the school. The School of Engineering was the first in Japan to establish specialized academic departments for fields such as fermentation, welding, communications, and the environment.
The nature of Osaka with its comparatively unrestricted atmosphere and our course of development in close cooperation with local industries has produced a unique set of departments that is not restrained by orthodox department structures.
The school is filled with a progressive style, and even the department names are not limited by convention, and both the department names and the contents of research and learning are constantly being updated.

●A large pipeline to the local community and governments
The third feature is our close cooperative relationships with local communities and governments. We utilize a range of opportunities to maintain our important relationships with local communities, including the holding of courses that are open to the public, and university-Industry collaboration projects at the Center for Advanced Science and Innovation.

read more

History

May. 1896
Osaka Technology School (Osaka City) Established
May. 1901
Osaka Technological Higher School Established
Apr. 1929
Osaka Technological College Established
Apr. 1933
School of Engineering, Osaka Imperial University Established
Sep. 1947
School of Engineering, Osaka University Established
Apr. 1949
School of Engineering, Osaka University (New System) Established
Apr. 1953
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (New System) Established
Sep. 1970
Relocated in Suita City
Apr. 2004
National University Corporation Osaka University Established