In the Kansai area, including Osaka city, there are a total of 213 higher education institutions. Consisting of 151 Universities, 56 Junior colleges and 6 technical colleges, these institutions are home to approximately 630,000 students with 130,000 each year.
During the Edo era, Osaka was home to "the Kaitokudo"school for townsmen and"Tekijuku"school of western science – the leading such school at the time – and, as a center of scholarship, attracted aspiring students from various areas outside Osaka. Carrying on in this tradition, still today there are large numbers of rich enterprising minds produced here, and the vestiges of a many exceptional entrepreneurs can be discovered at Osaka’s Entrepreneurial Museum of Challenge and Innovation.
| University | Junior College | Technical College | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansai | 151 | 56 | 6 |
| Osaka | 56 | 24 | 1 |
| Kyoto | 34 | 10 | 1 |
| Hyogo | 36 | 15 | 2 |
| Shiga | 9 | 3 | - |
| Nara | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| Wakayama | 5 | 1 | 1 |
Source: FY2021 Basic Report on Schools
Since the 2000’s, 6 Universities have opened within Osaka City, and in recent years numerous satellite campuses, which provide specialized business education services to working adults and others, have been established centered on the city center.
Universities opened in Osaka City since 2002
| Year opened | University name | Faculty |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Osaka Seikei University, Junior College | Faculty of Contemporary Management Information (currently, the Faculty of Management) |
| 2004 | Osaka Jogakuin University | Faculty of International Studies and English |
| 2006 | Osaka University of Comprehensive Children Education | Faculty of Child Care and Nursing |
| 2007 | Morinomiya Medical University | Faculty of Health Sciences (In 2020 the Department of Radiological Sciences and the Master course of Nursing were established.) |
| 2009 | Osaka Health Science University | Faculty of Health Sciences |
| 2011 | Osaka Graduate School of Healthcare Sciences, Jikei Institute | Medical Safety Management Major |
Major Satellite Campuses
| Open University of Japan Osaka Learning Center | Doshisha University Osaka Satellite Campus | Kobe University of Welfare Osaka Tennoji Campus | Professional Institute of International Fashion Osaka Campus |
| Kochi University of Technology Graduate School Osaka Satellite Campus | Osaka University of Commerce Satellite Campus | Kyoto University of Art and Design Osaka Satellite Campus | Momoyama Gakuin University ABENO BDL（Business Design Lab.） |
| Osaka Sangyo University Umeda Satellite Campus | Temple University Japan Campus Osaka Center | Osaka Dental University Temmabashi Campus | |
| Kwansei Gakuin University Umeda Campus K. G. Hub Square Osaka | Kansai University of Welfare Sciences Satellite Classrooms | Soai University Hommachi Campus | |
| Osaka Prefecture University Namba Satellite Classroom | Osaka University of Economics Kitahama Campus | Osaka Prefecture University I-site Namba | |
| Osaka City University Graduate School Umeda Satellite | Osaka Kyoiku University Tennoji Campus | Osaka Institute of Technology Umekita Knowledge Center | |
| Ritsumeikan University Osaka Umeda Campus | Graduate School of Management, GLOBIS University Osaka Campus | Kansai University Umeda Campus “KANDAI Me Rise” | |
| Takarazuka Unviersity Osaka-Umeda Campus | Josho Gakuen Osaka Center | Koyasan University Osaka Satellite Campus | |
| Osaka University Nakanoshima Center | Nagoya University of Commerce & Business, Business School Osaka Umekita Campus | Osaka Institute of Technology Umeda Campus | |
| The Association of Universities Graduate School Satellite Campus | KEIO Osaka City Campus | Otemae University Osaka Otemae Campus |
The Kansai region is an industrial cluster composed of numerous universities, some of the world’s leading research institutes, and various support organizations for business and industry. Particularly in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, the environment and new energy, industries, universities, and government bodies have partnered together in actively advancing the practical application of cutting-edge technologies and creating and cultivating the human resources that support future innovation.
Examples of Academic Institutes and Industrial Clusters in Kansai Area
