Hokkaido University

www.global.hokudai.ac.jp

History1876 Dr. William S. CLARK, then President of Massachusetts Agricultural College in the Unites States invited to be Vice Presidentof Sapporo Agricultural College. He arrives in Sapporo with two American professors and eleven American students.
1907 Sapporo Agricultural College becomes the Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University.
1918 The Agricultural College of Tohoku Imperial University transferred to the newly established Hokkaido Imperial University,
becoming the Agricultural College of Hokkaido Imperial University.
1947 Hokkaido Imperial University renamed Hokkaido University.
2004 Hokkaido University becomes the National University Corporation Hokkaido University.

Our Philosophies
Hokkaido University was originally founded in 1876 as Sapporo Agricultural College. It subsequently developed into the Agricultural
College of Tohoku Imperial University, Hokkaido Imperial University and then Hokkaido University under Japan’s new school
education system, forming the background of the institution as it exists today. Over its history of more than 140 years, Hokkaido
University has upheld a particular set of education and research principles referred to as the Frontier Spirit, Global Perspectives, Allround Education, and Practical Learning, and has endeavored to implement them.
Frontier SpiritOur Frontier Spirit epitomizes the ideal that students, academics and administrative staff should resolutely take up their daily
challenges with an eye to forging new paths. It has its origins in the words “lofty ambition” uttered by Dr. W. S. Clark during theopening ceremony of Sapporo Agricultural College. This basic philosophy has served as the foundation on which Hokkaido
University has rested for more than a century.
Global Perspectives
From its very start, Sapporo Agricultural College was always open to different world-views, introducing Western culture, science,and technology, and providing English-language lectures by foreign teachers. Ever since, many of our graduates have played activeroles overseas, and our philosophy of the value of acquiring global perspectives has been passed down in many different forms.
All-Round Education
Sapporo Agricultural College not only trained agricultural experts, but also produced graduates endowed with a rich humanity,
lofty intellect, and broad range of knowledge. This philosophy of an all-round education has been handed down at Hokkaido
University through our tradition of emphasizing a liberal arts education as the key to producing graduates armed with the wellrounded acuity and deep insights they need to apply their specialized knowledge. We believe this kind of education produces
graduates who respect human rights and have the basic abilities required to accurately respond to society’s needs.
Practical Learning
We look on research as the process of creating universal learning that is integrated with the real world, and we seek to emphasize
not only basic research but also focus on returning the fruits of our research to society by prioritizing its practical applications. By
making full use of Hokkaido’s unique characteristics and expanding our collaboration with government, industry, and academia,
we aim to give back the fruits of our research to Hokkaido, Japan, and the rest of the world.

Hokkaido University at a Glance
12 Undergraduate Schools
・Letters
・Education
・Law
・Economics and Business・Science
・Medicine・Dental Medicine
・Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy
・Engineering
・Agriculture
・Veterinary Medicine
・Fisheries Sciences

21 Graduate Schools
・Letters
・Law
・Economics and Business・Medicine・Dental Medicine
・Veterinary Medicine
・Information Science and Technology
・Fisheries Sciences
・Environmental Science・Science・Agriculture
・Life Science
・Education
・International Media, Communication, and Tourism Studies
・Health Sciences
・Engineering
・Chemical Sciences and Engineering・Public Policy
・Biomedical Science and Engineering
・Infectious Disease・Global Food Resources

Research Centers

Research Institutes(Denotes joint usage research centers)

・Institute of Low Temperature Science・Research Institute for Electronic Science
・Institute for Genetic Medicine
・Institute for Catalysis

Number of Staff

・Slavic-Eurasian Research Center・Information Initiative Center・Research Center for Zoonosis Control

Number of Students

・Academic Staff
2,070
・Technical Staff
983
・Administrative Staff
901
・Specialist28・URA14

Undergraduate Courses
・Regular Students 11,436
・Research Students
69
・Auditors
430

TOTAL 3,996
International Staff
・Regular Employees
・OtherTOTAL 11,935
126576

Data as of June 1,2017

International Students by Area
・Asia
1,552
・Oceania
12・Europe117
・ North America 47
・Central and South America
30・ Middle East
13・ Africa
80

Graduate Courses
・Regular Students
Master's Course
3,598
Professional Course
209
Doctoral Course
2,279
・Research Students
207
・Auditors
45
TOTAL 6,338
Data as of May 1,2017

International Academic Exchanges

Nobel Prize
Emeritus Professor Akira Suzuki, who worked for more than 40 years at Hokkaido University aftergraduating, won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2010. The prize was given for his work on “palladiumcatalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis,” which produce a more stable, nontoxic reaction
compared with other reactions, an innovation that drastically changed the methodology of organic
synthetic chemistry and serves as a foundation for manufacturing. It also has made a significant
contribution to the development of products that are familiar in our daily lives, such as pharmaceuticaldrugs, pesticides, liquid crystals, and organic light-emitting diodes. The achievement perfectly embodies
our philosophy of “practical learning.”

Professor Emeritus and University Professor

Akira Suzuki
Nobel Prize Winner Chemistry 2010